On Saturday, Calvin Johnson broke the NFL record for most receiving yards in a season. On Wednesday, to nobody's surprise he was named a starter for the NFC in the Pro Bowl.
Sure, at this point the Pro Bowl is basically a method for players to get contract bonuses, but they still name the rosters, and for now they still play the games, and being named a Pro Bowl starter is still a fairly impressive feat. Johnson's numbers are certainly unimpeachable, especially since when all is said and done he might break the 2,000 yard barrier, a heretofore unseen mark for any receiver in the history of the league. It may provide some solace for Johnson after this disappointing season. At the very least, he can take a trip to Hawaii and go through the motions of a football game and try not to get hurt. Or just beg out with an injury, like everybody else.
No other Lions players were named to the team, but two were named alternates. Granted, by the time the game rolls around pretty much everybody in the league will be considered an alternate, but nevertheless it is the case. One of them is not that surprising, as Ndamukong Suh is having a good year, if not as good as his rookie season, and he does have seven sacks, which leads NFC defensive tackles. The other is a bit of a puzzler, as Matthew Stafford has been named an alternate as well. This is somewhat surprising because Stafford hasn't really been all that good. He's thrown quite a few picks and has made some bad throws and his touchdown-to-interception ratio is not all that stellar. Sure, he's thrown for a ton of yards. He's also on the verge of breaking the record for most passing attempts in a season. So, if I were to pass judgment on who is deserving of a Pro Bowl alternate spot, I would declare Stafford not be be deserving.
Congratulations to Johnson on being named a Pro Bowl starter due to his great season. Greatly reduced congratulations for Suh and Stafford. Now, let's all ride this wave of excitement into another excellent Little Caesar's Bowl matchup. Central Michigan versus Western Kentucky!
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