Bill Barnwell's All Pro Team

[Broncos6482]

Bill Barnwell on his pick for the NFL All-Pro team - Grantland

POSITION FIRST TEAM SECOND TEAM
QB Peyton Manning, DEN Russell Wilson, SEA
RB Jamaal Charles, KC Adrian Peterson, MIN
RB LeSean McCoy, PHI DeMarco Murray, DAL
WR Calvin Johnson, DET A.J. Green, CIN
WR Josh Gordon, CLE Antonio Brown, PIT
TE Jimmy Graham, NO Vernon Davis, SF
T Joe Staley, SF Trent Williams, WAS
T Tyron Smith, DAL Joe Thomas, CLE
G Logan Mankins, NE David DeCastro, PIT
G Josh Sitton, GB Evan Mathis, PHI
C Ryan Kalil, CAR Alex Mack, CLE
DE Robert Mathis, IND Mario Williams, BUF
DE Robert Quinn, STL Greg Hardy, CAR
DT J.J. Watt, HOU Jurrell Casey, TEN
DT Mo Wilkerson, NYJ Calais Campbell, ARI
MLB Luke Kuechly, CAR NaVorro Bowman, SF
OLB Vontaze Burfict, CIN Thomas Davis, CAR
OLB Lavonte David, TB DeAndre Levy, DET
CB Patrick Peterson, ARI Alterraun Verner, TEN
CB Richard Sherman, SEA Aqib Talib, NE
S Earl Thomas, SEA Devin McCourty, NE
S Eric Weddle, SD Jairus Byrd, BUF
K Justin Tucker, BAL Stephen Gostkowski, NE
P Johnny Hekker, STL Andy Lee, SF

Thoughts?

 

[Morpheus]

Bill Barnwell on his pick for the NFL All-Pro team - Grantland





Thoughts?

I wish this was my Fantasy Football Roster.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

As a clearly biased Hawk fan I'd like to see Lynch on there but its hard to take off AP or Charles.

John Ryan should replace Andy Lee for punting. The seahawks will set an NFL record this year for not allowing punt return yards. A huge part of that is the hang time Ryan gets which allows the gunners to get downfield and force the fair catch.

Other than that I'm good with the rest.

 

[Broncos6482]

I don't see how you can leave Matt Prater off the All-Pro team. Not only has he kicked the longest field goal in NFL history, he also has the best kicking percentage in the NFL (96 to Tucker and Gostkowski's 92) and he's second in the NFL in total scoring (140 points to Gostkowski's 144).

 

[cdumler7]

Surprised that the Bronco offense doesn't have a few more in that discussion. I mean they are the highest scoring offense in NFL history with one game to go. A couple I would think would be D. Thomas as he has more touchdowns than all the guys listed except Megatron who he is tied with. He is within 100 yards of 2 of the guys on the list at this point so I would think the additional touchdowns would mean more than the yards. I would also think that Vasquez would be in at guard as he has graded out as the best guard in the NFL this season according to PFF.


This list just looks a little more like the most popular players at their positions than actual guys that are deserving. Eric Weddle isn't a guy I would pick as he is playing on one of the worst defenses in the NFL and is having a pretty down year. Last year would have been more understanding. Byrd is in the same boat. I would have picked TJ Ward and Eric Berry over those two. Corner seems about the same.

 

[Broncos6482]

I'd also put Philip Rivers in as the second qb over Russell Wilson.

 

[cdumler7]

As a clearly biased Hawk fan I'd like to see Lynch on there but its hard to take off AP or Charles.

John Ryan should replace Andy Lee for punting. The seahawks will set an NFL record this year for not allowing punt return yards. A huge part of that is the hang time Ryan gets which allows the gunners to get downfield and force the fair catch.

Other than that I'm good with the rest.

There are about 15 punters I would put in ahead of John Ryan at this point. Ryan is 23rd in the NFL in Net Yards and 30th in yards per punt. How in the world can a guy with those kind of stats even be close to being considered for All-Pro?

 

[cdumler7]

I'd also put Philip Rivers in as the second qb over Russell Wilson.

Yeah definitely have to agree with you on this. Rivers get's dinged for being on a .500 team but the guy statistically has been a top 3 quarterback this year yet hardly get's the recognition that he should.

 

[Broncos6482]

There are about 15 punters I would put in ahead of John Ryan at this point. Ryan is 23rd in the NFL in Net Yards and 30th in yards per punt. How in the world can a guy with those kind of stats even be close to being considered for All-Pro?

Yeah I agree. There is a lot more that goes into not allowing punt return yards than just being a great punter. I mean, I could kick 15 yard punts all day and the other team wouldn't get any return yards. When evaluating punters I think looking at net yards, touchbacks, and punts downed inside the 20 are good measure's of a punters effectiveness.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

There are about 15 punters I would put in ahead of John Ryan at this point. Ryan is 23rd in the NFL in Net Yards and 30th in yards per punt. How in the world can a guy with those kind of stats even be close to being considered for All-Pro?

I think this is a case where stats can be deceiving. Ryan doesn't have rally long punts, but that could be because of the field position Seattle usually had. The key for me is that teams never or almost never get a chance to return a Jon Ryan punt. The team will probably set an NFL record for it this year and Ryan is a big part of that. I don't think that should be overlooked anymore than your argument that Denver should have more offensive players in a year that they are setting a record for highest scoring offense.

 

[STBR 27]

I think this is a case where stats can be deceiving. Ryan doesn't have rally long punts, but that could be because of the field position Seattle usually had. The key for me is that teams never or almost never get a chance to return a Jon Ryan punt. The team will probably set an NFL record for it this year and Ryan is a big part of that. I don't think that should be overlooked anymore than your argument that Denver should have more offensive players in a year that they are setting a record for highest scoring offense.

Seriously hammer, stop arguing for Ryan, he has been averaging 30 yards on his punts lately, most high school punters can kick farther than that and it isn't because Seattle was trying to pin someone deep, they were from his own end of the field. It appears to me that Seattle is actually trying to get the record for fewest return yards, instead of actually trying to push the other team back as far as possible.

Lee probably is the best punter in the league, I would put him ahead of Hekkter actually. But in the grand scheme of things, who cares, their not even "football players" they are "defenseless" remember?

 

[cdumler7]

I think this is a case where stats can be deceiving. Ryan doesn't have rally long punts, but that could be because of the field position Seattle usually had. The key for me is that teams never or almost never get a chance to return a Jon Ryan punt. The team will probably set an NFL record for it this year and Ryan is a big part of that. I don't think that should be overlooked anymore than your argument that Denver should have more offensive players in a year that they are setting a record for highest scoring offense.

I understand your thoughts but if you look at the full picture of all the punters in the NFL this season I don't think many outside of Seattle would even think about mentioning Ryan's name. He isn't in the top 10 in punts inside the 20 and he isn't top 10 in net yards and so many other stats. The only one that he can hang his hat on is the return yards per punt which many could argue is just as important in that is Seattle is considered the deepest team in the NFL especially on defense meaning the coverage units are usually better. Heck even PFF has him ranked 26th in the NFL for punters.

 

[ONEPANTHERSFAN]

Nice to see Thomas Davis getting some love but I'm surprised he took Greg Hardy and not Charles Johnson.

 

[cdumler7]

Nice to see Thomas Davis getting some love but I'm surprised he took Greg Hardy and not Charles Johnson.

I think Hardy is having the better year. Now some of that could be because Johnson is getting more attention blocking wise but as of right now Hardy beats Johnson in about every category. Nice problem to have of 2 great DE's. Wouldn't mind when Hardy hits the open market if the Broncos took a good hard look at him.

 

[gowazzu02]

Crazy to think how dominant Seattles D is and yet they only have 2 guys on the list. And I can't really make an argument for any others.

Deep, Deep, Deep, Deep and Deeper. They are more specialized and deeper then any team out there. Which allows for them to lose a Pro Bowl corner, and their third string corner as well as their best lb and not miss a beat.

 

[eric5577x]

Talib?? Is he serious.....that's a nut scratch-errrrrr right there!

 

[Davis_Mike]

Calais Campbell is not a DT & Karlos Dansby should be the second MLB on this list.

 

[wingsauce7]

Talib?? Is he serious.....that's a nut scratch-errrrrr right there!

Yeah, I don't get that either...How about Brandon Flowers or Charles Tillman?

 

[cdumler7]

Yeah, I don't get that either...How about Brandon Flowers or Charles Tillman?

No to flowers. Guy stunk it up especially second half of the season this year. Tillman I could see

 

[Judge Fudge]

I'd also put Philip Rivers in as the second qb over Russell Wilson.

i don't get what people issue with Russell Wilson here. The guy is proven winner day in and day out.