It's just about midway through the season and what better time that now to discuss possible Pro Bowl players for the Kansas City Chiefs this year. The Chiefs sent Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe to the Pro Bowl in 2011. Surprisingly I believe that the Chiefs will send three players to Hawaii again this year, but they are all on the opposite side of the ball.
Obviously Jamaal Charles won't be returning because of his injury, and Matt Cassel isn't putting up the same statistical numbers he did last year that put him in position to grab a spot when his former teammate in New England, Tom Brady, wasn't able to play in the game. I think Dwayne Bowe is going to be right on the bubble if the numbers stay similar to where they are right now. He's currently fourth in the AFC in receiving yards at 568 yards and tied for fifth in the AFC in touchdowns with four. As of right now I'd think that Wes Welker and Mike Wallace are locks. With Bowe, Pierre Garcon, Anquan Boldin, Steve Johnson, Brandon Marshall, A.J. Green and Vincent Jackson all lumped in there together. The Chiefs schedule gets considerably more difficult from mid-November to mid-December and that could affect Bowe's position against these other wide receivers.
I think that Brandon Flowers should make the Pro Bowl this year. But Darrel Revis is going to have one of the spots locked down for the AFC. Jonathan Joseph has had a good year for the Texans but Devin McCourty is struggling for the Patriots and Nnamdi Asomugha has left to the NFC this year. Flowers is tied for second in the league with four interceptions with Revis and Kyle Arrington at the cornerback position. Flowers currently leads the NFL with 15 passes defensed.
I think people are finally starting to understand how good Tamba Hali is for the Chiefs. The Monday night game against the Chargers may have only netted Hali two sacks, but the six penalties on Chargers' left tackle Marcus McNeil made a difference too. He might not have the same sack totals as his AFC counterparts, but there aren't many OLB's that make the same impact in the game that Hali does on a consistent basis.
The third player for the Chiefs defense that should get a Pro Bowl nomination is inside linebacker Derrick Johnson. After having a breakout year in 2010, Johnson has showed all Chiefs fans why the Chiefs front office thought it was crucial to lock up the former University of Texas star to a five-year deal last season. Johnson has continued to make the front office look very smart for locking him down. Johnson is fifth in the AFC among linebackers in total tackles and any evidence needed for his impact can be directed to the goal line stand against the Oakland Raiders. A man amongst boys was displayed in the game and on that stand.
The Chiefs should have 2-4 players make the Pro Bowl this year starting with Brandon Flowers. It's not a surprise that Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali and Brandon Flowers are also the three defensive players to recently sign contract extensions with the Chiefs.