Philadelphia Eagles: McCoy, Kelce Pro Bowl Selections Are Baffling

The Philadelphia Eagles certainly deserved to have five players make the Pro Bowl. Unfortunately, after Connor Barwin, Jason Peters and Darren Sproles, the other two picks were questionable.

It's hard to argue against Barwin, whose 14.5 sacks currently rank fourth in the NFL.

Peters did not have the most dominant season, most recently giving up sacks to backups Trevardo Williams and Jackson Jeffcoat in Philadelphia's loss to Washington, but he is still among the better tackles in the NFL.

Meanwhile, Sproles was arguably the season's hero, playing well when McCoy struggled early in the season and maintaining his reputation among the most feared punt returners in football.

The other two Eagles to make the Pro Bowl, however, hardly seem worthy.

Jason Kelce, who has emerged as one of the most underrated centers in football, missed six games with a sports hernia. That may not be Kelce's fault, but it meant he was unable to have as much of an impact as he has had in prior seasons. He simply wasn't on the field as much.

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Furthermore, when Kelce returned from his injury, he was not the same player. He was not as dominant in the run game, physically or in terms of calling out assignments. He even admitted it after the loss to Green Bay to CBSPhilly.

Kelce was likely still recovering from his injury, but a player who missed nearly a third of the season and was not nearly as dominant upon his return should not be regarded as one of the season's top performers.

LeSean McCoy was also an undeserving recipient of a Pro Bowl honor. While McCoy has no shortage of talent, he almost certainly has to thank loyal fans for unconditionally casting his name into the ballot.

After all, McCoy's performance has been anything but elite this season.

His 1,220 rushing yards may seem respectable at a quick glance, but his efficiency has fallen drastically. His current average of 4.1 yards per carry in 2014 is his lowest since his rookie season, his five touchdowns are his lowest other than his rookie season and the Eagles' disastrous 4-12 2012 season.

Five Eagles indeed should have made the Pro Bowl roster. However, rather than Kelce and McCoy, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox should have made the cut.

Maclin had a fantastic season, recording 82 catches for 1,269 yards and 10 touchdowns, all while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in last season's training camp. His 19 catches of 20 or more yards is also more than Antonio Brown, Jordy Nelson, Calvin Johnson and A.J. Green, all of whom made the Pro Bowl this year.

Fletcher Cox is emerging as one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. He has recorded four sacks and 54 tackles from the 3-4 DE spot so far this season. However, Cox's impact goes beyond stats. His play often swallows up blockers and allows other players on the defense to make plays.

Much of Barwin's success can likely be attributed to Cox. Even Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo suggested Cox deserves to go to the Pro Bowl for the way he elevates the play of the entire defense, per Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Cox was named as an alternate, but he deserves to straight up make the Pro Bowl.

A promising 2014 Eagles season has ended in disaster after a three-game losing streak eliminated them from playoff contention. While the Birds will be at least well-represented at the Pro Bowl, to add insult to injury the right players are not even being represented.

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