Bulaga Named to NLF's All-Rookie Team

[vince]

Pro Football Writers of America
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/114057399.html

Congrats Bryan!

OFFENSE
WR - Mike Williams, Tampa Bay; Dez Bryant, Dallas.

TE - Rob Gronkowski, New England.

T - Rodger Saffold, St. Louis; Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay.

G - Mike Iupati, San Francisco; John Jerry, Miami.

C - Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh.

QB - Sam Bradford, St. Louis.

RB - LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay; Chris Ivory, New Orleans.

DEFENSE
DL - Ndamukong Suh, Detroit; Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati; Lamarr Houston, Oakland; Tyson Alualu, Jacksonville.

LB - Rolando McClain, Oakland; Koa Misi, Miami; Pat Angerer, Indianapolis.

CB - Devin McCourty, New England; Joe Haden, Cleveland.

S - Eric Berry, Kansas City; T.J. Ward, Cleveland.

SPECIALISTS
K - Clint Stitser, Cincinnati.

P - Zoltan Mesko, New England.

PR - Marc Mariani, Tennessee.

KR - Jacoby Ford, Oakland.

ST - T.J. Ward, Cleveland.

AWARDS
Rookie of the year - Ndamukong Suh, Detroit.

Offensive rookie of the year - Sam Bradford, St. Louis.

[vince]

Shields snubbed.

[gbgary]

NOT SHIELDS? WHAT AN OUTRAGE!

[Little Whiskey]

Packers are 2 for 2 on cornerback snubs!

[SkinBasket]

What's the NLF?

National League of Fattys? Could explain Shields not being named.

[mraynrand]

McCourty makes sense, but Haden got it by default. The Browns sucked so bad, that a rookie could start the entire season. Haden completely mailed it in late in the season - he was a spectator against the Steelers in the season finale. That's an embarrassing selection. Shield on the other hand REPLACED Woodson at corner. That's just amazing. The reason he didn't get selected is because people are morons - I'd bet most of the voters had no clue who Shields is.

But not to worry - that's all bullshit. It's some metal or certificate handed out by some selection committee - most awards are like that - popularity contests that often become divorced from reality. All that really matters is performance on the field; wins and losses; championships.

[VermontPackFan]

Suprising selection, I thought he struggled in most games this year. What do I know...? Its encouraging that others feels he played well and most importantly, he is playing well enough for us to advance!

[Lurker64]

Really, considering how often teams play nickel in the modern NFL, "all-whatever" teams should, as a rule, name three cornerbacks. Probably three wide receivers as well.

[denverYooper]

Suprising selection, I thought he struggled in most games this year. What do I know...? Its encouraging that others feels he played well and most importantly, he is playing well enough for us to advance!

I always felt like he would hit rough patches where he would struggle for a few series at a time every 3-4 games but then would be mostly solid. It also seems like tackle is one of the hardest positions for rookies to come in and dominate at, especially with what we're seeing now in terms of pass rushing OLBs/DEs. I think he just struggled less than other rookie tackles this year.

Of course, there could be a Sam Shields of rookie tackles that some team's fan base is wailing about.

[mraynrand]

I always felt like he would hit rough patches where he would struggle for a few series at a time every 3-4 games but then would be mostly solid. It also seems like tackle is one of the hardest positions for rookies to come in and dominate at, especially with what we're seeing now in terms of pass rushing OLBs/DEs. I think he just struggled less than other rookie tackles this year.

Of course, there could be a Sam Shields of rookie tackles that some team's fan base is wailing about.

Probably Seattle

[Guiness]

I imagine Sheilds didn't get it because of his draft status. An unknown.

I notice G. McCoy didn't make it. At draft time, some claimed was better prospect than Suh! Suh was obviously the right choice, but was he not even the 2nd best rookie DT? Looks like he was IR'd in week 14.

[Smidgeon]

Suprising selection, I thought he struggled in most games this year. What do I know...? Its encouraging that others feels he played well and most importantly, he is playing well enough for us to advance!

I don't remember where I saw the graphic (i.e. which thread it was in), but Bulaga apparantly was ranked the best lineman in pass protection of teams in the playoffs before this last weekend. They didn't include run blocking so it probably evens out (no idea).

Does anyone know in which thread that was?

[VermontPackFan]

I don't remember where I saw the graphic (i.e. which thread it was in), but Bulaga apparantly was ranked the best lineman in pass protection of teams in the playoffs before this last weekend. They didn't include run blocking so it probably evens out (no idea).

Does anyone know in which thread that was?

Dont remember seeing that stat but I would think it was the opposite, better at run blocking needs some work/help edge rushers.

[Smidgeon]

Dont remember seeing that stat but I would think it was the opposite, better at run blocking needs some work/help edge rushers.

That's what I thought too, which is why it stuck out in my head.

[denverYooper]

I don't remember where I saw the graphic (i.e. which thread it was in), but Bulaga apparantly was ranked the best lineman in pass protection of teams in the playoffs before this last weekend. They didn't include run blocking so it probably evens out (no idea).

Does anyone know in which thread that was?

http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?21398-Read-This-Be-Smarter-Grading-Playoff-Pass-Bloackers&p=566084&viewfull=1#post566084

[Smidgeon]

http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?21398-Read-This-Be-Smarter-Grading-Playoff-Pass-Bloackers&p=566084&viewfull=1#post566084

Thank you.

[Bretsky]

Homers

Haden deserved the honor over Shields; 6 INT's and 18 passes defended. Dude is a baller.

[mraynrand]

Homers

Haden deserved the honor over Shields; 6 INT's and 18 passes defended. Dude is a baller.

I watched him play most of his games. It's a lot closer than you might think. How many of those INTs and 18 PDs did you see? (the same could be asked of people comparing any other of the names on the list - How much of these guys did people, including those voting, did you/they actually watch?). Haden was among the very few of the guys on the rookie team I'd actually seen play more than a handful of games.


But that's why these awards usually don't matter much - All that matters are wins, losses and championships!

[Bretsky]

Honestly, probably three, and I didn't say it was not close. But certainly not a snub....screw job...etc. Haden had a nice year.

[mraynrand]

Honestly, probably three, and I didn't say it was not close. But certainly not a snub....screw job...etc. Haden had a nice year.

I didn't like how he played down the stretch, but who knows, by the end the Browns were pretty whipped.