Titans shut out of AFC Pro Bowl roster
On Wednesday, that didn’t help either as both were left off the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster.
The Titans were among four teams shut out of Pro Bowl rosters. But Vanden Bosch was one of four Titans named as alternates and was behind Dwight Freeney of Indianapolis, Jason Taylor of Miami and Derrick Burgess of Oakland. Burgess leads the league with 14 sacks, while Taylor has 11.
Bulluck, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and rookie Adam “Pacman” Jones also were alternates with Jones at returner. Coach Jeff Fisher said he was extremely disappointed for Vanden Bosch.
“He just didn’t rush the passer and end up second in sacks, but he also played very well against the run. Those things happen sometimes. I think had the record been flipped, I think he would have been a shoe-in there and that would also be the case with Keith,” Fisher said.
Vanden Bosch is in his first year with Tennessee after spending his first four injury-plagued seasons in Arizona. He currently is tied for second in the NFL with 12 1/2 sacks and leads the Titans’ defensive linemen in tackles with 91.
“It’s my first year having a good year. I just hope I string a couple years together, then I’ll get my opportunities,” Vanden Bosch said.
With two games left, he easily could wind up as the league leader in sacks. If not for illegal contact penalties that erased two sacks of Peyton Manning on Dec. 4, he would have been tied for that already.
“It’s something to keep working for,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s any extra motivation. I’m going to work the same as I have.”
Bulluck found himself behind Cato June of Indianapolis, Shawne Merriman of San Diego and Joey Porter of Pittsburgh despite leading outside linebackers in fan voting with 231,008 votes that count for a third.
A Pro Bowler in 2003, Bulluck currently leads the Titans with 130 tackles, and he also has four sacks and two interceptions.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to football people who know what time it is. My game speaks for itself every Sunday. There’s a reason I’m in the top of the league in tackles, and I play outside linebacker, not middle linebacker. A lot of those things go unlooked,” Bulluck said.
“That’s fine. I’m going to keep working, and it’s on again.”
Haynesworth had his best season yet with 74 tackles and two sacks in a year where he has kept opponents busy double-teaming him, which has helped free up Vanden Bosch.
Jones found himself behind Jerome Mathis of Houston who led the NFL in kickoff return yardage. Jones led the NFL in punt return yardage last week but slipped to second after a game in which he had a chance to return only two punts, and he failed to get on the field for one.
He was seventh in the NFL in kickoff returns.
The franchise is getting used to being shut out in Pro Bowl voting with this the third time in four years. Asked if the 4-10 record played a part, Fisher had a quick answer.
“We were shut out when we went to the championship game. Those things happen,” he said.