The Associated Press announced their All Pro team and it did not include a single Raider player. The Raiders had three Pro Bowlers this season in punter Shane Lechler, kicker Sebastian Janikowski, and Richard Seymour. But oddly, none of them made All Pro.
The most shocking of these is Lechler and Janikowski getting the shaft. Both of those honors were given to their cross-bay rivals. The San Francisco 49ers’ Andy Lee and David Akers took the punter and kicker slots on the team respectively.
Akers made All Pro over Janikowski despite Janikowski having a better field goal percentage, tying the NFL record for the longest field goal in history, and connecting on more field goals outside of 40 yards. In fact, Akers hit a paltry 54% of his field goals from 40-49 yards while Janikowski was 10 of 11 with the only miss being a block. The only area Akers was tops in was number of field goals made—a stat that is more a product of the offense than kicking ability.
In the punting arena, Andy Lee surpassed Lechler at season’s end to average .1 longer on punts. The two of them were so close in numbers, it is like splitting hairs. They both had exactly 78 punts with Lee’s punt total just ten yards more than Lechler’s (3,970-3,960). Lee had one more punt inside the 20 than Lechler (28-27). They both had exactly nine touchbacks. Lee did better in net average (44.0-40.9) and fair catches (17-8).
Seymour not making All Pro is less surprising. He was a surprise addition as a Pro Bowler. He didn’t have one of his better years. The first team defensive tackle spots were filled by Haloti Ngata and another 49er, Justin Smith.
Here is the entire AP All Pro first team:
AP All-Pro First Team
Offense
QB: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
RB: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville and LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia
FB: Vonta Leach, Baltimore
WR: Calvin Johnson, Detroit and Wes Welker, New England
TE: Rob Gronkowski, New England
OT: Jason Peters, Philadelphia and Joe Thomas, Cleveland
OG: Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans, New Orleans
OC: Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh
Defense
DE: Jared Allen, Minnesota and Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants
DT: Haloti Ngata, Baltimore and Justin Smith, San Francisco
OLB: Terrell Suggs, Baltimore and DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
ILB: Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, San Francisco and Derrick Johnson, Kansas City
CB: Darrelle Revis, NY Jets and Charles Woodson, Green Bay
S: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh and Eric Weddle, San Diego
Special Teams
K: David Akers, San Francisco
P: Andy Lee, San Francisco
KR: Patrick Peterson, Arizona
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