Baltimore Ravens: Four Ravens Selected to Pro Bowl

Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens did not send any players to the Pro Bowl last season. You know that’s because the Ravens went to the Super Bowl instead. I hope it is the same this year, but until that is decided, four Ravens’ players have been selected to go to the Pro Bowl this year.

Two defensive, one offensive, and one special teams player have been selected. Let’s start with the defensive players.

Terrell Suggs has been selected for his sixth Pro Bowl, the most among the Ravens’ selected this year.

Suggs has started all 15 games this season after only eight games started last season because of injury. In his 15 games this season, Suggs has 79 combined tackles with 47 total tackles.

The 79 combined tackles are the most in his career since he had 80 in 2007, which is his current career high. Suggs should set a new career high this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Suggs has 10 sacks on the season after having four sacks in both September and October. Despite his recent lows, Suggs is a leader on the defensive side since Ray Lewis departed, and it only fits for him to be selected to the Pro Bowl.

Haloti Ngata is the other defensive selection, which is his fifth selection in his career. Ngata started 14 of the 14 games in which he played.

He has 45 combined tackles with 18 total tackles. Ngata also has one and a half sacks and 27 assisted tackles on the year, along with three deflected passes.

Marshal Yanda was selected as the offensive player for the Ravens. This is his third Pro Bowl selection in his seven-year career.

Yanda has started all 15 games this season. Despite his struggles along with the entire Ravens offensive line, voters believe he is deserving to go. Yanda will rejoin former Raven and teammate Ben Grubbs at the Pro Bowl.

In my opinion, the most deserving Ravens’ player is Justin Tucker, who has been selected to his first Pro Bowl in his second year in the NFL.

Tucker leads the NFL with 35 made field goals, making 33 consecutive with a 61-yard field goal mixed in at one point in the season. His 61-yard field goal surpasses last season’s long of 56. Last season Tucker attempted 33 field goals, making 30 of them.

He has 38 field goal attempts on the season, giving him an overall 92.1 kicking percentage. He also has 77 kickoffs that average about 63 yards with 41 touch backs, which is down from 49 touch backs last season, though there is one game yet to play.

After being chosen as the Ravens’ MVP by the media, Tucker well deserves this selection to the Pro Bowl, which I am sure is only the first of many (if the Pro Bowl remains in play that long) to which he will be selected.

On a minor note, Vonta Leach and Jacoby Jones were both selected as alternates as fullback and kick returner respectively.

Though I already do not hold the Pro Bowl too high, Daryl Smith should have gone for a Ravens linebacker rather than Suggs in regards to stats. Smith started all 15 games this season and has two previous Pro Bowl appearances with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Smith has 118 combined tackles this season (a career high and team leader) with 54 total tackles in his first year as a Raven. Smith has also added five sacks.

He has 19 passes deflected with three interceptions with an interception returned 37 yards for a touchdown. Smith also forced two fumbles.

There are always players who deserve to go to the Pro Bowl, who end up not going. Smith is one of these players this year in my opinion.

With an important game in Cincinnati on Sunday, all of this really is not very important. Hopefully the Ravens will not have to worry about sending these players as they will have another activity to prepare for.