Oakland Raiders Nnamdi Asomugha deserves Pro Bowl

November 20, 12:58 AMOakland Raiders ExaminerPatrick Patterson

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Despite the Oakland Raiders trials on defense, there has been one pillar of consistency -- defensive back Nnamdi Asomugha. Aso has virtually no name recognition among fans outside of the Raider Nation, and not just because of the diffiiculty of spelling or saying it, but because he does his job so well that his name is rarely called.

Asomugha has been among the elite corners in the National Football League since his breakout 2006 campaign where he snagged eight interceptions. However, along with that breakout season came the recognition of opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks who see number 21 on one side of the field and decide it's a better idea to throw elsewhere. That is the very definition of shutdown corner.

The Oakland Raiders brought in former Pro Bowl corner DeAngelo Hall to try to get some action Aso's way, but rather than throw on Asomugha, teams exposed that Hall was overrated.

There have only been a few passes thrown in his general direction, and those are rarely completed. In the Carolina Panthers game, for some unknown reason Jake Delhomme decided to test him on a deep route to Steve Smith. The results: Asomugha hauled in his first interception of the season and didn't see any action to his side of the field the rest of the game, or the next week for that matter.

Nnamdi Asomugha is truly an elite corner, and he should be recognized as such. So vote for him for the Pro Bowl.  He deserves it.