Falcons in the Pro Bowl

Matt Ryan (photo via Newscom)

Seven Falcons starters were named to the Pro Bowl roster, with two alternates also making the team for a league high nine players from one team. This is a great honor for a franchise that didn't play a single game on Sunday Night Football and only one game on Monday Night Football. Falcons' highlights never led SportsCenter, and the team was never taken very seriously by national pundits (which as it turned out, they were right in the end). Meaning that the seven Falcons voted into the Pro Bowl by players, coaches, and fans, earned that honor without much, if any, national exposure. The Falcons' coaches will also be coaching the Pro Bowl. Their reward, I guess, for their terrible, play-not-to-lose offensive and defensive game plan against the Green Bay Packers.

On offense, Matt Ryan was the third QB named, after the DogKilla and Drew Brees. Michael Turner, who led the NFL in rushing attempts and the NFC in rushing yards, is the Pro Bowl starter at running back for the NFC, and Ovie Mughelli, acting as Turner's on-field valet if you will, is the starting fullback.

Tyson Clabo, RT, is Atlanta's first alternate to make the team and will play with starter at wideout Roddy White, who led the NFL in receptions and yards this year. Tony Gonzaelez also made the Pro Bowl for the eleventh time in his career, a record for tight ends.

Pro Bowl snub Brent Grimes, who led the league in passes defended at corner back, got into the Pro Bowl when Charles Woodson and the Green Bay Packers made it to the Super Bowl. John Abraham, Atlanta's beast defensive end will be starting in the Pro Bowl, and to bring it all home, the Falcons' do-everything special teams ace, Eric Weems, who this season became the first Falcons' returner to house a kickoff and and punt return in the same season, will be do the same in this All-Star game in Hawai'i.

These nine Pro Bowlers aren't just a team-high for this season, it sets the Atlanta Falcons' record for most players selected (seven) and playing (nine) in the Pro Bowl. While this honor is something to be proud of no doubt, I'm sure every single one of these guys, and their fans, would have rather declined the honor in order to prepare to be facing the Steelers right now. Unfortunately, many of these same players didn't have their best game against Green Bay, in fact, some had their worst game of the year, and that includes the Atlanta coaching staff, who will be coaching the NFC Pro Bowl players in Hawai'i on Sunday.

Then again, in "real" life, when us regular schmoes fail, we don't get an all expenses-paid trip to Hawaii for a week as our consolation prize, heh. So enjoy it guys. And be ready (as soon as the lockout is over) to work harder than ever (especially the coaching staff) to make 2011 a memorable season in Atlanta!