Four Cardinals land on PFF Pro Bowl roster
Dec 13, 2016, 11:34 AM
The Cardinals have not had the kind of season they hoped, and on Monday GM Steve Keim lamented the lack of consistency from the team’s stars has been “very alarming to me.”
He did not point to anyone in particular — you are free to come to your own conclusions there — and in truth, he is right.
While the team has had players who have stepped up and performed when called upon, it has not happened nearly often enough, which is why the Cardinals are 5-7-1 and all but officially eliminated from postseason contention.
Yet, though the team has not met expectations, a handful of players have produced seasons worthy of recognition, and ProFootballFocus named four to their NFC Pro Bowl team: running back David Johnson, cornerback Patrick Peterson, defensive lineman Calais Campbell and linebacker Chandler Jones.
Johnson was joined by Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliot and Chicago’s Jordan Howard in the running back group:
Ezekiel Elliott has the league’s best platform to run from, given the Dallas offensive line, but he has done his share of the heavy lifting, too. David Johnson is the only RB in the league that can compare to Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell in terms of versatility and production, and Jordan Howard has been a true force for the Bears since winning the starting job in Chicago, averaging 3.1 yards per carry after contact.
Johnson is third in the NFL in rushing yards, with 1,085, behind Elliott and Tennessee’s DeMarco Murray, but is first in the league in total yards from scrimmage. The second-year back has been the focal point of Arizona’s offensive attack, and as noted, is used in a variety of ways.
As for Campbell, he is listed as a defensive end with New Orleans’ Cameron Jordan and Philadelphia’s Brandon Graham:
He doesn’t yet have double-digit sacks, and the Saints aren’t winning, but Cameron Jordan has been dominant up front against both the run and pass, racking up 63 total QB pressures so far this season. Brandon Graham has 65, and again is a player underrated because he doesn’t get the same sack totals as others; regardless, Graham brings consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Calais Campbell (more of a DT than a DE, realistically) has been one of the league’s best interior defenders, elevating his game to another level over past seasons.
Campbell has long been a favorite of the PFF crew, and while his numbers — 42 total tackles, four sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles — don’t exactly jump off the page, his impact along the defensive line is certainly noticeable.
With Jones, however, his statistics do jump off the page, as the first-year Cardinal leads the team with eight sacks. He is joined at outside linebacker by Seattle’s K.J. Wright and Atlanta’s Vic Beasly:
K.J. Wright is one of the league’s most underrated players; he’s consistently excellent in all facets of the game for the Seahawks. Vic Beasley has racked up a league-leading volume of sacks, forcing fumbles on six plays this year. Chandler Jones has seen his play drop slightly over the past few weeks, but remains a quality addition for the Cardinals, grading well as both a run defender and pass-rusher.
Jones has not recorded a sack in any of the last three games, and his performance in Miami was described by Keim as not one of his better outings.
The final Cardinal to land on PFF’s Pro Bowl team is Peterson, who has once again been one of the game’s better cornerbacks. He is joined by New York’s Janoris Jenkins, Detroit’s Darius Slay and Minnesota’s Terence Newman:
Janoris Jenkins has been a vastly-improved player for his new team this season, and his display shutting down Dez Bryant was a pretty good advertisement for his Pro Bowl credentials. On seven targets into his coverage, Jenkins caught as many passes (one) as Bryant did, and on the one play Bryant did bring the ball in, Jenkins forced a fumble. Darius Slay and Patrick Peterson have made big plays all season, while the coverage of 38-year-old Terence Newman has been scarcely believable. Newman has allowed the league’s lowest number of yards per snap in coverage this season, at 0.60.
Peterson has just three interceptions on the season, as teams have been hesitant to throw his direction. He has consistently covered the opponent’s top receiver, and has usually slowed — if not entirely shut — them down.
The official Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Dec. 20. Last season, the Cardinals had seven players named, with Justin Bethel, Campbell, Larry Fitzgerald, Mike Iupati, Tyrann Mathieu, Carson Palmer and Peterson all earning recognition.
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