If you were hoping for the Super Bowl observations, you’ll need to wait another week, as it is nearly time for the Pro Bowl — the game everyone complains about, yet plenty still watch anyways. This week you’ll see observations about 32 of the players who will be suiting up on Sunday, whether it helps make the case for them to be in the Pro Bowl, or is a reason why someone else should be playing. Since only 24 of the 32 teams are represented, barring any more dropouts, eight teams will get a second observation.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: Safety Jairus Byrd had five interceptions and didn’t allow a single touchdown. No other safety put together a stat line of 350 or more coverage snaps, zero touchdowns allowed and more than two interceptions.
Miami Dolphins: Defensive tackle Randy Starks had a combined 15 sacks and hits, which was sixth among all defensive or nose tackles.
New England Patriots: Outside linebacker Jerod Mayo was one of only four 4-3 outside linebackers with more than 50 tackles. He led the league with 71, and also has the second-best Run Stop Percentage, at 10.6%.
New York Jets: Cornerback Antonio Cromartie allowed a catch rate of 46.0%, which was the lowest for every-down corners who played the entire season.
AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals: Wide receiver A.J. Green had 14 players miss tackles on him, which was fifth-best in the league. This is more impressive considering most of the leaderboard is composed of slot receivers, and Green played only 13.9% of his pass snaps in the slot.
Cincinnati Bengals: From 2008-2011, Ndamukong Suh was the only defensive tackle with more than nine sacks in a season, with 11 in 2010. This year Geno Atkins had 16 sacks, which stands well above all defensive tackles in recent history.
Cleveland Browns: Left tackle Joe Thomas has gone 30 consecutive games with a positive PFF pass block rating.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Center Maurkice Pouncey has allowed three sacks in each of his three years in the pros. However, he allowed 16 hurries and hits this year compared to just 10 last year.
AFC South
Houston Texans: There were 12 games, including the playoffs this season, where left tackle Duane Brown allowed either one or zero pressures.
Houston Texans: Cornerback Jonathan Joseph allowed 56% of passes thrown his way to be caught in both 2011 and 2012. However, in 2011 he had 15 combined interceptions and passes defended compared to eight this year.
Indianapolis Colts: While Reggie Wayne had an amazing start to the season, over the last five regular season games he averaged just 50 yards per outing, compared to averaging 100.4 yards per game over the first 11.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: During the regular season Champ Bailey allowed just 29.9 yards per game and one touchdown all season. In his playoff game, he allowed 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning had the third-best Accuracy Percentage on the year with 78.6%. This was a better mark then any of his last three years with the Colts.
Kansas City Chiefs: In 2009, Derrick Johnson had a Run Stop Percentage of 6.6%, that increased to 8.8% in 2010, 10.5% in 2011, and 13.6% in 2012. That was the second-best mark for all inside or middle linebackers this year.
Kansas City Chiefs: Only 32.5% of Dustin Colquitt’s punts were returned, which is the second-lowest for all punters this year.
Oakland Raiders: Fullback Marcel Reece had a defender miss a tackle on him on 20.3% of his carries. In comparison, players missed tackles on Darren McFadden on just 7.4% of his carries.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: Tight end Jason Witten has been one of the four most targeted tight ends in each of the past five years. He has 623 over that period, which is nearly 200 more than third place (Greg Olsen at 435).
New York Giants: Although Jason Pierre-Paul had significantly fewer sacks in 2012 compared to 2011 (17 to 7), he had a slightly better Pass Rushing Productivity, up from 8.2 to 8.5.
Washington Redskins: Offensive tackle Trent Williams allowed a combined six hits/sacks on the year, which was fifth-fewest in the league for starting tackles.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: Defensive tackle Henry Melton was one of two tackles to end up in the Top 5 in terms of both Run Stop Percentage and Pass Rushing Productivity. His Run Stop Percentage of 11.6% led the league, while his Pass Rushing Productivity of 7.7 was fifth.
Chicago Bears: Cornerback Tim Jennings ended up leading the league in interceptions, with nine, which ties the most for any player over the past five years.
Detroit Lions: The number of hurries Ndamukong Suh had between 2011 and 2012 was relatively consistent (28 to 29). However, his number of combined sacks/hits skyrocketed from 10 to 29.
Green Bay Packers: For the third straight year, Josh Sitton has ended in the Top 5 guards in Pass Rushing Productivity. This year he tied for fifth at 97.9.
Minnesota Vikings: Running back Adrian Peterson ended the season with a Breakaway Percentage of 56.5%. The previous high for a season over the past five years was 50.4%, by Chris Johnson in 2009.
Minnesota Vikings: Although Jerome Felton was among the highest rated blockers in 2012, he had just as many games with a grade above +1.0 as he did below -1.0, at four each. In comparison, teammate Rhett Ellison had five games above +1.0, and just one under -1.0.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: Safety Thomas DeCoud had 21 missed tackles on the year, which is the second-most for all safeties.
New Orleans Saints: Guard Jahri Evans went 698 pass blocking snaps without allowing a sack, which was the best mark for all guards. Marshal Yanda was the next closest with 515 snaps at guard without allowing a sack, and no other guard had more than 350.
New Orleans Saints: Punter Thomas Morstead averaged 50.1 yards per punt, which was the second-best mark in the league.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Although defensive tackle Gerald McCoy had just five sacks, which was tied for sixth among defensive tackles, he had 53 total pressures which was third most behind Atkins and Suh.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: From Week 1 to Week 8, Daryl Washington had an astounding Pass Rushing Productivity of 19.4. However, from Week 9 on he had a below average mark for inside/middle linebackers, at 7.6.
Seattle Seahawks: Center Max Unger was one of only four centers to have 400 or more pass blocking snaps and no sacks allowed.
Seattle Seahawks: Quarterback Russell Wilson was under pressure on 39.2% of his pass plays, which was third-highest in the league behind just Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick.
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