BRB Group Think: Pro Bowl Prognostications

This is the premise for this week’s BRB Group Think: Pick two Texans on offense, two on defense, and one special teams player you think will go to the Pro Bowl this year. To make it more interesting, the obvious choices of DeAndre Hopkins and J.J. Watt are off the table (let’s just assume those two are in).

It’s Friday. We got things to do. Let’s get on with it.

Matt Weston:

Offense: I still think Deshaun Watson will be fine in the long term, but he won’t throw touchdowns as often as he did last year. We will see a step down from last season’s insane six game run. It’s also tough to make the Pro Bowl as a quarterback, especially in a conference that already has Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Philip Rivers.

My best guesses involve the other best players on the team. Zach Fulton is really good and has Pro Bowl talent. The big contract and an improved run game should throw him into a new light. If Will Fuller V stays healthy for an entire season, he could catch enough touchdown passes and make enough BIG downfield plays to have a shot as well. Still, I’m expecting only DeAndre Hopkins to make the 2018 Pro Bowl from Houston’s offense.

Defense: Jadeveon Clowney, if he stays healthy, will have ten sacks this season and will make another Pro Bowl. With Romeo Crennel back as a defensive coordinator, Benardrick McKinney will blitz more often. He could get five sacks and should pick up enough tackles to be considered as well.

Special Teams: Nobody. This special teams is trash. I’ll expect nothing from them until something finally changes.

bigfatdrunk:

Offense: I hate ripping off Big Matt’s response, but I think Zach Fulton is the only non-DeAndre offensive player with a legit shot at the Pro Bowl.

Defense: Benardrick McKinney simply wasn’t the same player in 2017 as he had been in 2016, and I think that’s because Mike Vrabel, LEADER OF MEN, didn’t know what to do with him. With Romeo back, and I feel like I’m stealing Big Matt’s response here as well, I expect McKinney to move forward instead of falling back. Finally, just to show that Big Matt and I don’t share the same brain, I’ll go with Whitney Mercilus as the other.

Luke Beggs:

Offense: Will Fuller. All my eggs are in the “Fuller can have a productive 16 game season”. basket. Hopkins is great and will be great, but Fuller has potential to put up silly numbers .especially in yards per catch. Also, gimme Zach Fulton. If the offense goes to a zone run scheme, Fulton could thrive enough to give him a shout at making a Pro Bowl slot.

Defense: Clowney is the easy defensive pick, but I think B-Mac makes it, purely on the fact I think he’ll have 120+ tackles in this system this year.

Capt Ron:

Offense: There’s no way Houston is sending two WRs to the Pro Bowl, and D-Hop is a given, so I’m going with Watson. He would have gone his rookie year had he not been injured, and I think he’ll kick it up a notch in 2018 with more experience and time in the system. Nick Martin will finally not be the only competent offensive lineman; with a decent supporting cast in the trenches, he’ll get an invitation to the Pro Bowl for keeping Watson clean and in leading a strong running assault.

Defense: “The Honey Badger” will be a weekly highlight reel, and the Pro Bowl is a “flash and sizzle” popularity venue, so pencil him in along with Clowney, who will be a man on fire in pursuit of a big contract (or proving that he was worthy of one if he gets it before the season starts).

Which Texans do you think are Pro Bowl bound in 2018?