By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
SAN DIEGO – Playing alongside Chad Brown and Levon Kirkland is one thing, but those shadows are nothing compared to the one that covers Anthony Simmons this time of year.
No matter how well the Seattle Seahawks’ linebacker plays – and the last season-and-a-half, he’s put up All-Pro-type statistics – Simmons finds himself victimized by the numbers game when it comes to Pro Bowl voting.
There are simply too many good linebackers in the league for a lesser-known player on an average defense to sneak into the picture.
So Simmons’ name probably didn’t appear on many Pro Bowl ballots earlier this week, when players voted for their peers.
In fact, not many Seahawks figure to be making the trip to the annual all-star game next month. The teams will be announced Wednesday, with players, coaches and fans each factoring into the voting process.
“We have a handful of guys that deserve consideration, and if our record was better, I think they’d go,” said coach Mike Holmgren, whose team will face the San Diego Chargers at 1:15 this afternoon. “Some of them should go anyway.”
Simmons seems to be the most deserving player. In fact, defensive coordinator Steve Sidwell said that the 25-year-old linebacker “is playing at that level” this season. But Simmons and his team-leading 114 tackles will probably have to step aside while players on higher-profile teams get the nod when teams are officially announced later this week.
Baltimore’s Ray Lewis and Miami’s Zach Thomas are virtual locks to be among the six AFC linebackers at the Pro Bowl, while San Diego’s Junior Seau is annually a deserving choice. Mo Lewis of the New York Jets and Jason Gilden of the Pittsburgh Steelers were there last season, but could get bumped out by teammates this time around (James Farrior and Marvin Jones for the Jets; Joey Porter for the Steelers). That doesn’t even include AFC sack leader Jamir Miller of the Cleveland Browns.
Even if he gets caught up in the numbers game, Simmons had a deserving year.
“Guys probably get voted to the Pro Bowl later than they should have, and guys also get voted to the Pro Bowl after their best years are done, just off reputation,” Sidwell said. “That’s a constant with the Pro Bowl balloting. You just have to know how it works. (Simmons is) certainly deserving.”
Simmons said he doesn’t expect to go to the Pro Bowl this season, even though his numbers might warrant such a selection.
“A lot of it depends on where you’re at and what kind of publicity you get. That’s basically all it comes down to,” Simmons said. “The more your name’s out there, the more you’re (publicized), the better your chances.”
The most likely Seahawks candidate to go to Hawaii is defensive tackle John Randle, who has both statistics and reputation on his side. Randle’s 9 1/2sacks are the most among NFL interior defensive linemen, and he has played in six Pro Bowls as a representative of the Minnesota Vikings.
At age 34, Randle has proven doubters wrong this season as a key component to the Seahawks’ rebuilt defense.
On the other side of the football, the Seahawks have two possibilities on the offensive line.
Left tackle Walter Jones is among the best players at his position, but he only has an outside shot due to a variety of reasons. First and foremost, the Seahawks’ record (7-7 entering today’s game at San Diego) hurts Jones. Had Seattle made the playoffs, his production would probably have been rewarded with a trip to the Pro Bowl.
Also working against Jones is the fact that all three tackles that represented the AFC last season – Baltimore’s Jonathan Ogden, Tennessee’s Brad Hopkins and Oakland’s Lincoln Kennedy – have been healthy all season. More often than not, offensive linemen are picked based on reputation over production.
The Seahawks’ other offensive line candidate plays next to Jones. Holmgren has suggested rookie left guard Steve Hutchinson should be considered for the Pro Bowl team. Hutchinson has started every game this season, and has been dominating at times, but he has also struggled on an occasional pass play.
Hutchinson has the similar pitfalls of his Seattle teammates, mainly that the team’s mediocrity has overshadowed his play and the fact that other veteran players are more highly-regarded.
Another intriguing possibility is running back Shaun Alexander, whose numbers have fallen off recently. He now ranks fifth in the AFC in rushing yards (1,132) and, although he leads the AFC in touchdowns (15), Alexander might also come up short. Kansas City’s Priest Holmes and Curtis Martin of the New York Jets are virtual locks to make the Pro Bowl team, while Alexander will battle Pittsburgh’s Jerome Bettis, San Diego’s LaDanian Tomlinson and Cincinnati’s Corey Dillon for the third and final spot.
The Seahawks have not had a Pro Bowler since Jones, Cortez Kennedy and Chad Brown went in 1999. There is a very real possibility that the team could get shut out again this year, although most teams get at least one representative.
As well as he has played this season, Simmons will probably be one of those guys on the outside looking in.
“I don’t worry about it too much,” he said. “If I play long enough, and I happen to be on winning teams, it will come.”
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