Six Pro Bowl picks and still Birds feel snubbed

PHILADELPHIA » The Eagles landed just six players in the Pro Bowl despite an NFL-best 12-2 record.

That’s three fewer spots than their total count in 2014, when they finished 10-6 and failed to reach the playoffs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers placed a league-high eight players on the Pro Bowl roster. Six New Orleans Saints made the grade in the NFC.

The list of Eagles earning Pro Bowl honors for the first time includes quarterback Carson Wentz, tight end Zach Ertz, guard Brandon Brooks and offensive tackle Lane Johnson.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox also were voted onto the team.

Snubbed were Eagles sacks leader Brandon Graham and center Jason Kelce, who have had outstanding seasons. Linebacker Nigel Bradham and special teams standout Kamu Grugier-Hill also were left out in the cold.

Additionally, Eagles left offensive tackle Jason Peters saw his streak of four straight Pro Bowl berths end due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in October.

Wentz leads the league with 33 touchdowns — a single-season franchise record — despite tearing an ACL two weekends ago. Wentz is just the third NFL quarterback to throw 33 or more touchdowns and seven or fewer interceptions through 13 games, joining Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who both did it twice.

Wentz obviously won’t participate in the Pro Bowl, to be played Jan. 28 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

Ertz, the favorite target of Wentz, leads the Eagles with 63 receptions and has a career-high eight TD grabs despite missing two games.

Among NFL tight ends this season, Ertz is tied for second in touchdowns and fourth with 719 receiving yards. The last Eagles tight end named to the Pro Bowl was Chad Lewis from 200103.

“I think any person wants to see their hard work pay off, but at the end of the day I’ve had catches and yards and touchdowns before but I’ve never had a team like this,” Ertz said. “The ultimate goal is to win football games in this league. If you don’t win, nothing really matters. That’s what’s been so rewarding this year. I’ve been a really big contributor on a really good football team. I think that whole process has been really fulfilling.”

Brooks and Johnson anchor the right side of the offensive line for the league’s highest-scoring offense. The Eagles average 28.6 offensive points, and with 140.5 rushing yards, lead the NFC.

“I come from a unit where we all are straight brothers so it’s not like an individual accolade,” Brooks said. “Playing alongside Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce helps tremendously.”

Johnson, who was suspended 10 games last season, also credited his line mates, starting with Brooks.

“It’s been one of my goals to be called one of the best in the world at what you do, so it’s pretty special,” Johnson said. “I think Brandon and I play really well together. A lot of his success determines my success and vice versa. I’m so happy for him. He definitely deserves it, really good player.”

It’s the third straight Pro Bowl selection for Cox, whose 34 sacks are the second-most sacks by an Eagles interior defensive lineman. He has 5½ sacks this season.

For Jenkins, the Eagles’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, it’s the second Pro Bowl berth. He leads the defense with 107 tackles, including nine for loss.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham, here with his arms around New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, center, has had an outstanding season ... but one not deemed worthy of a Pro Bowl selection.