Saints Pro Bowlers
 

NewOrleansSaints.com,
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 - 6:15 PM

FIVE PLAYERS HONORED WITH PRO BOWL NOMINATIONS

Saints Represented By Brees, Sharper, Evans, Vilma and Stinchcomb; Most Saints to be Named to Pro Bowl since 1992

Brees, Sharper and Evans Named to Starting Squad

Five members of the New Orleans Saints 2009 team have been voted to the NFC Pro Bowl squad. QB Drew Brees, FS Darren Sharper, RG Jahri Evans, MLB Jonathan Vilma and RT Jon Stinchcomb were voted by a combination of fan, player and coaches balloting. The Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31, 2010 in South Florida. Teams that earn a berth into the Super Bowl will not be sending players to play in the contest.

QB Drew Brees has been selected to appear in his fourth Pro Bowl, having led the Saints to a team-record 13 wins in 2009. Brees has completed 363-of-514 passes (70.6%) for 4,388 yards with 34 touchdowns, only 11 interceptions and a 109.6 passer rating.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be voted to the Pro Bowl and I’m thankful to the players, coaches and fans who voted for me,” said Brees. “When you are voted in as a quarterback, you really represent the entire offense and the team, because there isn’t anything I can accomplish without the offensive line, running backs, tight ends and wide receivers. So this is a recognition of what we’ve been able to achieve as a unit, and I’ve been thrilled to be a part of a offense that has worked together so well this season.”

Brees is currently ranked first in the NFL in completion percentage, passer rating, touchdown passes and touchdown percentage (6.6), second in average gain (8.5 yards per completion), completions of 25 yards of more (39) and fourth quarter passer rating (113.4), third in passing yardage and fifth in third down passer rating (101.9).

Brees is currently on pace for the second-highest passing yardage total of his NFL career behind 2008’s 5,069 yards and is only the second NFL player to throw for 4,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.

Brees has been selected to play in two Pro Bowls as a Saint prior to this season, with one other appearance coming as a member of the San Diego Chargers. He and Archie Manning are the only two Saints signal callers to be selected to the All-Star game in the team’s history, with Brees now becoming the first quarterback to represent the team three times.
FS Darren Sharper

Free Safety Darren Sharper, a free agent acquisition in March, is the NFL’s active leader with 63 interceptions, which places him in a tie for sixth all-time with Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. Sharper will be headed to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in his career, in large part to his NFL-best nine interceptions in 2009, which he has returned for an NFL-record 376 yards.

“This means a lot to me because it’s voted on by my peers, the coaches around the NFL and the fans,” said Sharper. “And it means a lot to me to be voted to the Pro Bowl as a player who is representing the Saints organization. This is a reflection of what we have achieved as a team. Being voted to the Pro Bowl is a prestigious honor, and I’m very excited about it, and my real goal is to make it a precursor to what I came here for – and that’s going to the bigger Bowl.”

The 13-year NFL veteran has appeared in 196 regular season games with 180 starts and has extensive postseason experience in ten games, seven of which he opened. The consistent tackler has posted 75 or more stops 11 times. Sharper is ranked second among all-time in interception return yardage with 1,412 yards.

His nine interceptions this season has tied his career-high for most interceptions in a season, including two multiple interception games. He has also established a career-high and club record three interceptions returned for touchdowns, while adding 93 tackles (55 solo), half-a-sack and eight passes defensed.

Fourth-year offensive guard Jahri Evans, a product of Bloomsburg (Pa.) University, and a fixture on the Saints’ offensive line since the first game of his rookie season (2006) earned his first career nomination to the Pro Bowl. The 6-4, 318 pound native of Philadelphia has been a lynchpin along the Saints’ offensive line, never missing a start during his first four years.

“I think this is an award that all of the offensive linemen really share,” said Evans. “Our offensive line has pretty much been together since I got here and I am very fortunate to have learned from great coaches and my teammates. It’s always been a goal of mine to earn the highest award that is voted on by the fellow players, coaches and fans, and I am very thankful to everyone that thought highly enough of me to vote for me.”

Evans has also been a fixture on an offensive line that has allowed the fewest sacks in the NFC and the second-least in the NFL since 2006 (67). In 2009 the Saints once again are among the league leaders in fewest sacks allowed (15-the third fewest).
MLB Jonathan Vilma

Evans owns the distinction of having started 63 consecutive games, a club-record for most consecutive games started by a Saints offensive lineman to begin a career, and the third-most by a player of any position, trailing only LB Rickey Jackson (91) and DT Bob Pollard (78).

Middle Linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2005 as a member of the New York Jets, was elected by his teammates the defensive team captain for the 2009 season. Vilma leads the Saints with 130 tackles (102 solo), two quarterback takedowns, three interceptions that him tie for first in the NFL among linebackers and eight passes defensed.

“It’s an honor to be voted by the fans of the New Orleans Saints, the players in the NFL and the coaches and general managers,” Vilma said. “The unfortunate thing about the Pro Bowl is that it honors individuals and this, in my opinion, is really a team award because every guy on our team has had a hand in our success this season and we certainly hope to be have a lot more to play for this season. That's where our focus is right now and getting ready for the Carolina Panthers this weekend.”

Vilma has registered six-double digit tackle games thus far this season, including a season-high 15 stops against Dallas two weeks ago.
RT Jon Stinchcomb

Vilma, a native of South Florida and a graduate of the University of Miami, acquired by the Saints in a trade with the New York Jets in 2008, has recorded 741 tackles (514 solo), ten interceptions, 5.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and 30 pass defenses, starting 84 of the 86 games he has appeared in. Vilma has recorded at least 100 tackles in five of his first six NFL campaigns, only missing out in 2007 due to a knee injury.

Right Tackle Jon Stinchcomb, a seven-year veteran and a fixture on the Saints’ offensive line the past four seasons, earned his first career Pro Bowl nomination.

“It is a pretty special award to be voted to the Pro Bowl,” said the 6-5, 318 pound Georgia graduate who was selected by the Saints in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft with the 37th pick overall. “To those that took the time to vote for me, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks. And I owe a debt of gratitude to the players, coaches and administrators that felt I was deserving of this recognition.”

The Saints’ 2008 Man of the Year for his community activism has started every game for the Saints this season at right tackle and helped the Saints produce the top-ranked offense and highest-scoring offense in the NFL, while allowing the third-fewest sacks and featuring a running game that is the fifth-most productive in the NFL.

Re: Saints Pro Bowlers
 

The truth is Stinchcomb makes very few mistakes and is a pretty darn good RT. However, I do admit that him being selected is a bit of a surprise. No real surprises from the rest of the group that made it.

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Good point about Stinchcomb, Matthew T. I think Stinchcomb is a pretty solid RT, but I never thought I would hear his name and Pro Bowl in the same sentence.

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they deserve it. but lets hope they dont get the chance to play. anyone who goes to the super bowl cant play

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They wont be playin..lol...

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damn, i saw that 5 saints made it and though colston finally got his due. never wouldve thought it was stinchcomb.

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We may not see a Saints' receiver make the Pro Bowl anytime soon. The ball is simply spread around too much for that. Great for the team, not so great for individual stats.

Not that I am saying anything that you don't already know.

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Where's Will Smith?

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Snubbed, for now. Each conference will pick an extra player for their rosters later on.

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i thought i read that Goodwin made it too...maybe as an alternate...

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Now that we have a Pro Bowl RT... were do we put our other Pro Bowl RT Jamaal Brown if he comes back next season.

Just screwin' around with you JB right tackle fans.

Remember last off season prior to and after we re-signed Stinchcomb, he got a lot of love from the media (nationally, definitely not locally) of how he was a pretty good tackle in the league. He's always been underrated and snubbed by our very own fans.

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They said that alternates will be announced, after the divisional championships. That makes sense. I like the probowl before the superbowl idea. i hope they do this every year from now on. Maybe
people will actually go to the game now.

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biggest snubs......cedric benson and will smith

its ridiculous to see players have seasons like that and not get the honor to go on their credentials.....thats just BS

of course there is always a couple players left out.....but will smith is 3rd in the league in sacks......cedric benson is 7th in the league in rush yards......after being a nobody

just stupid

Re: Saints Pro Bowlers
 

My thoughts exactly. I think Peppers made it on popularity and name alone over Smith. 15 less tackles and 2.5 less sacks. Benson is a little more understandable, because it was a tight race after Chris Johnson in the AFC with Jones-Drew, Thomas Jones, Benson, and Rice. I'm not saying he wasn't snubbed, but Benson had a lot more competition.

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Stinchcomb was a shocker.... I would have to agree

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Colston is a very good player. He is a great guy. The Saints are blessed to have him, especially at the current rate, on their team. But, he's not a spectacular player.

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I'm a bit surprised that Vilma made it since London Fletcher was the media love darlin'. Vilma deserves it though.

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how the **** did tom brady make it over matt schaub?

Brady
4212 yards
28 TDs
12 INTs
65.7% completion
97.4 passer rating

Schaub
4467 yards
27 TDs
14 INTs
68.4% completion
99.1 passer rating

schaub deserved this......brady had a solid season....but he did not deserve to go over schaub

Re: Saints Pro Bowlers
 

I don't like DeSean Jackson being selected as a wide receiver and a return man. Colston, Roddy White or Steve Smith (either one!) would be a better selection.

And Will Smith needs to be on the list in place of Trent Cole.

F***in Eagles.

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Jackson has 8 touchdowns of 50 yards or more and only one is on a return. He's more than worthy of going to the Pro Bowl

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yer i know what ya mean, this may sound biased but will smith has been the most consistent player in the nfc when it comes to sacks. really bounced back from disappointing seasons

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Stinchcomb was a bit of a surprise. Everyone else was likely to make it.

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will smith and trent cole both should've made it......the odd man out should've been julius peppers

coles numbers are surprisingly comparable to smiths and is one of the big surprises of the season

but peppers got in because of his name.....just like brady.....not because he deserved it

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per CBS Sports Larry Holder

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Goodwin eh? Good to see him getting some national recognition. I wonder if some will still view him as the weakess and most upgradeable person on our line. Oh how I still remember that battle vividly. ;)

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its because of the saints success.....not because of his talent

dont confuse the 2

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Indeed. I think Goodwin has done an admirable job of anchoring the offensive line. He may be replaceable, but he's definitely not playing a position that is a priority to be upgraded in the offseason.

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how did scott fujita make it as an alternate over shanle when he has missed 6 games with injuries?

pumped to see so many saints getting the recognition they deserve.....and they all deserve it

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Probably because Shanle leads the NFL in YDBT (Yards Drug Before Tackle).

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I'm sure not. :)

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but what does scott fujita lead the league in?

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everytime somebody says something about goodwin you always tempt me and provoke me

if you want the last word then i'll give you the last word but you can comment about goodwin without trying to antagonize me about it....we've been over this before and i thought we were done with this but if you want to get into it again, which it seems like you do, then throw the first punch

merry christmas and a happy new year to you either way

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i'm glad the vildabeast is in there again. i'm coming up from orlando for the 16th, and i'll be rocking my brand new (although i already got a stain on it), white, number 51 jersey then. i cant wait!