Losing Vikings Place 9 in Pro Bowl : With Playoffs Out, Defense Paces League-Leading Coup

The Minnesota Vikings, eliminated from a chance at the NFC Central title by a loss in Green Bay last weekend, placed a league-high nine players in the Pro Bowl, announced today.

The Cincinnati Bengals, with seven, lead the AFC team.

Minnesota’s representatives include six starters, including four on defense: defensive linemen Chris Doleman and Keith Millard, cornerback Carl Lee and safety Joey Browner. The other starters are wide receiver Anthony Carter and tackle Gary Zimmerman, and the subs include quarterback Wade Wilson, linebacker Scott Studwell and tight end Steve Jordan.

The Bengals, 11-3, have five starters: quarterback Boomer Esiason, wide receiver Eddie Brown, guard Max Montoya, nose tackle Tim Krumrie and tackle Anthony Munoz. The other Bengals include tight end Rodney Holman and running back James Brooks.

There are five rookies on the team, four of them on the AFC squad.

Keith Jackson of Philadelphia is the NFC starter at tight end. The AFC rookies are John Stephens, a starter at running back; safety Erik McMillan of the New York Jets; special teamer Rufus Porter of Seattle and kick returner Tim Brown of the Los Angeles Raiders.

The AFC team also features the first brother act in history: guard Bruce Matthews of Houston and his brother Clay, a Cleveland linebacker.

Linebacker Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants, meanwhile, continued his string, making the team in each of his eight years in the league.

His teammate, inside linebacker Harry Carson, missed out on a chance to become the first player ever to make it 10 times. Carson, who has announced his retirement but said he might reconsider, has been on injured reserve for four weeks.

The AFC team includes wide receivers Brown and Al Toon of the Jets as starters with Houston’s Drew Hill and Mark Clayton of Miami in reserve. Munoz and the Colt’s Chris Hinton are the starting tackles, backed up by Tunch Ilkin of Pittsburgh.