Pro Bowl: Popular choices happen to be right this year

The announcement of the Pro Bowl Popularity Contest teams is coming next Tuesday in a special show put on by the NFL.
I say Popularity Contest teams because that's often what it ends up being. You see a lot of name players because, with the fans' vote counting a third, it usually ends up that way. The bigger names from the better teams get picked.
My annual Pro Bowl team, which I am unveiling here, usually includes several players who won't be on the actual team. I like to find players who deserve it based on their current play, not just past performance.

MVP front-runner Tom Brady is tied for the NFL lead with 31 touchdown passes. (Getty Images)

Strangely, in putting together this year's teams, I found myself with many of the so-called "name" players on the teams. Many of the picks this season were actually pretty easy, and ones you would expect.
There are still many you will debate, but most of the positions were pretty straightforward this year. It wasn't a year for upstarts. There are a handful of surprises, but for the most part I think my teams will look a lot like the real ones.
I'm not sure that's a good thing. But here they are:
AFC offense
Quarterback: Tom Brady, Patriots. Reserves: Peyton Manning, Colts; Philip Rivers, Chargers.
Just missed: Matt Cassel, Chiefs.
Comment: Picking Brady to start was easy and Manning and Rivers were no-brainers. Cassel is having a good year, but he isn't with the other three.
Wide receiver: Reggie Wayne, Colts; Andre Johnson, Texans. Reserves: Brandon Lloyd, Broncos; Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs.
Just missed: Wes Welker, Patriots; Steve Johnson, Bills.
Comment: I think the first two are easy. Lloyd leads the AFC in yards and Bowe has 14 touchdown catches to lead the conference.
Running back: Arian Foster, Texans. Reserves: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars; Jamaal Charles, Chiefs.
Just missed: Chris Johnson, Titans.
Comment: Foster has been at the top of the rushing leaders all season long to get the start, although the other two are closing fast.
Fullback: Greg Jones, Jaguars.
Just missed: Vonta Leach, Texans.
Comment: Jones has always been a good lead blocker, but this season he has been even better. He blows up linebackers.
Tight end: Antonio Gates, Chargers. Reserve: Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars.
Just missed: Ben Watson, Browns.
Comment: Gates remains the best pass-catching tight end in the game. Injuries have slowed him some. Lewis is the best blocking tight end, but he has emerged as a pass-catching threat this season.
Tackle: Jake Long, Dolphins; Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots. Reserves: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets; Marshal Yanda, Ravens.
Just missed: Damien Woody, Jets; Eric Winston, Texans; Branden Albert, Chiefs.
Comment: Long continues to play at a high level, while Vollmer, a second-year player, has really elevated his game.
Guard: Kris Dielman, Chargers; Brandon Moore, Jets. Reserves: Robert Gallery, Raiders; Brian Waters, Chiefs.
Just missed: Eric Steinbach, Bengals; Ryan Lilja, Chiefs.
Comment: Dielman continues to be a rock inside for the Chargers, while Moore is the most underrated of the Jets' offensive linemen.
Center: Maurkice Pouncey, Steelers. Reserve: Nick Mangold, Jets.
Just missed: Brad Meester, Jaguars; Alex Mack, Browns.

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Comment: For a rookie, Pouncey has played at a high level. The Steelers rave about the way he has picked up the mental part of the game.
Kicker: Rob Bironas, Titans.
Just missed: Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders; Dan Carpenter, Dolphins.
Comment: Bironas has missed one field goal all year. He's 22 of 23. That's impressive.
AFC defense
End: Mario Williams, Texans; Dwight Freeney, Colts. Reserves: Jason Babin, Titans; Robert Mathis, Colts.
Just missed: Matt Shaughnessy, Raiders.
Comment: The two I gave the nod to did not have their usual big seasons. But they are still tops in a weak position in the AFC.
Tackle: Haloti Ngata, Ravens; Terrance Knighton, Jaguars. Reserves: Kyle Williams, Bills; Vince Wilfork, Patriots.
Just missed: Tommy Kelly, Raiders; Richard Seymour, Raiders.
Comment: Everybody knows about Ngata. But Knighton has been a force for the Jaguars.
Outside linebacker: Cameron Wake, Dolphins; James Harrison, Steelers. Reserves: Tamba Hali, Chiefs; Shaun Phillips, Chargers.
Just missed: Terrell Suggs, Ravens.
Comment: Wake leads the NFL in sacks with 14 and Harrison has 10. He just beats out Hali, who has shown great improvement this season.
Inside linebacker: Lawrence Timmons, Steelers; Jerod Mayo, Patriots. Reserves: Kevin Burnett, Chargers; Ray Lewis, Ravens.
Just missed: Karlos Dansby, Dolphins; Paul Posluszny, Bills.
Comment: Timmons has showed off his athletic ability now that he understands the defense. Mayo leads the NFL in tackles.
Cornerback: Brandon Flowers, Chiefs; Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders. Reserves: Champ Bailey, Broncos; Antonio Cromartie, Jets.
Just missed: Devin McCourty, Patriots.
Comment: Asomugha remains the best cover corner, while Flowers really emerged as a star in his second season.
Safety: Troy Polamalu, Steelers; Eric Weddle, Chargers. Reserves: Michael Huff, Raiders; Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins.
Just missed: Ed Reed, Ravens.
Comment: Weddle is the surprise here, but he has had a heck of a season. Reed missing the first six games hurt his chances.
Punter: Shane Lechler, Raiders.
Just missed: Brandon Fields, Dolphins; Reggie Hodges, Browns.
Comment: Lechler is the standard for punters. He leads the AFC in net average with 40.3 and he's second in average at 47.0.
Kick returner: Brandon Tate, Patriots.
Just missed: Marc Mariani, Titans.
Comment: Tate has two kickoff returns for touchdowns. It wasn't a great year for AFC return men.
Special teams: Montell Owens, RB, Jaguars.
Just missed: Raymond Ventrone, CB, Browns.
Comment: The Jaguars also have Kassim Osgood on special teams, but Owens has been the better of the two.

Sunday's miracle win over the Giants is just the latest chapter in Michael Vick's comeback story. (Getty Images)

NFC offense
Quarterback: Michael Vick, Eagles. Reserves: Matt Ryan, Falcons; Drew Brees, Saints.
Just missed: Aaron Rodgers, Packers.
Comment: Vick is an easy choice. What he has done has been amazing. I went with Ryan over Rodgers based on TD-to-interception numbers and record.
Wide receiver: Roddy White, Falcons; Calvin Johnson, Lions. Reserves: Greg Jennings, Packers; Hakeem Nicks, Giants.
Just missed: DeSean Jackson, Eagles; Marques Colston, Saints.
Comment: White leads in catches and Johnson is averaging 14.6 yards per catch and has 10 touchdown receptions. He edges out Jennings for the second spot.
Running back: Michael Turner, Falcons. Reserves: Adrian Peterson, Vikings; LeSean McCoy, Eagles.
Just missed: Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants; Steven Jackson, Rams.
Comment: Turner is tops in the NFC in rushing and has 11 touchdowns. Peterson is averaging 4.7 per carry and McCoy has been a big part of the Eagles' offense.
Fullback: Ovie Mughelli, Falcons.
Just missed: Heath Evans, Saints; Mike Karney, Rams.
Comment: Mughelli is a crunching blocker and a big reason why Turner is having his success.
Tight end: Jason Witten, Cowboys. Reserve: Vernon Davis, 49ers.
Just missed: Tony Gonzalez, Falcons; Chris Cooley, Redskins.
Comment: Despite not having Tony Romo for much of the season, Witten leads all tight ends with 82 catches. Davis has been hurt by bad quarterback play, but still had a nice season.
Tackle: Donald Penn, Buccaneers; Kareem McKenzie, Giants. Reserves: Jason Peters, Eagles; Tyson Clabo, Falcons.
Just missed: Jeff Backus, Lions; Rodger Saffold, Rams.
Comment: Peters showed why the Eagles made a bold move to get him. McKenzie started every game for the Giants at right tackle and helped solidify a unit hit by injury.
Guard: Carl Nicks, Saints; Josh Sitton, Packers. Reserves: Chris Snee, Giants; Jahri Evans, Saints.
Just missed: Steve Hutchinson, Vikings; Todd Herremans, Eagles; Harvey Dahl, Falcons.
Comment: This season, Nicks was better than Evans, who was a 2009 Pro Bowl player. Sitton is the best player on the pretty good Green Bay line.
Center: Scott Wells, Packers. Reserve: Jonathan Goodwin, Saints.
Just missed: David Baas, 49ers; Ryan Kalil, Panthers.
Comment: Wells has had some big games against some top inside players like Jay Ratliff of Dallas.
Kicker: Matt Bryant, Falcons.
Just missed: David Akers, Eagles; Robbie Gould, Bears; Josh Brown, Rams.
Comment: Bryant has made 90 percent of his field goals, including a big game-winner in overtime against the Saints.
NFC defense
End: Trent Cole, Eagles; Julius Peppers, Bears. Reserves: John Abraham, Falcons; Justin Tuck, Giants.
Just missed: Osi Umenyiora, Giants; Chris Clemons, Seahawks.
Comment: Cole and Peppers were easy picks. There was a lot of sentiment from some scouts about Clemons, but he lost out to Tuck.
Tackle: Ndamukong Suh, Lions; B.J. Raji, Packers. Reserves: Barry Cofield, Giants; Justin Smith, 49ers.
Just missed: Antonio Dixon, Eagles; Jonathan Babineaux, Falcons; Fred Robbins, Rams.
Comment: As a rookie, Suh has been the best inside player in the NFC. He is a force. Raji, a second-year player, has really come on for the Packers on the nose.
Outside linebacker: Clay Matthews, Packers; DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys. Reserves: Lance Briggs, Bears; Brian Orakpo, Redskins.
Comment: The first two were easy. But with this being a weak position in the conference, the other two were tougher.
Inside linebacker: Patrick Willis, 49ers; James Laurinitis, Rams. Reserves: Curtis Lofton, Falcons; Brian Urlacher, Bears.
Just missed: Jonathan Vilma, Saints.
Comment: Willis is the best inside linebacker in the game and Laurinaitis was special in his second season with the Rams.
Cornerback: Tramon Williams, Packers; Asante Samuel, Eagles. Reserves: Charles Woodson, Packers; Aqib Talib, Buccaneers.
Just missed: Brent Grimes, Falcons.
Comment: Williams has outplayed Woodson this season. Samuel leads the NFL in picks with seven. It is not a great year for NFC corners.
Safety: Malcolm Jenkins, Saints; Quintin Mikell, Eagles. Reserves: Adrian Wilson, Cardinals; Antrel Rolle, Giants.
Just missed: Kenny Phillips, Giants; Nick Collins, Packers; Roman Harper, Saints.
Comment: Jenkins is considered the best player on the Saints' defense right now, which isn't bad since this is his first as a starter. Mikell gets the nod at a weak strong safety spot.
Punter: Mat McBriar, Cowboys.
Just missed: Donnie Jones, Rams.
Comment: McBriar's net average of 41.9 is tops in the NFL, and his average is second in the league at 47.9.
Kick returner: Devin Hester, Bears.
Just missed: Leon Washington, Seahawks.
Comment: Hester might be the greatest return man of all time. He holds the record for touchdowns on returns now.
Special teams: John Wendling, DB, Lions.
Just missed: Adam Hayward, LB, Buccaneers.
Comment: Watch the Lions on special teams and you will see Wendling show up a lot.

extracted from cbssports.com