Pro Bowl OT Kyle Long rips his critics on Instagram

For the third-straight season, Kyle Long finds himself in Honolulu, Hawaii for the NFL Pro Bowl.

After his first two seasons where he excelled as a right guard, the Chicago Bears shifted him one spot to tackle just before the season began in hopes to solidify their exterior of their offensive line.

However, with a new position came some growing pains as Long, who battled injuries all season, found himself struggling at times. His struggles led to many of the Chicago media criticizing the move, stating he was better suited as a guard and that Bears needed to move him back to his former position.

However, despite an up and down season, Long finds himself in the Pro Bowl for the third time in his three years in the league.

Yesterday he ripped his critics with an Instagram post.

Three quarterbacks that should have made Pro Bowl

Earlier this week, it was reported that Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston will be heading to the 2016 NFL Pro Bowl for the first time in their respective careers. While that’s great for these two young quarterbacks, taking a look at some of the numbers, a few more deserving players were left out to dry.

First, let’s take a look at the numbers for both Bridgewater and Winston. Bridgewater threw for 3,231 yards, 14 touchdowns, nine interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 88.7. Winston threw for more yards (4,042), more touchdowns (22), more interceptions (15), which led to a lower passer rating (84.2).

None of these numbers are mind boggling, but when you have to replace players like Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Newton, Carson Palmer and Tom Brady you’re not going to have the top-tier players in terms of production.

Taking a look around the league, one could make the argument that there were three more deserving players that should be in Hawaii this weekend.

Bring On The San Diego Raiders

I am a lifelong fan of the San Diego Chargers.

Save your pity. Your groans of sympathy. Your attempts at jokes about how much the NFL sucks and doesn’t care about its fans. I don’t want any of it because fuck the Chargers. It’s time to be all about the future.

Chargers fans have been given a unique opportunity to honorably escape a franchise that has as little chance of success as the Cleveland Browns. We, the fans and the city of San Diego, should under no circumstances let it pass. And by “it,” I mean the Los Angeles Oakland Raiders.

First, a moment of reflection on the Chargers’ history to explain how I, a Chargers fan, would ever want the team’s blood rival as my new team.

Panthers fortunate Newton-Norman scuffle didn’t change season

On Sunday, the Carolina Panthers bulldozed over the Arizona Cardinals as Cam Newton tossed two touchdowns and ran for two more scores in a 49-15 beat down for the NFC championship.

Newton finished the contest with 335 yards through the air and finished the game with an 117.4 passer rating, he also finished the game with 47 yards on the ground and is looking more and more like a lock to be the league’s MVP.

However, the season could have gone in an entirely different direction.

Gary Kubiak gets his revenge on Belichick’s Patriots

In his first year as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Gary Kubiak has led his team to a Super Bowl berth as his Broncos are headed to Santa Clara for Super Bowl 50.

In a tight, hard-fought game, Kubiak’s team defeated Bill Belichick and the Patriots 20-18 in what I’m sure was sweet revenge for both Kubiak and the Broncos.

Chris Conley rips critics of NFL’s first full-time female coach

On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills hired Kathryn Smith as the league’s first full-time female coach, and almost instantly critics voiced their opinion.

Kevin Kiley, a radio host in Cleveland, was the most notable voice of opposition, as he knocked the Bills decision to hire Smith on-air Thursday morning.

“Kaitlyn or Kathryn or whatever her name is,” Kiley said. “She’s been hired as a, this is absurd by the way, she’s been hired as a quality control coach.”

He didn’t stop there.

Jared Allen is Not Happy to be Sitting Out NFC Title Game

We’re only two days away from the NFC Championship, and although his team has a chance to advance to Super Bowl 50, Jared Allen is disgruntled.

On Friday, the Panthers notified Allen that he will sit out this week’s NFC Championship, and Allen is displeased with the decision as he feels healthy enough to play come Sunday after breaking a bone in his foot last week.

“Not happy, plain and simple,” Allen said. “I’m ready to rock. Coach’s decision gotta live with it.”

Allen, who is in his 12th season and has yet to reach the Super Bowl, will have to watch from the sidelines to find out if he will be going to the big dance.

Ed Hochuli Officiating AFC Championship Bodes Well for Broncos

Earlier this week, it was reported that Ed Hochuli will be the head official for the AFC Championship this Sunday, and the news should have John Elway licking his chops.

Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald shed some light on why this could end up being a nightmare scenario for New England:

Broncos are 7-0 in Hochuli games since 2000, 6-0 since 2008. https://t.co/9ThNOwB5vy

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) January 19, 2016

According to Pro Football Reference, the Patriots are 10-9 ( only 5-6 on the road) in games Hochuli has refereed. Furthermore, it appears Hochuli might have a bias towards the home team as out of his 237 called penalties this season, only 109 were called on the home team (46 percent). Home teams have won 68.8 percent of the games he has officiated, which is 15 percent above the league average (53.8 percent).

Trent Baalke won’t hire coach who ‘threatens’ his power

Trent Baalke is an absolute disaster as a general manager. That is the consensus around the NFL after the San Francisco 49ers were thought to have this offseason’s hot coaching candidate in the bag and somehow lost him.

Multiple outlets reported that Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was theirs to lose, and yet few days later he is the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Now the 49ers are in scramble mode trying to figure out where to go next.  It was a stunning turn of events, but one that makes a whole lot more sense now thanks to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle’s Ann Killion.

LeBron’s marketing team drops free-falling Manziel

At this point, one might wonder if a kitchen pot full of firecrackers placed at the foot of his bed would provide a sufficient wake-up call for Johnny Manziel. But if there’s anyone capable of getting the wayward QB’s crap together, LeBron James seems like a pretty good candidate.

Johnny Football probably won’t be in any more Snickers commercials coming near you any time soon. It was confirmed that he was dropped by LeBron’s marketing team this week, which seems like no coincidence given his likely departure from Cleveland after going AWOL for the Browns final game even though LRMR Associates played nice by saying it is getting out of the endorsement business in general.

LeBron’s chief lieutenant, Maverick Carter, told Cleveland.com:

“I will continue to support him as a friend. However, because Johnny needs to focus on personal growth, the next phase of his career and because LRMR continues to expand beyond marketing, we made the mutual decision that it was best to terminate our business relationship.”

In plain English: Sure, I like the kid, but he has become absolutely toxic to our business venture.