Pro Bowl Roster 2012: Ray Lewis and Top MVP Candidates

Are you going to watch the NFL Pro Bowl today?

No? Okay, well surely you'll at least watch the highlights on ESPN tonight.

Still nope? Interesting. Check the box score? Another no, huh?

Okay, fine. I concede. The Pro Bowl is terrible. No one could give a rat's behind about what actually happens. Essentially, it's the worst thing to happen to football since the XFL. But there's no professional football for another week, so it's at least something to do.

Here's a look at who could win MVP today and why.

Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens

I'm not so sure this guy understands that there's such a thing as a game that doesn't count. If anyone is going to bring the fire, it's Lewis. 

What's more, he just got eliminated from the playoffs, so he's probably still angry. Lewis is going to want to hit a quarterback or eight. Don't be surprised if he has a big impact on this game.

D'Brickashaw Ferguson, New York Jets

Ferguson makes this list for two reasons.

First, after center Alex Mack scored a touchdown during last year's game, the sky is the limit for offensive lineman this year.

Second, I wanted an excuse to say (type) D'Brickashaw. He's going to score twice today, one via the Fumblerooski and one via the pass.

Nick Mangold, New York Jets

I swear I wasn't planning on putting two Jets on this list, but somehow it just happened that way. After all, let them enjoy something after the season they just had.

Mangold makes this list because of Twitter. Yes, Twitter.

The NFL is allowing players to use this special form of social media during the game, and Mangold simply brings it with his tweet game, as seen here:

I wouldn't be surprised if he tweets something that gets over 100 re-tweets (!). That's MVP material right there.

Rosters (by position)

*-denotes starter
x-denotes out because of injury
y-denotes replacement for injured or Super Bowl player
z-will not play; Super Bowl participant

QBs

AFC

*z-Tom Brady, New England
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh
Philip Rivers, San Diego
y-Andy Dalton, Cincinnati

NFC

*-Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
Drew Brees, New Orleans
z-Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants
y-Cam Newton, Carolina 

RBs

AFC

*x-Ray Rice, Baltimore
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville
x-Arian Foster, Houston
y-Ryan Mathews, San Diego
y-Willis McGahee, Denver

NFC

*-LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia
Matt Forte, Chicago
x-Frank Gore, San Francisco
y-Marshawn Lynch, Seattle 

FBs

AFC

*-Vonta Leach, Baltimore 

NFC

*x-John Kuhn, Green Bay
y-Michael Robinson, Seattle

WRs

AFC

*z-Wes Welker, New England
*-Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh
A.J. Green, Cincinnati
Brandon Marshall, Miami
y-Vincent Jackson, San Diego 

NFC

*x-Calvin Johnson, Detroit
*-Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
Steve Smith, Carolina
Greg Jennings, Green Bay
y-Roddy White, Atlanta

TEs

AFC

*z-Rob Gronkowski, New England
Antonio Gates, San Diego
y-Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati

NFC

*-Jimmy Graham, New Orleans
Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta

OTs

AFC

*-Joe Thomas, Cleveland
*x-Jake Long, Miami
D'Brickashaw Ferguson, N.Y. Jets
y-Ryan Clady, Denver

NFC

*-Jason Peters, Philadelphia
*-Joe Staley, San Francisco
Jermon Bushrod, New Orleans

OGs

AFC

*z-Logan Mankins, New England
*z-Brian Waters, New England
Marshal Yanda, Baltimore
y-Ben Grubbs, Baltimore
y-Brandon Moore, N.Y. Jets

NFC

*-Jahri Evans, New Orleans
*-Carl Nicks, New Orleans
Davin Joseph, Tampa Bay

Cs

AFC

*x-Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh
Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets
y-Chris Myers, Houston

NFC

*-Ryan Kalil, Carolina
Scott Wells, Green Bay

DEs

AFC

*-Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis
*x-Andre Carter, New England
Elvis Dumervil, Denver
y-Antonio Smith, Houston

NFC

*-Jared Allen, Minnesota
*-Jason Babin, Philadelphia
z-Jason Pierre-Paul, N.Y. Giants
y-Julius Peppers, Chicago

DTs

AFC

*-Haloti Ngata, Baltimore
*z-Vince Wilfork, New England
Richard Seymour, Oakland
y-Geno Atkins, Cincinnati

NFC

*-Justin Smith, San Francisco
*-Jay Ratliff, Dallas
B.J. Raji, Green Bay

OLBs

AFC

*x-Terrell Suggs, Baltimore
*-Von Miller, Denver
Tamba Hali, Kansas City
y-James Harrison, Pittsburgh 

NFC

*-DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
*-Clay Matthews, Green Bay
x-Lance Briggs, Chicago
y-Chad Greenway, Minnesota

ILBs

AFC

*-Ray Lewis, Baltimore
Derrick Johnson, Kansas City

NFC

*-Patrick Willis, San Francisco
x-Brian Urlacher, Chicago
y-London Fletcher, Washington

CBs

AFC

*-Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets
*-Champ Bailey, Denver
Johnathan Joseph, Houston

NFC

*-Charles Woodson, Green Bay
*-Carlos Rogers, San Francisco
y-Brandon Browner, Seattle
Charles Tillman, Chicago

FSs

AFC 

*-Ed Reed, Baltimore
Eric Weddle, San Diego

NFC

*-Earl Thomas, Seattle
Dashon Goldson, San Francisco

SSs

AFC

*x-Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh
y-Brian Dawkins, Denver

NFC

-Adrian Wilson, Arizona
y-Cam Chancellor, Seattle

Ps

AFC - Shane Lechler, Oakland

NFC - Andy Lee, San Francisco

PKs

AFC - Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland

NFC - David Akers, San Francisco

KRs

AFC - Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh

NFC - Patrick Peterson, Arizona

Special Teamers

AFC

z-Matthew Slater, New England
y-Montell Owens, Jacksonville

NFC 

Corey Graham, Chicago

LS

Jon Condo, Oakland