SELECTIONS
Nick Mangold, C, sixth Pro Bowl selection: Mangold ties former center Kevin Mawae for the second-most all-star selections in New York Jets history. (Winston Hill was named to eight AFL/NFL all-star teams in the 1960s and 1970s.) Mangold has been the most consistent member of the offensive line, one of the big reasons why the Jets rank third in rushing offense (145 yards per game). This has been a lousy year for the Jets, but Mangold has stood out amid the gloom. He suffered a high-ankle sprain last week and may not play Sunday in the final game, an injury that could jeopardize his Pro Bowl availability.
Who he beat out: Kansas City Chiefs center Rodney Hudson is having a terrific year, spearheading one of the league's better rushing attacks.
SNUBS
Sheldon Richardson, DT: Earlier Tuesday, Richardson said he'd be surprised if he didn't receive his first Pro Bowl selection. If overlooked, he vowed not to miss it again. Well, he was overlooked -- and that was a surprise. Richardson, the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, should have made the roster. He has a team-high seven sacks, double his rookie production, along with 48 quarterback hits. He also has drawn seven holding penalties, the most by a Jet since John Abraham in 2005. Richardson may have reached last week when he said he's on the same level as J.J. Watt, but he definitely should be one of the six defensive tackles on the Pro Bowl roster. Richardson is a second alternate.
Who he should've beaten out: St. Louis Rams rookie Aaron Donald. Yes, Donald has eight sacks, one more than Richardson, but he plays in an attack-style scheme that doesn't place a premium on run defense. Richardson is an all-around player.
Muhammad Wilkerson, DT: Interestingly, the Jets listed Wilkerson as a tackle on the ballot, not as an end, figuring it would help his chances of breaking through. He finished fourth in the fan voting at tackle, but he still fell short. Obviously, his turf-toe injury, which cost him three games late in the season, came at the worst possible time. It hurt his numbers, but five sacks in 12 games isn't bad for a player who often rushes against interior linemen. Wilkerson was named a third alternate. Other alternates are tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson (fifth) and running back Chris Ivory (eighth). General manager John Idzik gets beat up a lot, but at least give him credit for Ivory and Richardson.
Who he should've beaten out: Chiefs DT Dontari Poe. If Poe is such an awesome run stuffer, why are the Chiefs ranked 28th in run defense? The Jets are ranked fifth, and a lot of that is due to Wilkerson.