St. Louis Rams Players Rightfully Peeved Their Punter is Not a Pro-Bowler

When you are 2-12 -- and probably worse than the 0-14 team -- you shouldn't expect to see any of your players headed to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl in February, unless he's having an individually historic season. So, when the St. Louis Rams players are complaining about the snub of their punter, Donnie Jones, your initial inclination is to just tell them to shut up. Except for one thing, Jones kind of is having a historic season.

- Jones averages over 50 yards per punt. The only other person in the history of the NFL to average over 50 yards a punt? It happened in 1940. Coincidentally, he passed away yesterday. The great Sammy Baugh did it for the Redskins.

-Also:

Jones' net average is an NFC-best 40.9 yards; the league record, dating to 1976, is 41.1, set last year by Oakland's Shane Lechler.

I guess it would make more sense if Jones was brutal at pinning opposition in the red-zone, but he's done so 18 times with only five touchbacks. Basically, if you look at the numbers in front of you, it's obvious he's punting from deep in Rams territory frequently this season, and bailing them out.

It sounds weird to positively opine about the virtues of a punter, but the Rams would be much worse without Donnie Jones. Jeff Feagles of the Giants -- the NFC's Pro Bowl punter -- is 17th in gross yards per punt. Jones is first. Feagles is 4th in net average -- which you could also credit to coverage help -- but Jones is third. Of course, it's much tougher to maintain these lofty averages over the course of 70 punts (Jones) than 55 (Feagles).

Again, though, as Shane Bacon pointed out via email: It's really saying something about the team when they are pissed about a punter not making the Pro Bowl.