How, dear readers, does Kelly Gregg get overlooked again? I’m baffled. Gregg continues to be the most underrated and overlooked player in the NFL — and he’s one of the most consistent and hard-working guys you’ll see play the game.
And while we’re talking about overlooked Ravens, how was Haloti Ngata (2.0 sacks, 58 tackles, 1 FF) left off the team? He and Gregg are the reason the Ravens rush defense is so damn good. The same rush defense that hasn’t allowed a 100 yard rusher since Larry Johnson on 12/10/06 (17 straight games good for the longest streak in the NFL). The same rush defense that has only allowed two 100 yard rushers in their last 33 games.
Don’t get me wrong — I can’t argue with Albert Haynesworth (6.0 sacks, 31 tackles, 1PD) — he’s a beast. But Vince Wilfork (2.0 sacks, 44 tackles)?! How is Wilfork better than Gregg’s 3.0 sacks and 74 tackles? How are Gregg and/or Ngata not selected as alternates? Their numbers are much better than Jamal Williams (0.0 sacks, 39 tackles, 1 FF).
And how in the world does Mario Williams - who is finally living up to the #1 overall pick status with 13.0 sacks on the season (and 53 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR and 1 TD) - get passed over by Mike Vrabel? Not hatin’ on the Patriots, but I think Williams deserves the nod more than a guy who catches touchdown passes like it’s his job. I wonder if we’ll see him line up as a TE with a trick play?
What about Ben Roethlisberger getting the nod over David Garrard? That hardly seems fair, right? I mean, jeez — what do you have to do in order to get noticed? Apparently not throw 2 picks against 16 TDs while compiling a 101.6 QB Rating, right? (To be fair, though, Roethlisberger has a 100.5 QB rating and a 29 to 11 TD-to-INT ratio). Sadly, the Jaguars aren’t sending anyone to the Pro Bowl this year, despite compiling a 10-4 record in a tough division. Again, that hardly seems fair.
At least the NFL gets the concept of an all-star game correct: the NHL and MLB fail miserably in drumming up fan interest by playing the game in the middle of the season (not that the Pro Bowl draws huge ratings — I think I set my TiVo last year and ran errands instead of watching it live). By placing a meaningless exhibition game at the end of the season, it can be a nice send-off after a long career.
Case in point: Jonathan Ogden.
Ogden has played by far his worst season of his otherwise outstanding pro career in 2007. But because he’s going to hang ‘em up at the end of 2007, he gets the sentimental vote. Far from dominant in 2007, he still managed to play through a lot of adversity and pain to cap a beautiful career with the Ravens. 2008 will mark Ogden’s 11th straight Pro Bowl selection in his 12 year career.
I look forward to the day that Ogden is placed in the Ravens’ Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I hope to be present at both occasions.
