The NFL has released early 2011 Pro Bowl voting results and no Denver Broncos appear among the top vote-getters by position. Of course, fan voting is mostly a popularity contest. Still, I'd expect quarterback Kyle Orton and receiver Brandon Lloyd to eventually make the team as backups. It would be hard to argue that a quarterback who, in all likelihood, will throw for nearly 5,000 yards should be left off the AFC Pro Bowl roster. And Lloyd is a receiver who is having a breakout year and has already broke several career records in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Among the top 10 vote-getters over all, six are quarterbacks, three are running backs and one is a tight end. Peyton Manning and Michael Vick are the top overall vote-getters and the top in their respective conferences. The most surprising player in the top 10 is Houston Texans running back Arian Foster, who has 1,004 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns this season. In 2009 as a rookie, Foster had 257 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
If the AFC Pro Bowl starters were declared today, the AFC West would be represented by one Chargers player (TE Antonio Gates) and three Raiders (K Sebastian Janikowski, CB Nnamdi Asomugha and P Shane Lechler). The AFC North dominates the defensive team (including special teams) with six of the nine spots coming from the division.
The Pro Bowl takes place on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011 and FOX will broadcast the game at 7 p.m. ET.