IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys sent an NFL-record 13 players to last year's Pro Bowl. They'll gladly trade Tuesday's smaller selection size of five for a deep playoff run.No matter how this topsy-turvy season ends, five Cowboys starters - tight end Jason Witten, center Andre Gurode, nose tackle Jay Ratliff, linebacker DeMarcus Ware and guard Leonard Davis - will represent the NFC in Hawaii this February. Four players - Witten, Gurode, Ware and Davis - were part of the record-breaking group in 2007 that helped the Cowboys capture their first NFC East title since 1998.
Davis has been selected as a reserve. The other four will start for the NFC squad.
Ware, a three-time selection, headlines this year's class as a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and perhaps the NFL MVP award. He needs four sacks in the Cowboys' final two games to break Michael Strahan's single-season league record.
It's about what I expected. Eli Manning's selection probably cost Romo his shot. I'd argue Romo was more deserving but whatever. I think Bradie James has a good argument as well. He'll become the poster boy for the upcoming slew of "Snubbed" articles you'll see in the next few days.