NFC Pro Bowl Roster 2012: Reserves Who Deserve Starter Status

As far as the game itself is concerned, the Pro Bowl serves absolutely no purpose. It's a meaningless exhibition game, and none of the players on the field put forth a 110-percent effort.

The Pro Bowl rosters themselves, however, do serve a purpose. Those who made the cut have essentially been recognized as the best of the best in the NFL. Those who made the cut as starters are the best as their respective positions.

Or at least, they're supposed to be.

I have gripes with some of the starting choices in both conferences, but I want to focus on the NFC here. In looking up and down the rosters, I noticed four players that have legit cases to be starting in the Pro Bowl.

Charles Tillman, CB, Chicago Bears

I'm not about to debate that Charles Woodson deserves to start for the NFC. He's had yet another outstanding season, and he is fully deserving of his Pro Bowl recognition.

I don't think Carlos Rogers should be starting over Charles Tillman, though. Rogers has had a great year, but he's gotten a lot of help from San Francisco's strong pass rush. Tillman hasn't had that luxury, yet he has still managed to be more productive than Rogers.

Rogers does have six interceptions, yes, but Tillman has forced a total of five turnovers and he also has a sack and a grand total of 93 tackles.

It's hard to find a corner who has been more of a complete threat than Tillman this season, and he deserves to be recognized.

Lance Briggs, OLB, Chicago Bears

I'll clarify right here and now that I'm not a Bears fan. It just so happens that two of their defenders haven't gotten the credit they deserve.

Tillman is the first, and Lance Briggs is the second. Clay Matthews has gotten the starting nod over him, but Briggs has had a better year.

As is his custom, Matthews has made plenty of big plays this season, forcing three fumbles, picking off three passes and racking up six sacks. But thanks in large part to the extra attention he's gotten, Matthews hasn't been as dangerous this season as he was in 2010.

The reason I think Briggs deserves the starting nod is because he has twice as many tackles as Matthews does. He and Matthews are different players, but Briggs has been in on more plays for the Bears this season. 

Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, New York Giants

Jared Allen is a legit Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and I have no issue whatsoever with him starting at defensive end for the NFC in the Pro Bowl.

However, I'd tab Jason Pierre-Paul to start over Jason Babin. Babin has had an outstanding season rushing the pass rusher, but that's really all he's done. He has 18 sacks, and that's pretty much it.

By comparison, Pierre-Paul has 15.5 sacks, 81 tackles (more than twice as many as Babin) and six passes defended. Babin is a great pass rusher, but Pierre-Paul is a great all-around player.

Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers

Calvin Johnson is in a league by himself, but Larry Fitzgerald shouldn't be starting alongside him at the Pro Bowl.

Steve Smith should. He has more receptions and more receiving yards than Fitzgerald, and Smith has generally been much more of a threat. So far, he has 27 receptions of 20 yards or more this season, the most in the NFL.

The only thing Smith doesn't have on Fitzgerald is that he only has six touchdown receptions to Fitzgerald's eight. I think you can chalk that up to the fact Cam Newton usually takes over in the red zone. He doesn't need any help from Smith when the Panthers are close.

But Smith deserves credit for getting the Panthers that far this season.