Almo Named to 2nd Straight Pro Bowl

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2015

REDSKINS RUNNING BACK ALFRED MORRIS to Pro BowlNAMED TO SECOND CONSECUTIVE PRO BOWL

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The National Football League made official today that running back Alfred Morris has been selected to the 2015 Pro Bowl in place of Philadelphia running back LeSean McCoy. The annual contest of the NFL's best will take place Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona.

The selection is the second of Morris’s career. He joins tackle Trent Williams as the team’s Pro Bowl representatives for the 2014 season. Morris becomes the first Redskins running back selected to consecutive Pro Bowls since Stephen Davis (1999-00). Morris’s selection is the 12th by a Redskins running back since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger (three by Larry Brown, two each by Earnest Byner, Davis and Morris, and one each by Mike Thomas, Terry Allen and Clinton Portis).

In 2014, Morris rushed for 1,074 rushing yards on 265 carries, becoming the first player in team history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. He became only the fourth player in Redskins history to post three career 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Redskins (Portis, 4; John Riggins, 4; Davis, 3). His 3,962 rushing yards since 2012 are second-most in the NFL and 13th most by any NFL player in his first three NFL seasons.

With the Redskins’ selections of Morris and Williams this year, the team has had at least one Pro Bowl player for 21 straight seasons. The only year Washington has not had a Pro Bowler in team history was 1993.

Hard to believe John Riggins never went to Pro Bowl...yet, is in the HoF.

Congrats Almo!

I have a feeling Almo + Bill Callahan = many more appearances.

Still trying to figure out how Tress Way didn't make the pro bowl.

Everyone (myself included) jumps on the sportswriters for their votes for the HOF but when players get to vote for something they are just as bad.

Elephant said:

Hard to believe John Riggins never went to Pro Bowl...yet, is in the HoF.

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Pretty sure he went to one when he was with the Jets. But never as a Redskin. Pretty wild.

He was added in 1983 after being the SB MVP.

I think you have to make at least one pro bowl to qualify for HOF ballot.

Bulldog's Twin said:

Still trying to figure out how Tress Way didn't make the pro bowl.

Everyone (myself included) jumps on the sportswriters for their votes for the HOF but when players get to vote for something they are just as bad.

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I wondered the same thing when they were announced. The only thing I could think of was that the teams weren't evenly divided between AFC/NFC and two AFC punters made it. On top of that, while he lead the league in punting average, his net wasn't nearly as high.

DixieFlatline said:

I wondered the same thing when they were announced. The only thing I could think of was that the teams weren't evenly divided between AFC/NFC and two AFC punters made it. On top of that, while he lead the league in punting average, his net wasn't nearly as high.

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I found something about that situation on ESPN's site in an article about the Pro Bowl selections and who might have gotten snubbed and the whys and why nots by Terry Blount.

Tress Way, P, no Pro Bowls: He’s second in the NFL at 47.7 yards per punt in only his first season in the league and was an outstanding pickup this summer in solidifying the position. He has definitely improved with more consistent hangtime and direction. But the drawback for Way, in addition to this being his first season, is he ranked ninth in net yards per punt at 40.8 -- sometimes due to bad coverage but also because he has out-kicked the coverage at times.

Whom he should have beaten out: It’s hard to argue against the two punters chosen. Way did have a better average than both Kevin Huber and Pat McAfee, but both had an edge in net punting. Tough to say Way should get it just because the coverage wasn't great; he has a role in that too.

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Link: 2015 Pro Bowl selections NFC - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN

You tend to have better chances for low return yardage when you are punting from your 30-40 yard line and can directionally punt for field position.

Way was often punting from his own end zone or deep in territory, where the chance to set up a good return was there for other teams.

When you are playing with Andrew Luck and finish at 11-5 in a division where no one else is even competitive, you are going to put up nice stats like McAfee did.

I think we're at a crossroad with Alfred.

If they don't intend to sign him to better contract, this offseason, then perhaps he will be trade bait, at the height of his value.

Any contract is bound to be better than his rookie one.

Yeah, was glad to see him hit an escalator that earned him a cool million.

Running back is just not a position that is highly valued in terms of $$ around the league.

All the big bucks are going to wide receivers and even some tight ends.

Perhaps the performance of Marshawn Lynch and Demarco Murray of leading their teams to the playoffs will change some of that.