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The NFL announced the Pro Bowl rosters, and while losing teams aren’t necessarily represented at the annual post-season all star game, I thought the Chicago Bears would have at least one player named.
Akiem Hicks has played some damn good football all year long, and he’s been an anchor for Chicago’s defense. After signing a 4 year, $48 million extension this offseason, he immediately proved he wouldn’t rest on his laurels by nabbing two sacks in the week one game against the defending NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons.
Through 14 games this season, Hicks has 48 tackles, 8 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits, and 2 fumble recoveries.
As a 3-4 defensive end, Hicks would be considered an interior defensive lineman, meaning the three players selected ahead of him were Fletcher Cox of the Philadelphia Eagles, Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, and Gerald McCoy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
All three of those players are deserving, but Hicks is too.
I’m not even going to try and argue against Donald, because that guy is a freak, but Hicks could have received the nod over Cox or McCoy.
NFL.com believed that Jordan Howard was the Bears’ Pro Bowl snub.
Chicago isn't going to the postseason this year, but it's found a nice little backfield tandem in Howard and Tarik Cohen. The former is fourth (!!) in the league in rushing yards with 1,069 and a sparkling 4.4 yards per carry average to go along with seven rushing touchdowns -- and this is while also seeing some of the touches go to Cohen. Howard has come on strong as of late, but also keyed a major upset win over Pittsburgh early in the season. He should be on this roster.
The three running backs that made the NFC squad were the Rams’ Todd Gurley, and the New Orleans Saints’ tandem of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram.
Howard is a guy that racked up most of his numbers against a stacked box, while the Saints and Rams are have more balanced and explosive offenses.
The lack of receptions hurt Howard, but he is the engine of the Bears O.
You can check out the full Pro Bowl rosters here.
In your opinion, did any other Bears get the snub?
EDIT:
#Bears announce the Jordan Howard, Kyle Long (IR), Tarik Cohen and Akiem Hicks are Pro Bowl alternates. Cohen and Long are 2nd alternates. Hicks is a fourth alternate — which is a crime. They didn't specify on Howard, but he sounds like a 1st or 2nd.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) December 20, 2017