Pro Bowl 2012: Matthew Stafford and This Season's Biggest Snubs

The 2012 Pro Bowl will be a terrible game as usual, but the honor of being selected shows you were one of the best at your position during that season.

At least that’s what it should be. The Pro Bowl has become a glorified popularity contest instead of a place meant to honor the best in the game that season.

All of the following players deserved the honor of heading to Hawaii this season, but politics and popularity got in the way of what’s right again.

Matthew Stafford—The Detroit Lions have put together an amazing season on the shoulder of young quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Not only did Stafford answer questions about his durability, but he also outperformed the NFC Pro Bowl backup Eli Manning.

Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees had to be selected, but Stafford should have made it over Eli Manning. Stafford was a more efficient quarterback this season and had more touchdowns and fewer interceptions.

Marshawn Lynch—While the NFL was full of stellar running backs this season, the fact that Seattle Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch was not selected is a joke.

While Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy are fine selections, Matt Forte should not have been selected over Lynch. I understand that Matt Forte was on a great pace, but so was Darren McFadden.

Since Forte can’t play with a blown out knee, the injustice could be corrected in the NFL gives Lynch the call he deserves.

D'Qwell Jackson—Jackson, the best defensive player snubbed, is passed over because of the team he plays for, the Cleveland Browns.

On a team where Jackson gets little help, he has been the biggest threat on the defensive side of the ball and put up the numbers to prove it.

Jackson leads the league in solo tackles, has 3.5 sacks, an interception, three passes deflected, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries. Pretty good for a middle linebacker on a terrible team.

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