Tuesday was about the guys who made the Pro Bowl.
Wednesday was about the guys who didnt.
The NFC Pro Bowl roster featured five members of the Green Bay Packers left tackle Chad Clifton, safety Nick Collins, receiver Greg Jennings, linebacker Clay Matthews and cornerback Charles Woodson but the fact that defensive tackle B.J. Raji, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, right guard Josh Sitton and cornerback Tramon Williams were left off didnt sit well with some in the locker room the day after the selections.
Perhaps the most surprising omission was Raji, who leads all NFL nose tackles with 6 sacks, which according to STATS is the highest sack total by a nose tackle since Minnesotas Ken Clarke had seven in 1990. That would exclude interior linemen who play in a 4-3 scheme, and those are players Raji was in competition with for the three Pro Bowl spots allotted to interior linemen.
Dallas Jay Ratliff and Detroit rookie Ndamunkong Suh were voted in as starters, while San Franciscos Justin Smith was the backup. Smith is a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, while Suh is a defensive tackle in a 4-3. Ratliff is most comparable to Raji because they both play nose in a 3-4 scheme. Ratliff, who made the Pro Bowl last season, only has 3 sacks and plays for a losing team.
I guess its by reputation, Raji said. I can go back to when we were voting, and we were in the room asking the guys who should we pick? So its probably one of those things that happened. Obviously, they werent going off numbers. I dont know what they were going off of, but congratulations to him and whoever else made it.
Still, Raji said he didnt need the Pro Bowl to know that his second NFL season has been a success.
It takes a year or two to get your name out there, and then usually it comes after that, he said. I think I played to a Pro Bowl potential, and my stats reflect that.
Sitton seemed like a strong candidate, especially after winning the fan vote at his position, but he was left off in favor of New Orleans teammates Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks and New Yorks Chris Snee.
Like Raji, perhaps Sitton, who is in his second full season as a starter, isnt enough of a known commodity.
I thought I had a decent chance, but I try not to really think about it too much, Sitton said. So it wasnt really a big thing that I thought about a lot. Im trying to establish myself as one of the best guards in the league.
Rodgers didnt seem too bothered by his omission, and Williams wasnt in the locker room to discuss missing out on his first Pro Bowl.
Injury report
Nickel cornerback Sam Shields dropped out of practice on Wednesday after he aggravated his knee in a workout on Monday.
Its unknown how that might impact Shields status for Sundays game against Chicago.
Defensive end Cullen Jenkins, who has missed the last three games because of a calf injury, took a small step toward returning but still looks like a long shot to play this week. Coach Mike McCarthy said Jenkins took part in the rehab segment of practice and also took a couple of snaps on the scout team, which is more than he has done since his injury.
Were going to have to talk about him at the end of the week, McCarthy said. I dont have enough information. I really dont have a pulse on where he is right now. Well take the week to see how Cullen does.
Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) didnt practice and might miss his third straight game. McCarthy has already ruled out safety Atari Bigby (groin) and fullback Korey Hall (knee) but wouldnt say whether they have more than one-week injuries.
Playoff Time
If the Packers make the playoffs, it appears they will play the Saturday night game at Philadelphia.
According to the website PhillySportsCentral.com, the Eagles have informed season-ticket holders that their wild-card playoff game will be the second game on Saturday, which starts at 7 p.m. Central time. The Eagles would play either the Packers, Giants or Buccaneers.
Roster move
The Packers signed linebacker Cardia Jackson to the practice squad on Wednesday after the Miami Dolphins signed linebacker Mike Rivera from the Packers practice squad.
Jackson (6-foot-1, 236 pounds) is a rookie from Louisiana-Monroe who entered the NFL with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent. He was cut at the end of training camp.
The Packers also released receiver Terrance Smith from the practice squad/injured list.