Ravens Team Headlines: Four Ravens Named To Pro Bowl, Eric Weddle Not One Of Them
By Daniel Benjamin
Four Baltimore Ravens were selected to the 2017 NFL Pro Bowl on Tuesday: Kicker Justin Tucker, linebacker C.J. Mosley, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and guard Marshal Yanda.
Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, has made 33-of-34 field goals this season, including 10-of-10 over 50 yards. His 10 field goals of 50 yards or longer ties a league record. Tucker is also 25-for-25 on field goal attempts.
Mosley has also been selected to the Pro Bowl for the second time. He is currently third on the team with 72 tackles. Mosley also has knocked away seven passes, picked off three passes—which ties for the most in the league amongst linebackers—and forced one fumble. He led the Ravens with 13 tackles last week.
Juszcyk is making his first Pro Bowl appearance. He has been far and away the most productive fullback in the league, hauling in 33 passes for 255 yards while adding seven yards on three carries. He is also the second-best blocking fullback in the league per Pro Football Focus.
Yanda is making his sixth Pro Bowl appearance. He is PFF's highest-rated guard and second-highest rated offensive linemen overall. Remarkably, Yanda has yet to allow a sack or quarterback hit this season.
Eric Weddle gets snubbed
One of the biggest surprises was that safety Eric Weddle was not selected to the Pro Bowl or as a first alternate.
Weddle has very good stats; in fact, they're even better than the three safeties that were selected to the Pro Bowl. The 31-year-old has registered 81 tackles, one sack, 11 passes defensed and four interceptions, making him one of two defensive players with at least four interceptions and one sack this season. Weddle is the top-rated safety according PFF.
Weddle was passed over for the Pro Bowl for Kansas City's Eric Berry, New England's Devin McCourty and Oakland's Reggie Nelson.
Despite the snub, Weddle believes he is playing his best football of his career.
"Do I think I played one of my best seasons? Yes. Do I think maybe the best? Yeah," Weddle said Wednesday. "But I don't have any animosity towards the other guys that make it. I don't know them from each game. I'm buddies with everybody. It is what is it is. I'm not going to waste time or energy spent on something I can't control."
Weddle has been to three Pro Bowls in his career. He was selected as a second alternative to the Pro Bowl along with linebacker Terrell Suggs, defensive tackle Brandon Williams and tight end Dennis Pitta.
Suggs has not had a fantastic season, yet he has eight sacks—which ranks15th in the NFL—despite playing the majority of the season with one arm after tearing his bicep on Oct. 16. He has also been credited with four pass defensed, three forced fumbles and 33 tackles.
Williams is the Ravens' anchor on the defensive line, as he is a very good against the run. He has 46 tackles, two tackles for losses, one sack and a blocked kick.
Pitta leads the Ravens with 67 receptions, which third in the league among tight ends, for 563 yards and two touchdowns.
