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What if you threw an all-star game and nobody came? The NFL does that every year, trudging out the Pro Bowl to squeeze one more weekend of television revenue out of the public. The St. Louis Rams have mostly been forgotten on the Pro Bowl roster over the years. Could an improved Rams team send a few more players to Hawaii this year?
It used to be Steven Jackson was about the only player from the Rams worthy of Pro Bowl consideration. He's not really had the kind of season you'd honor with an all-star nod, but since this is purely a ceremonial affair, I hope Jackson gets to go.
Quintin Mikell, S
Pro Football Focus gave Mikell the nod for a Pro Bowl berth based his work as an in-the-box safety. Here's what PFF said:
To round out our NFC defense we head back out West with the Rams providing their first PFF Pro Bowler with Quintin Mikell's form over the second half of the season giving him the nod as the ideal box safety. Mikell has excelled blitzing the passer recording pressure on better than one in five of his blitzes and he has been a strong presence in run defense too. His coverage does suffer at times but regardless this is the sort of impact the Rams were expecting when they signed him last season.
Michael Brockers, DT
He didn't even play a full season, but already Brockers' impact has changed the Rams defensive line.
Chris Long, DE
His sack numbers aren't as as high this year as last, but he still gets to the quarterback with incredible frequency. Long has 50 hurries, nine hits and nine sacks on opposing passers. With him out there, it's little wonder Robert Quinn has 10 sacks himself.
Jo-Lonn Dunbar, OLB
The most under-rated player on the defense this season has been Dunbar. I wasn't even sure if he'd start when the Rams signed him this spring, not after forgettable performances in New Orleans. His speed and recognition is what the Rams have been missing on the weakside for a long, long time. What to know why the Rams run defense is so much better this season? Look no further.
I'm not listing any offensive players here because there are none that rise to this level. At one point, Danny Amendola would have been a lock here, but the Rams have managed to find other offensive contributors like Lance Kendricks and Chris Givens.
Who do you think belongs in the Pro Bowl from the Rams?