Jaguars' Marks hopes coaches, colleagues get him to Pro Bowl

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks is counting on coaches and colleagues to get him to the Pro Bowl.

Marks has 8 1/2 sacks, tied for second in the NFL among interior lineman. He's tied with Detroit's Ndamukong Suh and Tampa Bay's Gerald McCoy.

Marks' total is impressive considering the Jaguars (3-12) rarely play with a lead, which usually allows defenders to disregard ground games and focus on pressuring quarterbacks.

Nonetheless, he's far from a lock to make the league's all-star game.

Not only does he play in small-market Jacksonville, Marks finished 13th at his position in fan balloting that ended last week. Fan votes make up one-third of the Pro Bowl ballot.

So Marks needs coaches and fellow players to vote him in. The results will be announced Tuesday night.

How will he feel if he doesn't get the nod?

''How do you look at it? Is it a guy that plays good on a good team? Or a guy that plays good on what you consider a team that doesn't have the record?,'' Marks said Monday.

''I thought it was supposed to be a guy who plays the best on that position that year? That's what I thought it was.''

A sixth-year pro who signed a four-year extension worth $22 million last December, Marks has emerged as a defensive cornerstone for the rebuilding Jaguars.

He has 39 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble return this season. His 8 1/2 sacks have really stood out, with the latest one getting him significant attention in Thursday night's 21-13 win against Tennessee.

Marks sacked Charlie Whitehurst on the final play, triggering a $600,000 bonus in his contract for getting eight sacks this season. Marks stood up and started rubbing his fingers together to make a money gesture as teammates mobbed him near midfield.

''Just to have that goal set and to accomplish it is always huge for your confidence,'' Marks said.

Now, he has to wait and see if it helps get him to the Pro Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

''As a personal goal, you hope that you make it,'' Marks said. ''You hope that you are first team and you don't have to be an alternate. If it happens, that'll be great. That'll be awesome. Great stamp on the career, not only for me but for the group.

''Like I said, I didn't do any of this by myself. I can admit that and I can own up to that. So it'd be great for not only me but for my group.''

If he doesn't make it, Marks might question the voting process. But he insisted he won't have any hard feelings.

''If it comes out that way, it wouldn't bother me,'' he said. ''It wouldn't stop the way I play. It wouldn't hurt my feelings at all.''

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