Jets' Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams named AFC Pro Bowl starters
For the second straight year, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will be headed to the Pro Bowl as starters for the AFC.
Gardner followed up his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign by putting up another stellar season on the outside with 10 passes defensed and a forced fumble through 15 games.
Williams, now in his fifth year with Gang Green, has set a new career-high with 59 total tackles (37 solo) through 16 games. He has an interception and forced fumble to his name as well as 18 QB hits, nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
According to Pro Football Focus grades, both Gardner and Williams were the third-highest-graded players by their position.
Linebacker Quincy Williams, who many thought would be selected to his first Pro Bowl and join his brother after a stellar third season in New York, was not named a starter on Wednesday night. He will be a fifth alternate.
The linebacker has 131 total tackles (91 solo) with 15 going for a loss. He has four QB hits and 2.0 sacks to go along with an interception and two forced fumbles through 16 games. Baltimore's Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen were named as the AFC's inside linebackers.
Several other Jets were named alternates, including linebacker C.J. Mosley (third alternate) and defensive end Jermaine Johnson (fifth alternate).
Quincy Williams edged out Mosley by 0.1 of a point in PFF's grades for the eighth-best inside linebacker spot, higher than both of the Ravens LBs.
Both specialists for Gang Green, kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Thomas Morstead, are first alternates.
Zuerlein has convered 32 of 34 field goals including 5 of 6 from over 50 yards, while going 15-for-16 on extra point attempts. Morstead leads the NFL in punts (92) and total yards (4509) and has a 49.0 average with 33 dropping inside the 20
The lone offensive selection of any kind for the Jets is running back Breece Hall. The second-year back has 816 yards rushing on 186 carries (4.4 yards per attempt) with four touchdowns to go along with 579 receiving yards on 74 catches (7.8 yards per) with four touchdowns.
Despite a strong season, defensive back DJ Reed was not named among the alternates.
