These players are Pro Bowl-worthy

Sporting News, The, Nov 29, 1999 by Gary Horton

We may see a changing of the guard at some positions on the Pro Bowl rosters this year. Retirement knocked out some familiar names (John Elway, Reggie White, Barry Sanders), and injuries have claimed others (Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, Steve Young), but a new crop of players appears ready to replace them.

The Pro Bowl voting process is not without flaws. It often turns into a popularity contest as players simply check off names with which they are familiar, or ones teammates have told them about, instead of basing their votes on player performance.

These players may not all make the postseason trip to Hawaii, but each merits Pro Bowl consideration:

QUARTERBACKS

Kurt Warner, Rams. No quarterback is having a better season. Warner has size, physical skills, intelligence and a great feel for the game. He directs the most explosive and diversified offense in the NFL.

Jeff George, Vikings. Since replacing Randall Cunningham as the starter early in the season, he has revitalized the Vikings' offense. Nobody ever doubted his physical skills and arm strength, but George never seemed comfortable in the offenses he ran. This season, finally, he is.

Jon Kitna, Seahawks. He has shown remarkable poise and maturity for a young--and virtually untested--quarterback. Coach Mike Holmgren has professed a lot of faith in Kitna, and people who know him are amazed at his poise, toughness and leadership.

RUNNING RACKS

Stephen Davis, Redskins. He leads the NFL in touchdowns and gives the explosive Redskins offense great balance. He has benefited from a much-improved offensive line.

Duce Staley, Eagles. He is the heart and soul of a lethargic offense and, in terms of value to his team, probably is the most valuable player in the league. He can run, catch and create big plays on an offense that really struggles for consistency.

Bob Christian, Falcons. He may be one of the most underrated lead blockers and short-yardage runners, but he is the all-time tough guy and a better athlete than many people realize. Because he plays on a team that is really struggling, his qualities are more subtle than those of backs with big stats.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Darnay Scott, Bengals. He is at the top of the charts in receptions and is having a great year on a bad football team. He seems to have replaced Carl Pickens as the Bengals' go-to guy.

Muhsin Muhammad, Panthers. A big, explosive wide receiver, Muhammad has added a big-play dimension to the Carolina offense. He is a tough one-on-one matchup for a cornerback.

Marvin Harrison, Colts. The most dependable and explosive receiver this season, Harrison continually gets behind secondaries for big plays.

Terance Mathis, Falcons. Mathis is having a strong season for an offense that has virtually no running game and an offensive line that can't protect the quarterback. As the team's only legitimate weapon at wide receiver, he regularly gets double- and triple-coverage but still manages to get open and make big plays.

Isaac Bruce, Rams. Another receiver with great explosiveness and deep speed, he has formed a dynamic duo with Warner.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Leon Searcy, Jaguars. Though Jacksonville left tackle Tony Boselli gets most of the publicity, Searcy quietly is doing an outstanding job in run blocking and pass protection. As the guy who protects lefthanded quarterback Mark Brunell's backside, he rarely gives up a sack off the edge.

Adam Timmerman, Rams. He was a huge free-agent acquisition from Green Bay. One of the better guards in the league, he has solidified an offensive line that is doing a great job in '99.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Luther Elliss, Lions. Although he does not have flashy stats, Elliss is the heart and soul of the Detroit defense. He is almost impossible to block one-on-one, is an excellent inside penetrator and never takes a play off.

Gary Walker, Jaguars. Walker is a big reason the Jacksonville defense is so improved. He is dominating against the inside running game from his tackle position and is an excellent inside penetrator. He does a great job of dogging the middle, which allows defensive end Tony Brackens and outside linebacker Kevin Hardy to get a lot of one-on-one blocks when they blitz.

LINEBACKER

Kevin Hardy, Jaguars. He's the happiest guy in the world in defensive coordinator Dom Capers' new blitz-34 scheme. He is a marvelous athlete who is now allowed to blitz and attack quarterbacks, and he has become a one-man wrecking crew who is almost impossible to block.

SAFETY

Lance Schulters, 49ers. Some observers criticized the 49ers when they cut Melton Hanks and replaced him with Schulters, an obscure, fourth-round draft pick from Hofstra in '98. But Schulters has distinguished himself this season. Not only is he big and physical enough to play the run, he also has excellent range. He intercepted his sixth pass of the season against the Rams last Sunday.

Other players who will merit Pro Bowl consideration if they finish the season strongly are defensive linemen Tony Brackens (Jaguars), Trevor Pryce (Broncos), Chidi Ahanotu (Buccaneers) and Greg Ellis (Cowboys), and safety Brian Dawkins (Eagles).