If you judge a team based on their number of Pro Bowl selections, consider the Patriots the best in the biz this season.
The Pats have eight Pro Bowl selections -- seven starters -- it was announced Tuesday night.
On the offensive end, it's no surprise that Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and Wes Welker made the squad as starters. But don't expect Brady to have had all that time to throw without the likes of Logan Mankins and and first-year Patriots O-lineman Brian Waters doing their best to protect them. Both of them were honored with a spot on the starting roster as well.
Brady enters the final week of the season with 4,897 yards passing and 36 touchdowns. Brady has a career-best 10 300-yard games this season. 1,518 of those passing yards have gone to Wes Welker, who has caught 116 passes this season as well.
It's Brady's seventh Pro Bowl selection (2001, 2004-2005, 2007, 2009-2011), while Waters goes to his sixth (2004-2006, 2008, 2010-2011), and Welker (2008-2011) and Mankins (2007, 2009-2011) both go to their fourth.
Second-year tight end Gronkowski makes his first trip to the Pro Bowl after a historic year at the position. Gronkowski set the record for touchdowns by a tight end this season with 16 (15 receiving and one rushing), breaking the mark previously set by Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis. Gronkowski needs 72 yards against the Bills on Sunday to set the NFL record for a tight end currently held by Kellen Winslow who had 1,290 yards receiving with San Diego in 1980.
On the defensive side, Patriots D-line anchor Vince Wilfork was honored for the fourth time (2007, 2009-2011), and Andre Carter -- recently placed on injured reserve -- earned his first career Pro Bowl invitation. They were also named starters.
New England Patriots
The surprise Patriots selection goes to Matthew Slater, special teams extraordinaire. Slater enters the final week of the season with a team-leading 17 special teams tackles. He was voted as one of the captains of the Patriots team prior to the start of the season.
If all goes according to plan, though, none of these Patriots players will suit up for the game in Hawaii.
They'll be on their way to balmy Indianapolis.