The Cincinnati Bengals’ A.J. Green leads all wide receivers and ranks sixth overall in the first Pro Bowl voting update released by the NFL on Wednesday.
Green has 258,405 votes, which puts him more than 59,000 ahead of Indianapolis’ Reggie Wayne among AFC wide receivers. The New York Giants’ Victor Cruz leads NFC receivers with 257,016 in balloting done on NFL.com.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning is the top vote getter with 376,981, while New England quarterback Tom Brady (345,036), Houston running back Arian Foster (333,396), Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (320,307) and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (298,323 votes) round out the top five.
The only other Bengals player who ranks in the top five at his position is Geno Atkins, who is second among AFC defensive tackles with 125,622. Baltimore’s Haloti Ngata leads Atkins with 145,969.
Fans can vote through Dec. 17. The teams will be announced Dec. 26. And the Pro Bowl will be played Jan. 27 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Cassel call
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel said Wednesday that Matt Cassel will start at quarterback Sunday against the Bengals because Brady Quinn still has not been medically cleared after suffering a concussion Oct. 28 against the Raiders.
“Brady does feel better. I’m glad he’s feeling better. But he hasn’t been cleared to play yet,” Crennel said. “”I can’t take the chance on practicing the guy and not having him ready.”
The start will be the third in a row for Cassel, who also started the first five before being benched in favor of Quinn. Cassel is 153 of 261 for 1,703 yards with six touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season.
Dunlap docked
For this second time this season, a review of the game film has resulted in Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap losing a sack.
Dunlap and Robert Geathers each were credited with half a sack of Eli Manning in the first quarter of Sunday’s 31-13 win against the New York Giants, but that has been changed and Geathers has been awarded a full sack.
Earlier this year in Washington, Dunlap had a sack of Robert Griffin III taken away when the play was deemed to be a running play.
With the most recent change, Geathers’ season sack total rises to three, while Dunlap’s falls to two, one of which came against Manning in the second quarter Sunday. On that play, it has been determined that Geno Atkins stripped Manning of the ball before the quarterback fell on it. Dunlap is still credited with the full sack, but Atkins has been awarded his first forced fumble of the season.
Injury Report
Wide receiver Marvin Jones (knee), cornerback Adam Jones (calf), defensive tackle Devon Still (back) and safety Reggie Nelson (hamstring) missed practice Wednesday, while linebacker Vontaze Burfict (elbow), defensive back Nate Clements (knee), center Jeff Faine (hamstring) and safety Taylor Mays (knee) were limited.
Jones hasn’t played since getting injured in the Pittsburgh game Oct. 21, and Nelson ended his string of 67 consecutive games played Sunday against the Giants.
“Reggie and Marvin are getting pretty close,” Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. “They’re both guys that have worked really hard, and they’re close to being able to get out and show me that they’re ready to play here at some point maybe this week.”
Thank you for reading the Springfield News-Sun and for supporting local journalism. Subscribers: log in for access to your daily ePaper and premium newsletters.
Thank you for supporting in-depth local journalism with your subscription to the Springfield News-Sun. Get more news when you want it with email newsletters just for subscribers. Sign up here.