Everson Griffen, Harrison Smith Receive All-Pro Votes
By Dan Zinski
As we know, zero Vikings were deemed good enough to make this year’s NFC Pro Bowl team (though Jerome Felton did get picked as an alternate).
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The Associated Press was somewhat more kind to the Vikings when making their selections for this year’s All-Pro team.
No Vikings made All-Pro first- or second-team, but a pair of Minnesota defensive players did at least receive votes. Defensive end Everson Griffen got 1 vote, and safety Harrison Smith got a whopping 7.
Here’s how the voting broke down at both defensive end and safety (via SBNation):
Ends
J.J. Watt, Houston, 45; Mario Williams, Buffalo, 24; Calais Campbell, Arizona, 11; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia, 5; Cameron Wake, Miami, 5; Michael Bennett, Seattle, 3; Elvis Dumervil, Baltimore, 3; Everson Griffen, Minnesota, 1; Jerry Hughes, Buffalo, 1; Robert Quinn, St. Louis, 1; Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets, 1.
Safeties
Earl Thomas, Seattle, 39; Eric Weddle, San Diego, 16; Kam Chancellor, Seattle, 14; Glover Quin, Detroit, 13; Harrison Smith, Minnesota, 7; Antoine Bethea, San Francisco, 5; Devin McCourty, New England, 2; Tashaun Gipson, Cleveland, 2; Charles Woodson, Oakland, 1; Rashad Johnson, Arizona, 1.
Did Glover Quin have a better year than Harrison Smith? I know Smith was a little inconsistent in the middle part of the season but he was very strong early and pretty strong late.
Between Griffen and Smith, I would say Smith has the greater gripe. Smith at least deserved second-team recognition this year and should have at least been an alternate for the Pro Bowl.
Don’t worry fans, next year when the Vikings have a top 10 defense, the media will start giving them some respect. We’ll just have to suck it up for now.