Redskins linebacker Marcus Washington can't wait to see action in his first Pro Bowl. He'll do so Sunday night in Honolulu, Hawaii (ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET).
"It's an honor to be here," he said Thursday. "It's great. I'm really excited to play in the game."
In the 35th Pro Bowl, with both the NFC and the NFC having won 17 such contests, defenses will be on the spot.
You may recall that offenses dominated in the 2004 Pro Bowl, with the NFC winning a 55-52 shootout. Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams passed for a Pro Bowl record four touchdowns. The AFC piled up a record 626 yards of total offense.
Even though the Pro Bowl is in large part a game of spectacle rather than a competitive event, no player wants to be part of a defense that gives up 50-plus points. Helping to preventing that sort of offensive outburst will be goal for Washington, who played the first four years of his NFL career with Indianapolis of the AFC, and is the ninth Redskin linebacker to play in the game.
In the 2004 Pro Bowl, Laveranues Coles, LaVar Arrington and Champ Bailey represented the Redskins. Clinton Portis, then a member of the Denver Broncos, caught a 23-yard TD pass from Trent Green, the former Redskin quarterback now with Kansas City.
Marcus Washington will try to make his mark in the Pro Bowl on Sunday evening. In the meantime, here are some news, notes and tidbits from Redskins at the Pro Bowl:
- The Redskins after the 1991 season sent a team-record eight players to the Pro Bowl. RB Earnest Byner, WR Gary Clark, CB Darrell Green, T Jim Lachey, K Chip Lohmiller, DE Charles Mann, QB Mark Rypien and G Mark Schlereth represented the Super Bowl champs.
- LB Chris Hanburger holds the team record with nine Pro Bowl appearances (1966-69, 72-76). Charley Taylor went to eight, Darrell Green and Ken Houston seven each.
- In last year's game, Coles had four catches for 55 yards in his first Pro Bowl. Bailey had an interception that contributed to a NFC run of 28-unanswered points. Arrington played in his third-straight Pro Bowl and had seven tackles.
- P Matt Turk was the team's only representative in 1998. He became the third Redskins punter to play in the Pro Bowl after Sam Baker in 1956 and Reggie Roby in 1994. Turk's 52.0-yard per punt average in that game stands as the third-highest in Pro Bowl history (min. four punts).
- QB Mark Brunell has been named to three Pro Bowls in his career (196-97, 99), all with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That total ties him with Arrington for most appearances by a current Redskin.
- OL Ray Brown played in the Pro Bowl in 2001 as a San Francisco 49er, his lone appearance during his impressive 19-year NFL career.
- QB Joe Theismann is the only Redskin since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to be named the Pro Bowl's Most Valuable Player. On Jan. 29, 1984, Theismann led the NFL to a 45-3 victory. He was 21-of-27 in the game with 242 yards passing and three touchdown throws. He set Pro Bowl records for completions and touchdown passes.
- QB Jay Schroeder holds the dubious record for most fumbles in a single Pro Bowl. He fumbled four times on Feb. 1, 1987, in the AFC's 10-6 victory.
- Seven current Redskins combine for 12 Pro Bowl appearances. Aside from Arrington, Brunell, Brown and Coles, Clinton Portis (2003), Chris Samuels (2001-2002) and Shawn Springs (1998) have each played in the game.
- Ken Houston holds the team record with seven consecutive Pro Bowl appearances with seven (1973-79).
