Three New England Patriots Lead Their Positional Groups in Pro Bowl Voting
In addition to the increased national media attention surrounding the New England Patriots as of late, the team is also getting some well-deserved recognition from NFl fans throughout the country.
The first round of results are in for the NFL's 2022 Pro Bowl voting. The Patriots are holding their own, coming in second overall in the number of votes received, with J.C. Jackson (58,166 votes), David Andrews (39,504 votes) and Joe Cardona (34,033 votes) leading their respective position groups.
Jackson trails only Dallas Cowboys’ defensive back Trevon Diggs in overall voting at the cornerback position. The 26-year-old leads the NFL with 15 passes-defended, and ranks second in the NFL with six interceptions. His 40.1 passer-rating-against leads all cornerbacks with more than 50 coverage snaps, as outlined by Pro Football Focus. Since the departure of Stephon Gilmore, Jackson has more than held his own against strong competition, whether deployed in man coverage or zone concepts, Jackson has developed an impressive instinct for finding the football, while keeping his targets in range and maintaining a visual on the opposing quarterback.
While Pro Bowl voting for long snappers is still in its infancy (the position was opened to voting in 2019), Cardona continues to earn his reputation as one of the best in the league at his position. In his seventh season with New England, he has been the epitome of reliability, having never missed a game in his career. This season, Cardona has been the snapper for kicker Nick Folk, who has made 26 of 28 field goals.
More than deserving of his designation as team captain, Andrews continues to be the stabilizing force in the interior of the Patriots’ offensive line. The Pats’ center has allowed zero sacks and 11 total pressures this season, per PFF, while playing 100 percent of New England’s offensive snaps in 2021. Most notably, his leadership and versatility have been an invaluable part of the rapid development of rookie quarterback Mac Jones.
Pro Bowl fan voting (both online and Twitter ballots) will continue until Thursday, December 16, with NFL coaches and players casting their votes on Friday, December 17.
The 2022 Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Monday, December 20, as part of a live special on NFL Network at 7:00 p.m. ET. The game, itself, will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 6, 2022.
