Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Why Bud Dupree isn't the Steelers' biggest Pro Bowl snub

When the NFL announced the Pro Bowl rosters on Tuesday, five Pittsburgh Steelers were chosen for the all-star game. That’s not a bad number for an eight-win team.

Center Maurkice Pouncey, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, outside linebacker T.J. Watt and free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick were selected to be starters and right guard David DeCastro was picked to be a backup.

Even so, the Steelers were shortchanged.

Among the snubs were outside linebacker Bud Dupree, cornerbacks Joe Haden and Steve Nelson, left tackle Alejandro Villanueva and kicker Chris Boswell. There also can be a case made for rookie inside linebacker Devin Bush and special-teams star Tyler Matakevich.

The most deserving might be the biggest surprise.

1. Sorry, Bud: Dupree was the most obvious omission, given that he’s having a career year in his contract year.

Watt’s inclusion, however, might have hurt Dupree’s cause, if only because his numbers belong in the defensive player of the year conversation: Watt has 45 tackles, including 14 for losses, 31 quarterback hits, 13 sacks, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Dupree has 58 tackles (43 solo), including 13 for loss, 13 quarterback hits, 9 ½ sacks and four forced fumbles. That’s slightly better than Baltimore’s Matt Judon (47 tackles, including 13 for losses, 29 quarterback hits, 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles).

If we’re going strictly by the numbers, both Dupree and Judon have better statistics than perennial Pro Bowler Von Miller of Denver, who has 40 tackles, including nine for losses, 16 quarterback hits and seven sacks with no forced fumbles or fumble recoveries.

2. Corners covered: The Steelers could make a case for either of their starting cornerbacks, as Haden has made big plays and Nelson had been strong in coverage prior to Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.

Both Ravens corners made the Pro Bowl but Marcus Peters has better numbers and has made a bigger impact than Marlon Humphrey, who was steady when their defense was struggling early in the season.

Peters has five interceptions, including three pick-sixes, and 13 passes defended. Humphrey has two picks, two forced fumbles and 13 passes defended.

But Haden is having a strong season for the Steelers, with 60 tackles, 15 passes defended, a forced fumble and four interceptions, including two in the final minutes to seal back-to-back victories against Cleveland and Arizona.

Haden is having a season worthy of the Pro Bowl.

3. Blindsided: After making the Pro Bowl in 2017 and ’18, Villanueva wasn’t chosen this year.

It’s with good reason, according to Pro Football Focus. Villanueva ranks 20^th out of all tackles who have played at least 50 percent of the snaps in blocking and 34^th in run blocking. He also has nine penalties this season.

Villanueva remains one of the NFL’s better left tackles, but this hasn’t been his finest season.

4. Fan friendly: The snubs of Bush and Matakevich aren’t as eye-opening but both weren’t selected after leading fan voting at their respective positions.

Bush has had a strong rookie season, with 92 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and four fumble recoveries, including one returned for a touchdown.

But you can’t argue with Darius Leonard, who is having another strong season statistically, with 104 tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles. Dont’a Hightower’s numbers don’t compare but his resume is stronger as a centerpiece of one of the NFL’s top defenses.

Matakevich has 14 special-teams solo tackles, more than twice as many as any other Steelers, but Matthew Slater of the Patriots has become a perennial Pro Bowl player and Chargers fullback Derek Watt got the nod as the alternate.

Here’s the catch: The Ravens have 12 players picked for the Pro Bowl (the Chiefs have six and the Patriots three), so there’s always a chance that more Steelers could be selected as replacements.

5. Besting Boz: Perhaps the most worthy of Pro Bowl status for the Steelers this season is Boswell, given his accuracy and how much he has meant to their scoring.

Boswell was picked for the Pro Bowl in 2017 and followed with a disastrous 2018, but is back to form this season. He’s converted 27 of 29 field goals and all 26 extra points.

Granted, Baltimore’s Justin Tucker is the standard at the position and is having another strong season. Tucker has made 23 of 24 field goals and 51 of 53 extra points, and has sent 52.7% of his kickoffs for touchbacks.

But Boswell’s only misses this season came on a bad snap in Cleveland and falling short on a 54-yard field-goal attempt before the half against Miami. Otherwise, he’s been perfect and has been incredibly valuable for the Steelers.

Boswell has accounted for 107 points this season. The rest of the Steelers’ offense has scored 144 points. He helped clinch three victories with fourth-quarter field goals, making a 26-yarder in a 26-24 win over the Colts, a 33-yarder in a 17-12 win over the Rams and two in a 16-10 victory over the Bengals.

Boswell might be the most valuable of all the Steelers’ snubs, and certainly the most deserving of Pro Bowl honors.

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