Kansas City Chiefs Derrick Johnson, Dustin Colquitt Snubbed For Pro Bowl
By Joel Wagler
Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
It was announced last night that the Kansas City Chiefs had eight players named to the Pro Bowl this season. It was an unbelievable number, and something in which the players and organization should be very proud. With 8 players named, how in the world were Derrick Johnson and Dustin Colquitt not two of them?
The eights Chiefs selected for the team include Jamaal Charles, Branden Albert, Dexter McCluster, Brandon Flowers, Tamba Hali, Eric Berry, and Dontari Poe, and Justin Houston.
No offense to the five other defensive players who made the Pro Bowl team, but Derrick Johnson was been the most consistent player for the Chiefs defense all season. He is the heart and soul. He leads the team in tackles, by a mile, with 107. He is has tied with Poe for third on the team in sacks with 4.5. He leads the team in tackles for loss with nine. For good measure, he has 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries.
The case for Dustin Colquitt is even more puzzling. According to Mike Dyce of Fansided.com, yesterday Colquitt was the leading vote getter among punters , as it wasn’t even close. Colquitt had 178,568 votes, and John Ryan of Seattle was in second with 109,854. How was it even possible for not one but two punters, to pass Colquitt in voting?
Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt (2)Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Colquitt is a genius in playing the field possession game. He is in a tie for first place with Arizona’s Dave Zastudil for the most punts inside the 20 with 35. Colquitt sits fifth in the league by allowing just 6.7 return yards on his punts. Watching Colquitt play on a regular basis is like watching an artist at work. He is that fun to watch!
It is really hard to to be miffed with the Chiefs, who placed 6 players in the Pro Bowl, despite their 2-14 record, having 8 players named. It just seems a bit weird for their top performer on defense in Derrick Johnson, to not make the team, let alone a guy like Colquitt who does what his team needs game after game, at a very high level.
Nothing against Justin Houston but he got selected based on his first 8 games of the season. He recorded all 11 of his sacks in those first 8 games, tallied none in the last three games in which he played, and will miss the last 5 games of the season.
Derrick Johnson does much more for this team than just sack the quarterback, and he has been there in the trenches, front and center every game.
It will also be strange that the Chiefs players who did make the Pro Bowl team will have to play against each other. This season, in an effort to make the least exciting all star game in all of pro sports a tiny bit more interesting, the players weren’t selected by conference but by league. They will be drafted, fantasy style, by team captains Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders.
It is not clear how this will help players perform harder in this worthless exhibition. Does anyone really think that if Jamaal Charles come crashing into the line during the Pro Bowl that Dontari Poe is going to lay a lick on him? Do you think Eric Berry is going to try to rattle Charles’ cage if the running back makes into the secondary?
Not going to happen.
The NFL is just trying to put lipstick on a mule. They will find out the Pro Bowl is still just a mule, no mater how much make up they try to apply.
Still, the honor of being named is worth something. Johnson and Colquitt should have had that honor in 2013.
There is a possibility that one or both could still be named as a replacement at a later date.