4 2012 NFL Pro Bowl Roster Predictions Sure to Come to Fruition

Because it's a glorified popularity contest, there's a lot about the NFL Pro Bowl that is predictable. Beyond predicting who will or will not make the roster, there are other things that are safe to assume about the game.

In the following slides, I detail four predictions about this year's Pro Bowl could quite possibly come true.

New England Patriots QB Tom Brady Won't Play in the 2012 Pro Bowl

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been voted to the Pro Bowl seven times and has gone six times, but it's not his most favorite event of the year and though he's the top AFC vote-getter this year, don't expect to see him play in the game this year.

With the game happening the week before the Super Bowl, there's another reason to believe Brady won't be there: the New England Patriots will be playing in the Super Bowl. With the AFC's top seed in the playoffs this year, the Patriots are heavy favorites to represent the conference in this year's NFL championship.

Even if they don't, and are tripped up in the AFC title game, I don't see Brady being willing to suit up just one week after to claim what to him might just be a consolation prize.

One of the Top Two NFC QBs Won't Be Playing in the Pro Bowl, Either

The Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers and the New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees are likely the two top vote-getting quarterbacks to represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl this season, but chances are that one of them won't be playing. Instead, he'll be busy with his team getting ready for the Super Bowl the following week.

The Saints and the Packers are the top two offenses in the league, thanks to the stellar, record-breaking performances of both Brees and Rodgers this year and are thoroughly deserving of the honor that is being selected to the Pro Bowl.

Considering the two quarterbacks' reputations of fan friendliness and love of the game, it's certain that, barring lingering injury, whichever of the two that doesn't make it to the Super Bowl will represent the NFC. It's just unknown at this time who that will be.

Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow Will Play the Pro Bowl

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow ranks as the No. 3 AFC quarterback in Pro Bowl fan voting. While the fans make up a third of the total vote, with coaches and players making up the other two-thirds, it's hard to imagine a Pro Bowl that doesn't feature Tebow this year.

As a starter, Tebow hasn't been a prototypical quarterback. He's terribly inaccurate at passing the ball and his strength lies mainly with his willingness to throw the ball away rather than throwing picks, and of course, running the ball.

However, Tebow is a phenomenon that cannot be avoided. He's all over the media, he's one of the greatest college quarterbacks of all time, and players and coaches around the league seem to hold him in high regard.

He's third in the fan voting behind the New England Patriots' Tom Brady and the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger. If either of those men are playing in the Super Bowl, or choose to sit out the Pro Bowl for whatever reason, expect to see Tebow under center for the AFC.

RB Injuries May Mean Strange Pro Bowl Starters

2011 was a big year for running backs, statistically. But it was also a big year for some of the league's best rushers suffering serious, season-ending injuries.

The Buffalo Bills' Fred Jackson has a broken leg, the Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson has a torn MCL and ACL, the Oakland Raiders' Darren McFadden has been battling a severe foot injury, the Chicago Bears' Matt Forte sprained his MCL, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

With so many injured running backs who would have otherwise been Pro Bowl locks this year, it's going to be interesting which backs are healthy enough and willing to play in this season's game.

It now looks likely that Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks and Frank Gore of the San Francisco 49ers could get the call on the NFC side and, for the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Rice the Tennessee Titans' Chris Johnson might have to take the place of backs voted in but not healthy enough to play.