NFL Pro Bowl: Green Bay Packers Are the Epitome of Team

The Green Bay Packers are fourth in the league in yards and scoring offense. We are second in the league in yards and ninth in scoring defense. It all adds up to 10-5 and a playoff berth.

So when the Pro Bowl rosters were announced, you may have been expecting a lot of players to be on the list. If so, you would be disappointed: Charles Woodson is starting, Nick Collins is the backup free safety, and Aaron Rodgers is the third-string quarterback.

How can this be? Because the Packers' achievements have not come through star players, but a deep roster with more talent than any team can gameplan for.

Think about it. Who else belongs in the Pro Bowl? Here are the other outstanding Packers players to consider:

There really are not even any other players who should be considered. Oh, there are some bad Pro Bowl appointees.

For instance, how do the Vikings, in the midst of a 1-3 slide in large part because the offensive line has faltered—it ranks 20th in sacks yielded and 22nd in average yards per carry with Adrian Peterson running the ball!—land two starting Pro Bowl linemen?

But you are not going to tell me that anyone from our offensive line should be on the team. Or a good tight end who ranks fifth in the NFC in receiving yards over the top two, one of whom has a shot at setting the record for touchdowns for the position.

Or a cornerback who is only starting for half the season because of an injury. Or a solid strong safety who has not even played in every game.

Perhaps a couple linebackers could have been chosen, and they and a running back or maybe even a receiver might go as an alternate.

The only other team with a winning record with as few Pro Bowl players is the Cincinnati Bengals. They beat the Packers in Lambeau Field in Week 2, have 10 wins, and no players headed to the Pro Bowl, although Cedric Benson should be.

Do not take away from the announcements of the roster that the Packers had only one starter and two reserves.

Instead, focus on how we stopped to think why several other players did not make it, because what this year's Pro Bowl roster really says is that we win as a team.

I originally wrote this article for Sports Scribes .