Chargers, Bears lead the Pro Bowl parade
The San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears lead the NFL in wins -- and Pro Bowl players.
The Chargers placed nine players on the AFC squad Tuesday and the Bears had seven on the NFC team, which also includes a quarterback -- Dallas’ Tony Romo -- who wasn’t a starter when the season began.
San Diego’s contingent includes record-setting running back LaDainian Tomlinson and quarterback Philip Rivers, who sat on the bench for his first two seasons behind Drew Brees. The former Chargers quarterback signed as a free agent with New Orleans in the off-season and will start for the NFC.
Also among the players representing the Chargers is linebacker Shawne Merriman, last year’s defensive rookie of the year, who made it despite missing four games for flunking a steroid test.
The Chargers and Bears are each 12-2.
Tomlinson is the biggest star of the bunch, having set the single-season records for touchdowns and scoring with two games remaining.
The Pro Bowl game will be played in Honolulu on Feb. 10.
Chicago’s representatives demonstrate how the Bears win: with defense and special teams.
Three of the seven Bears, led by linebacker Brian Urlacher, are on defense and three are on special teams -- kicker Robbie Gould, specialist Brendan Ayanbadejo and rookie return man Devin Hester, who has six returns for touchdowns on three punts, two kickoffs and a missed field goal.
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Detroit Lions assistant coach Joe Cullen was suspended by the NFL for Sunday’s game against the Bears for two arrests -- one for drunken driving and one for nude driving. He also was fined $20,000 in addition to the one-week suspension.
Commissioner Roger Goodell cited the defensive line coach for conduct detrimental to the league, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.
Cullen was arrested Aug. 24 after a restaurant employee in Dearborn, Mich., told police the coach picked up a drive-through order in the nude. He was arrested again on Sept. 1 for allegedly driving drunk. Both arrests resulted in misdemeanor charges and have yet to go to trial.
“He has been getting treatment and has done a commendable job in dealing with his problem,” Detroit Coach Rod Marinelli said.
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Tarvaris Jackson, a rookie from Alabama State, will be the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in Thursday night’s game at Green Bay, replacing Brad Johnson.
Childress said Jackson “gives us the best chance to win right now.”
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The Bears suspended troubled defensive tackle Tank Johnson for one game, almost a week after he was arrested for the third time in the last 18 months.
Johnson was arrested on misdemeanor weapons charges Thursday and the next day he was at a nightclub when his friend and bodyguard was shot to death.
* PRO BOWL ROSTERS, D10