Pro Bowl announcement
Here is the official announcement from the Patriots regarding the Pro Bowl:
Eight members of the New England Patriots have been selected to represent the Patriots and the AFC at the 2008 Pro Bowl in Honolulu on Feb. 10. QB Tom Brady, C Dan Koppen, T Matt Light, G Logan Mankins, WR Randy Moss, CB Asante Samuel, LB Mike Vrabel and DL Vince Wilfork have all earned All-Star honors.
The Patriots will send eight players to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1985, and the team’s eight Pro Bowlers tie the 1985 squad with the most Patriots Pro Bowl players since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. The Boston Patriots sent a team-record 11 players to the AFL All-Star Game on two occasions (1963 and 1966). Last season, two Patriots were named to the Pro Bowl (Light and DE Richard Seymour).
Moss has earned his sixth career Pro Bowl nod, Brady will head to Hawaii for the fourth time in his career, and Light is an All-Star for the second time. Five players are first-time Pro Bowl selections: Koppen, Mankins, Samuel, Vrabel and Wilfork. Seven Patriots will be among the 22 starters on the AFC Pro Bowl squad: Brady, Light, Mankins, Moss, Samuel, Vrabel and Wilfork.
Koppen, Light and Mankins comprise the first trio of Patriots offensive linemen to earn Pro Bowl honors in the same season since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. The three All-Star offensive linemen tie a team record also achieved when Boston Patriots sent three offensive linemen to the 1966 AFL All-Star Game (C Jon Morris, T Tom Neville and G Len St. Jean). This season, New England has allowed just 17 sacks and is on pace to allow just 19 sacks this season. That would stand as the fewest number of sacks allowed in 30 years, dating back to a 17-sack performance in 1977. Additionally, the 2007 Patriots are averaging 4.0 yards per rush, a mark that has been achieved or exceeded by the club just once in the last 20 years (2004).
Tom Brady’s four Pro Bowl selections are the most of any Patriots quarterback, topping the three All-Star selections of Drew Bledsoe (1994, 1996, 1997) and Vito “Babe” Parilli (1963, 1964, 1966). The two-time Super Bowl MVP also earned Pro Bowl nods in 2001, 2004 and 2005. With two games remaining this season, Brady has thrown 45 touchdown passes - the third highest single-season total in NFL history. He also leads the NFL in passing yards (a career-best 4,235), completion percentage (69.2) and passer rating (119.7). Brady has set NFL records this season for most games with three or more touchdown passes (11), most consecutive games with three or more touchdown passes (10) and most touchdown passes in a month (20 in October). Brady has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Month twice (September and October) and has earned AFC Player of the Week honors four times.
Dan Koppen is the third center in Patriots history to earn All-Star honors, joining Damien Woody (2002) and Jon Morris (seven AFL All-Star Game appearances from 1964-70). The Boston College product is in his fifth season with the Patriots since being selected in the fifth round (164th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. He has started 13 games this season and has played in 70 games with 69 starts in his career.
Matt Light is the only Patriots player who will return to Hawaii for the second consecutive season, having earned his first career Pro Bowl selection in 2006. Light is one of four Patriots offensive tackles to earn All-Star selections since the 1970 merger, joining Patriots Hall of Famer Bruce Armstrong, Leon Gray and Brian Holloway. The Purdue University product is in his seventh season with the Patriots since being selected in the second round (48th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He has started all 14 games this season and has played in 95 games with 93 starts in his career.
Logan Mankins is the first Patriots guard to earn a Pro Bowl selection since 1985, when Pro Football Hall of Famer John Hannah went to his ninth career Pro Bowl. Mankins joins Hannah as the only Patriots guards to earn Pro Bowl bids since the 1970 merger. The Fresno State product is in his third season with the Patriots since being selected in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He has started all 14 games this season and has never missed an NFL game, starting all 46 games of his career.
Randy Moss is the fourth Patriots wide receiver to earn a Pro Bowl selection since the 1970 merger, joining Stanley Morgan, Terry Glenn and Troy Brown. He will return to Hawaii for the sixth time, having also earned All-Star honors from 1998-2000 and from 2002-03. With two games remaining this season, Moss leads the NFL with 19 touchdown receptions, a total that ranks second in league history to Jerry Rice’s record 22 scoring catches in 1987. He leads the league in touchdown receptions (19) and receiving yards (1,343) and ranks fifth in the league with 87 receptions. Moss’s 114 points scored lead the NFL among non-kickers. His 1,343 receiving yards are the second highest total in Patriots history, trailing only Morgan’s franchise-record 1,491 receiving yards in 1986. He has set franchise single-season records for touchdown receptions (19) and overall touchdowns (19) and set the franchise’s single-game record for touchdown receptions (4 on Nov. 18). Moss was the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Month for November and earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors on two occasions.
Asante Samuel joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes, Ty Law and Raymond Clayborn as one of four Patriots cornerbacks to earn Pro Bowl honors since the 1970 merger. Samuel’s six interceptions this season lead the Patriots and are tied for fourth in the NFL. His 16 passes defensed lead the team and rank fifth in the league. Since the beginning of the 2006 season, Samuel leads the NFL with 16 interceptions (Champ Bailey, 13). In 2006, Samuel led the league with 10 interceptions and also topped the NFL with 24 passes defensed. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week following a two-interception performance against Philadelphia on Nov. 25, 2007.
Mike Vrabel is the seventh Patriots linebacker to earn a Pro Bowl nod since the merger and is the first New England linebacker to go to Hawaii since Tedy Bruschi earned the honor following the 2004 season. Vrabel is in his 11th year in the NFL and his seventh season with the Patriots. He leads the Patriots with 9.5 sacks this season, the second highest total among AFC linebackers (Shawne Merriman, 11.5). His 9.5 sacks tie his career high and tie the highest total by a Patriots player since Willie McGinest had 11.0 sacks in 1995. Vrabel leads the team with 14 quarterback hits this season and his four forced fumbles are twice as many as anyone else on the team. Vrabel was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week following a game against Washington on Oct. 28 in which he recorded three strip-sacks, forcing fumbles that were recovered by the Patriots each time. He also caught his second touchdown pass of the season in the game.
Vince Wilfork joins Richard Seymour as the only Patriots defensive tackles to be selected to a Pro Bowl since the 1970 merger. Wilfork has started every game this season as part of a Patriots defense that ranks fourth in the NFL in yards allowed per game (289.9) and points allowed per game (16.6). The 289.9 yards per game allowed by the Patriots this season are the fewest for the franchise since allowing 270.2 yards per game in 1979. Wilfork is in his fourth season with the Patriots since being selected in the first round (21st overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. The University of Miami product has played in 59 games with 49 starts in his career.
Hello??? Where the *%#@ is Wes Welker???
I am happy for all our pro bowlers, but I am exceedingly pleased that Mike Vrabel was named this year. He is having a great year, again, and thankfully, it is being noticed by the rest of the NFL.
As good as Welker has been, it's hard to argue against the other guys (Moss, Reggie Wayne, Braylon Edwards, and T.J. Whosyourmama).
Why not Wes Welker -- he is the MAN!!!!
You're right Moxie. Those are real good receivers. It would've been nice to see Welker as a kick returner though ...I thought he was the leading vote getter for that position...
Glad to see Wilfork get his due. He probably deserved a nod last year, but Pro Bowl balloting often lags behind by a year.
yeah where is Welker??? I guess can't complain too much - good representation - glad to see Vrabel in the mix!
Its about time the O-line gets the respect it certainly deserves.
I'm a Pats fan who lives in Australia, I don't get to see every game in full (lucky to see half the games actually) but every week on the highlights, it's Welker, Wleker, Welker. Without his efforts, I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be 21 Pats with TDs this season, and Moss might not have as many as he does.
If I can see this from Down Under, why couldn't the selectors?
And how come the Pats get eight picked while Dallas got eleven? (I know, the NFC has no depth, but let me ask the question anyway!)
Odds of two WRs from the same team making it have to be pretty slim... but you know you're an All Pro to all us Pats fans Welker!
It is awsome that these gus made it, but I think we should focus on voting Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard into the NHL All star game. The bruins have the 2nd most points in the eastern conference.
What about Warren!? He was holding it down while Seymour was out. He is the star of that D line.
It's great to have 8 players on the team.... but Welker got jobbed.
I wonder how many teams have started 3 offensive linemen since the merger? That seems mighty impressive to me. And it helps to account for Welker's success as well. Brady would have been doing his best Drew Bledsoe impression from his back on the Field-Turf if not for the overly dominant effort of Koppen/Light/Mankins/et. al., and he would never be able to find Wes open down the field. Bravo O-Line
where is welker are you kidden ??
I have been a huge Wes Welker fan since his incredible high school career at Heritage Hall (my daughter was in his class). I saw him “snubbed” by colleges until Texas Tech gave him a last minute kicking scholarship and then later by the pros when he didn’t make the draft. But he’s defied all odds (and obstacles) and made it to the top of the NFL. Now he’s being denied a well deserved position on the Pro Bowl team. But Wes is a “class act” both on and off the field and he’ll handle this disappointment like he’s handled the others – with class and a determination to get there anyway. Mark my words, he’ll use this to get tougher and better and he’ll make it next year!
I agree with the man from Down Under, I too have been soaking up the Aussie sun and my highlights are full of Welker. No biggie, 8 pro bowlers and 7 starters is damn good for a this team. I did in fact shed a tear when my man Logan Mankind was chosen, only BB could have picked a ProBowl lineman out of Fresno State with the 32nd pick. Nice work gentlemen.
NO Urlacher! NO WAY
last year pro bowl selections was a joke as far a the Pats were concerned! Finally, vindication. Even the haters get it right once in a while. Congradulations to a great team. Miami on Sunday. 15 and 0 Go Pats!!!
WOW.. Kudos to the O-Line for that strong showing. I agree I think Welker deserves a shot there too. I bet if one of the others can't make it, Welker might still make an appearance in Hawaii. Samuels missed out last year barely but got his invitation as he should this year.
Too bad rodney was not eligible. He would have been there too.
What are peoples thoughts on Adalius Thomas?
bababooey.
Welker and Warren! You guys know you deserved it, we all do. I guess you're going to have to get the real thing now. One ring is better than any pro-bowl.
bababooey
96 catches 1004 yards 8 touchdowns only 2 fumbles and no Pro bowl??? are you kidding me?
Whoseyourmamadoinontheprobowlselectioncommitte?
Yeah, without Welker, the Pats are definitely not undefeated. Welker should get the "Troy Brown" award for dependability and consistency.
But you know, who really cares about going to a Pro Bowl. Look what it did for Robert Edwards career.
Now the fourth ring- THAT'S the prize!!!
Welker in the pro bowl??? LMAO!! You Cheater fans crack me up. Hes not pro bowl material.
No Vince Wilfork?
THE PATS DID WELL. I AM HAPPY FOR DAN KOPPEN AND VINCE WILFORK. THEY ARE OVERSDUE. WES WELKER COULD HAVE GONE AHEAD OF THE GUY FROM THE BENGALS.
BUT JACKSONVILLE GOT JOBBED THE MOST. NO SELECTIONS? YOU MUST BE JOKING. FRED TAYLOR GETS JOBBED JUST ABOUT EVERY YEAR, AND THIS YEAR WAS NO EXCEPTION.
Hello??? Where the *%#@ is Wes Welker???
Probably the same place as Stokley soon.
No Pro Bowl selection for Wes Welker---Big mistake---As large as the DOLPHINS letting him go. His determination to go beyond will come back and haunt the DOLPHINS this Sunday. Hope he still has a chance. He doesn't need to prove anything.
Congrats, Pats on the strong showing! Just wish Warren and Welker were in the mix. They both got jipped!!!
Wes Welker got screwed.....no question about the selection committee...Wes loves being a NE Patriot and we luv Wes, too....the [ one win] Miami team will rue the day they wouldn't give Wes a pay raise....Belichick-Kraft-Paoili were only to happy to pay him accordingly...Wes figured into all 14 wins so far....again, Wes deserved to go to the Pro Bowl ...hey Dougie , my man....watch how Wes Welker shreds the Miami secondary apart on Sunday.....big Fish-Fry Sunday in Foxboro...all you can eat....LOL
Hey Dougie boy.....I'm happy as all get out at 14-0 compared to a laffing stock 1-13 joe-dump team like Miami....you'll be 1-14 after Wes Welker and Company destroys a sorry crybabiy team from South Miami...eat yur heart out....cheatin' does pay!!...LOL...LOL
Welker had a very good year. But I can see an argument that he was a beneficiary of the Patriots system and all of the double teams and extra attention Moss received. As the second or slot receiver, he didn't always get the other team's best cover guy and that's an argument for selecting #1 receivers.
I heard the football show on 890 from 6-7 and the host was trying to make an argument that Gostkowski should have made it as the kicker because he set a record for PATs. Now, I've heard everything. Gostkowski was pretty mediocre.
It was great to see the offensive line get recognized and there weren't any big snubs of Pats.
Wilfork didn;t deserve it.....neither did Light.
Matt Light is the worst good LT in the NFL. Jason Taylor, Freeney and for that matter anybody that rushes the passer well knows that he sucks.
Welker's YPC sucks and there are at least 20 other guys in the NFL that can do what he does. (catch the ball and fall down)
The only reason you guys like him is because he is white.
BTW, the Dolphins drafted a guy by the name of Samson Satele who will eventually be a perenial pro bowl guard. I think they love the trade.
So when are you guys gonna put a dome on your stadium? You can;t beat the Jags, Colts, or Chargers for that matter if the weather gets the least bit difficult.
yeah, were the hell is welker?
and is brady or manningstarting??
TY WARREN deserves this selection. If someone goes down, he should be next in line!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Welker got snubbed. He has been carrying the team when Moss is eliminated from the equation. That's the problem with this voting system. They don't always get it right.
I'm a Charger fan, have been for 30 years..born and raised in SD
I don't care whether the Pats cheated or not..probably most NFL teams do
I also would never have the audacity to post what America thinks about the Pats. I don't know what anybody else thinks.
The 2007 NE Patriots were the best NFL team I had ever seen in my life for the first half of the season.
The Pats sure did smoke My Bolts on primetime TV the 2nd week of the season..
After that game, I came here to the Boston Globe website and read some of the Globe's sportswriter's comments..
Then, I came here, to the Patriot threads and checked out some of the fans comments..You guys are truly like no other writers and fans in America.
I love that you folks are talking about your number of pro bowl selections, the records the Patriots will break this year, the undefeated season, the weather that has "slowed the Patriots down." in recent games..
I really love it that I get the feeling from you folks that we should just engrave the Lombardi trophy right now , NE Patriots, 2008 Superbowl Champs..
I love that your Patriots danced on our logo after you upset us in SD..I love the comments Teddy Bruschi made in your locker room after the game (it's on youtube). I love listening to you Boston folks disrespect and minimize Tomlinson, Merriman and The Charger Team. I love watching Bill Belichick stroke the press during the post game interviews.
Like your season has been...so far..this is perfect.
As Our Governor says,
We'll be back
The New England Patriots will be waiting for your San Diego Chargers...SD/Matt....anytime-anyplace-anywhere....you seem like a nice guy in your post; besides, I've been to San Diego many many times and if I ever relocate San Diego is the place for me....Junior Seau still lives in San Diego....SD/Matt...if your Chargers make it deep into the playoffs...they have to come here in January if they think they can get to the Superbowl...the Patriots will be at South Station to welcome them to the snow/bowl game.
Lock-N-Load
Fair enough.
I appreciate USMC
WELKER AND WARREN DESERVED TO BE SELECTED
Welker will go to the Pro Bowl as the AFC coach's "need" selection. Mark my words.
SD/Matt......Aside from this football jazz....Thx for your support of the USMC....San Diego is home to almost every Marine [ Camp Pendelton--Camp Del Mar] up there on old Rte #101 [ coastal highway] is home base for the 1st Marine Division FMF and 32nd Street is home to tall he West-Pac Navy ships near Coronado...great American city is San Diego....hey SD/Matt...have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....football isn't everything.
The Chargers are a bunch of punks. Like true punks, they choked when it counted most as they seem to do in the playoffs. Those punks were more worried about the Patriots dancing on their logo than with their gutless performance in the 4th quarter. Now, we see the great bigmouth LT walking away from his QB in what must have been a great show of support. It would be truly a letdown if the Chargers beat the Colts and then got to meet the Patriots in the AFC CG. But that won't happen anyway. Sanders will cheat because he really doesn't need to show respect for Rivers and Sanders will shut down Tomlinson and Manning will put up 27 points and we'l get our Colts-Pats AFC CG.
It is so great to see the Pats' offensive line going to Honolulu. Wish I join #50, (my crush), in Honolulu!
What are you talking aboutDiegoMatt? We love Tomlinson because he's got class. We know because he tells us that every chance he gets.
Ya Masshole. Your guys are doing a great job down there with personnel. I can only hope they keep it up (one less team in the division to worry about.)
Get used to losing year after year because you've got a lot more of it in your future.
Braylon Edwards over Wes Welker?!?!?! Who votes this stuff??
I cannot believe manning is in here again. I am so sick of peyton.
Brady....now he should start and finish the game.
I agree with you all Wes should have been included. That guy is so cool!
You'd have to go to the Saltine factory to get more baked crackers lined up than the day Boston didn't get their fair haired wideout into the pro bowl.
San Diego Matt......Enough of this football jazz....thanks a bunch for your loyal support of the USMC....just about any Marine who's been to San Diego recalls the home/base of the 1st Marine Division FMF and Camp Del Mar...both main/gates on old Rte #101 [ coastal highway] and the US Navy's Pacific Fleet berthed at 32nd Street....your San Diego is an All-American city and if I relocate...it's San Diego for me pronto....San Diego Matt ...I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....Semper Fidelis
Sorry Pats fans, but everyone selected ahead of Welker has more yards and touchdowns than Welker. "THE GUY FROM THE BENGALS" had more receptions, yards and touchdowns than Welker, how exactly does Welker deserve a selection over Housh?
I agree with Jon, Ty Warren is best player on the defensive line and he needs to get a lot more credit for the work he does on that line. My order of who deserves to make it most on that team is Brady, Moss, Samual, Warren, Mankins, Wilfork, Vrabel, Welker, and Koppen. I don't think Light deserves to start he was mediocre at best vs the Eagles and got absolutely owned vs the Colts.
maybe belacheat fixed the voting polls somehow
Welker definitely deserves to go.. too bad.. but atleast most of our guys are going! next year we will have a big part of our team there again because we will be better!!!!go pats!!
Payton in the joke bowl? Where is the Jags QB? 2 int's all year! Who are there WR’s anyway? and the Brown's QB? The Browns didn’t even know this guy was good till week two. NoWelker!!! can you say robbed, ROBBED! The guy who calls himself LT sucked most of this year. J. Lewis, F. Taylor robbed. Where the H--- is Rivers over Brady this Year? HAHAHA!!! This is a popularity contest that’s all.
This is one of the most dominent offenses of all time! How in the woRld could the strength of Evans and Eckel and Hochstein and Kaczur bE ignored? And trust me our Pats wouldn't miss a beAt with either Cassell or Gutierrez if Tommy went down. On the other side of the ball, I can't believe they left Larry Izzo off the Pro Bowl team. ChaD Brown you ask? Maybe. But GostKowski and Hanson both were way more deServing than those other joKers!
Hmmm, 8 Patriots in the Pro Bowl...who would have figured? This is eerily reminiscent of every MLB All Star game which basically has the Yankees and Boston taking 90% of the AL spots. Winning records say a lot, but so does East Coast biasing. No Jacksonville Jaguars...and they post a 10-4 record? Wow. There are several players out there who have posted stats better than some of the Pats chosen, but it is what it is. As usual, I will NOT be tuning in for that game.
Wes Welker over TJ Housh? Gimme a break. Welker is the beneificiary of Moss double teams. He SHOULD catch a lot of balls.
re: 59
Um, you have noticed that the Patriots are 14-0, right? Not really the best time to play the "East Coast" bias card.
How do you explain the 11 Cowboys on the NFC squad?
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