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Honors and awards from the 2014 season

First team:Ndamukong Suh, Detroit, 41; Marcell Dareus, Buffalo, 24. **Second team:Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay, 13; J.J. Watt, Houston, 5. Others receiving votes: Kyle Williams, Buffalo, 4; Aaron Donald, St. Louis, 4; Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets, 4; Sen'Derrick Marks, Jacksonville, 2; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia, 2; Calais Campbell, Arizona, 1.

Gregg Rosenthal believes McCoy was this year's biggest first-team snub because there's no better interior pass rusher. Suh was the linchpin on one of the five best run defenses of the past 25 years and a ferocious pass rusher in his own right. Dareus was the dominant player on the league's most disruptive defensive line.

Ends
First team: J.J. Watt, Houston, 45; Mario Williams, Buffalo, 24.
Second team: Calais Campbell, Arizona, 11; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia, 5.
Others receiving votes: Cameron Wake, Miami, 5; Michael Bennett, Seattle, 3; Elvis Dumervil, Baltimore, 3; Everson Griffen, Minnesota, 1; Jerry Hughes, Buffalo, 1; Robert Quinn, St. Louis, 1; Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets, 1.

Watt joined Gronkowski as the only unanimous selections, but five voters opted to place him at defensive tackle for his dominance on the interior in subpackages. Watt's last three seasons are the most impressive we have ever seen from a defensive lineman. Campbell deserved a first-team nod for holding Arizona's injury-depleted defense together, but Williams' furious finish lit up more boxscores. It's nice to see Cox get recognition after being shut out of the Pro Bowl. Michael Bennett, Everson Griffen and the Jets' duo of Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson all enjoyed standout seasons.

Pro Football Focus – All-Pro Team
Defensive Interior – Nose: Marcell Dareus (BUF) Second Team: Johnathan Hankins (NYG)

Dareus remains a freakishly talented linemen, capable of beating blockers with speed or power and able to line up in a variety of spots. His sack number was eye-catching, but his work in the run game meant Giants breakout linemen Johnathan Hankins was stuck in the second team.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Williams (BAL) and Damon Harrison (NYJ) 

Punt Coverage Unit

**

Gunner - Marcus Easley, BUF (46 Snaps, 4.6) and Matt Slater, NE (66 Snaps, 4.1)**

Normally the first men down the field on a punt, the gunners are trying to make a tackle and, more importantly, ensure the return doesn't get outside of them. Easley and Slater proved to be tough matchups for anyone in hold up duty throughout the year, with Slater earning a new contract in the process.

Cornerbacks: Chris Harris (DEN), Vontae Davis (IND) and Darrelle Revis (NE)
Second Team: Richard Sherman (SEA), Sean Smith (KC) and Orlando Scandrick (DAL)

We've fitted room in for a guy who can handle the slot which explains the selection of Scandrick. Harris is our guy for that role in the first team but he's in for more than just that with a season for the ages that is worth a lot more credit than it got. Our top-ranked cornerback allowed no touchdowns, much like Vontae Davis who himself had a career year. An easy one-two choice, with the real deliberation coming between Revis and Sherman. In the end, we opted for Revis, but it was incredibly close.
Honorable Mention: Desmond Trufant (ATL) and Corey Graham (BUF) 

Bleacher Report – All-Pro Team
Defensive EndWinners: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans (15 votes), Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills (8 votes)

Our All-Pro defensive ends were actually teammates for a short time.

However, when the Houston Texans moved to a 3-4 defense back in 2011, it marked the beginning of the end for Mario Williams' time with the team. The next offseason, he signed a free-agent deal with the Buffalo Bills that made him (at the time) the NFL's highest-paid defender.

It's hard to argue that Williams didn't earn his money in 2014. While anchoring the league's best defensive front, he posted a career-high 14.5 sacks.

With that said, the line Williams anchors may be the NFL's best, but the Texans' line is now led by the best end in the NFL.

Winners: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions (12 votes), Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills (9 votes)

OK, so the Bleacher Report All-Pro defensive tackles aren't exactly "high character" types.

Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions was just suspended by the NFL for the Wild Card Round after yet another stomping incident, this time involving Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The suspension was overturned on appeal, but Suh was still fined $70,000 by the NFL.

Marcell Dareus of the Buffalo Bills spent much of the offseason in trouble with the law, including arrests for drug possession and street racing.

You may not want to meet either player in a dark alley, but having them on your defensive front is another story.

The pair ranked one-two in terms of run defense at their position this year at Pro Football Focus. No defensive tackle in the NFL had more sacks in 2014 than Dareus' 10.

A four-man line of Williams, Dareus, Suh and Watt?

I may have to fire up Madden this weekend just to see what that looks like.

 

Yahoo Sports – All-Pro Team
DEFENSEDefensive tackle: Marcell Dareus, Buffalo; Ndamukong Suh, Detroit

ESPN.com, John Clayton – All-Pro teamDT Marcell Dareus, Bills

A shot-by-shot, second-by-second gallery of Marcell Dareus' sack of Chiefs QB Alex Smith.

Dareus anchored perhaps the most-feared defensive line in the NFL this season.  He was second on the Bills sack brigade, collection 10 to cract the double-digit mark for the first time.  Dareus was one of four players with multiple three-sack games in 2014.

The Grantland All-Pro Team
Defensive Line
Second Team: Marcell Dareus, Bills

The 2014 MMQB AwardsOffensive Rookie of the Year
Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo – 7 votes

Defensive Rookie of the Year
Preston Brown, LB, Buffalo – 3 votes

Coach of the Year
Doug Marrone, Buffalo – 3 votes

Bleacher Report's 2014 NFL All-Rookie TeamOutside LinebackerOthers receiving votes: Preston Brown, Buffalo Bills (3 votes)

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