Send This Arizona Cardinal to the Pro Bowl: Ben Graham

by Andrew602 on Dec 2, 2009 3:00 AM MST in General Arizona Cardinals News

In honor of Ben Graham's 5 punts inside the Titans 20 yard line on Sunday, he is up next for Cardinals Pro Bowl consideration. After the Cardinals shuffled through a several punters last year (and year before!) they settled on the former New York Jets Ben Graham. He immediately provided better punting, something the Cardinals needed down the stretch of the season and in the playoffs. This season he's had a full year under his belt and has had career bests in punts inside the opponents 20 and net average after 11 games. In 2006 Graham had 26 punts downed inside the opponents 20 yard line, while this year he has 30. In 2005 he recorded a 37.9 net average but he's already punting for a 41.1 average going into the Vikings game.

Let's see how he stacks up to the NFC competition.

Punters	Team	Punts	Net Yards	Net Avg	In 20
Andy Lee	SF	66	2,747	41.6	20
Ben Graham	ARI	62	2,546	41.1	30
Donnie Jones	STL	56	2,289	40.9	18
Mat McBriar	DAL	53	2,147	40.5	29

A mere 0.5 yards is what separates San Francisco's Andy Lee's net average from Graham's. Graham, however, has ten more punts downed inside the 20 while attempting four less punts then Lee. Donnie Jones has a slim chance considering he's on the 1-10 Rams and bad teams rarely send many players to the Pro Bowl (Steven Jackson goes before Jones!). The biggest competition on the list is Mat McBriar from the Dallas Cowboys as he already has made the Pro Bowl with Dallas; he is having another solid year after coming off of foot surgery. Graham has slowly been improving over the coarse of the season. Some consider that Graham doesn't have a chance to make the Pro Bowl in Miami but it's likely he will if he can keep up this same pace and the Cardinals defense can utilize the field position he creates (with ample help from LaRod Stephens-Howling et. al.). Do you think Ben Graham can be the first Cardinal punter in the Pro Bowl since Scott Player in 2000?

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Comments

I'm starting to think he has a chance simpy because he's playing out of his mind right now

McBriar is his biggest challenger in my mind so maybe we need to play Dallas in the playoffs so we can break his foot again.

Be careful....to a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

by Bezekira on Dec 2, 2009 7:16 AM MST reply actions

+1

What? I didn't break it, I was just testing its durability, and then I placed it in the woods becuase it's made out of wood and I just thought he should be with his family.
Revenge of the Birds

by Andrew602 on Dec 2, 2009 8:00 AM MST up reply actions

Big Ben

We need to start calling him Big Ben. he is playing huge, and is a big dude. Def. deserves Pro Bowl.

http://undrafteds.com/

by Undrafteds on Dec 2, 2009 8:43 AM MST reply actions

Yes

The Cards are getting “some” National recognition with these prime-time games. He definitely is deserving and just needs to be seen by the coaches and players who represent 2/3 of the vote. These prime-time games have a huge effect on the voting process. He just needs to maintain his current level of performance.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say I think he’s going to make it to Miami.

by Cardsfan81 on Dec 2, 2009 11:23 AM MST reply actions