AP All Pro Teams have lots of Arizona Cardinals
By Erich Becker
![Dec 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) reacts after strong safety Deone Bucannon (not pictured) intercepts a ball for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Cardinals won 40-17. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Dec 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) reacts after strong safety Deone Bucannon (not pictured) intercepts a ball for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Cardinals won 40-17. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fraisingzona-com-2Ffiles-2F2016-2F01-2Fpatrick-peterson-deone-bucannon-nfl-arizona-cardinals-philadelphia-eagles-590x900-7ab4088cb0460af0c34fdd12e96d0af0fe03bbd10dbd8d4f33109df907ec46bd.jpg)
First and Second Team AP All-Pro Teams feature some red.
The Associated Press All-Pro Team is a great honor for players, much like being voted to the Pro Bowl or being recognized or awards, the All Pro Team is one of the biggest honors in pro football that isn’t, you know, winning the Super Bowl.
Because of the outstanding play of the Arizona Cardinals this year, finishing 13-3 and the top five in the league on both offense and defense, it would have been a travesty for the team to not be represented in the first and second team.
For the first team, cornerback Patrick Peterson and safety Tyrann Mathieu both held the honors, even with the latter’s season being cut short due to injury, the play of Peterson this season has been excellent, taking his game to another level. The Honey Badger was sorely missed in the last game of the season, even if the Cardinals were not playing “for real”, he will certainly be missed in the playoffs, but his level of play was also, top notch, as evidence by this award.
Where the first team was composed of defensive players, the second team sees the Cardinals make an offensive showing.
Quarterback Carson Palmer, still in the conversation for MVP, although that looks likely to go to Cam Newton, was named Second Team AP All Pro along with Guard Mike Iupati who joined the team in free agency this season, and even missed time after a frightening injury.
All in all, four players is a great showing for the franchise. The top team, Carolina, showed six players on the list.
It is a bit strange to see none of the offensive weapons such as a resurgent Larry Fitzgerald or Michael Floyd who had a string of 100 yard receiving games to end the season appear on either list. Or Rookie David Johnson who may not have earned his strips quite yet, but look out for him in the future.
More awards are to be given out as we approach the end of the postseason including Coach of the Year, MVP, Rookie of the Year, to name a few.
Congrats to all four players, that level of play will help this team go far come next weekend.