The Atlanta Falcons are a loss away from being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for an eighth consecutive year. The Carolina Panthers, who also last made the playoffs in 2017, are on track to end their streak this season.
However, while the Falcons won’t be playing for a Super Bowl, some players could be playing in this year’s Pro Bowl. Following the early round of voting, six Falcons players see themselves in the top 10 at their respective positions.
Advertisement
RB – Bijan Robinson (4th)
DT – Brandon Dorlus (7th)
Safety – Xavier Watts (5th)
Punter – Bradley Pinion (3rd)
While we expected to see Bijan Robinson and Drake London’s names in the running for a Pro Bowl nod, it is a pleasant surprise seeing some names we didn’t expect to see at the start of the season.
Brandon Dorlus, the second-year defensive lineman, went from being inactive in all but two games a season ago to being mentioned as one of the best at his position. Right now, Dorlus has accounted for six sacks, 23 total tackles, and nine tackles for loss.
Third round rookie safety, Xavier Watts, was also not a name we expected to see play a big part in this defense so early into his career. The rookie has three interceptions for the season so far with numerous pass deflections and has accounted for 66 tackles on defense.
All the players mentioned above so far have earned their right to be named among the best, it’s just disappointing that the individual success hasn’t been reciprocated across the board as the team will more than likely miss the postseason once again.
Advertisement
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Pro Bowl: Which Atlanta Falcons players are in the mix?