Voters wronged King Dunlap
Philip Rivers brought this up on Tuesday. King Dunlap belongs in the Pro Bowl. The quarterback rarely says such things out of the blue. But he said it after Tuesday’s practice. His rationale: Dunlap has been a rock at left tackle against several of the NFL’s best pass-rushers.
Just last week, for example, Dunlap all but rendered 49ers edge rusher Aldon Smith invisible. With Dunlap protecting his blind side, Rivers threw for four touchdowns in San Diego’s 38-35 victory. Though Smith isn’t as dangerous as he used to be, he’s still good.
Rivers suggested that Pro Bowl voters -- players, coaches and fans -- would slight Dunlap in favor of players with bigger reputations.
It appears Rivers was right. When Pro Bowl results came out later Tuesday afternoon, voters had failed to hail the King, who though age 29, has blossomed only the last two years.
Of course teammates are going to champion one another, but as someone who’s started 143 consecutive games, Rivers has a few clues about who the best players are. Dwight Freeney brought up Dunlap last week, too, as a teammate deserving of Pro Bowl recognition. That matters because Freeney, an eight-time Pro Bowler, has practiced against Dunlap the last two years and has faced most of the NFL’s better left tackles.
Of course I don’t know how every other left tackle in the league performed this year. I do study every Chargers opponent, stay abreast of each AFC West team and talk with players and coaches on other teams.
I rate Dunlap the AFC West’s best left tackle, though the Raiders’ Donald Penn is having a fine year, too, though in an offense that’s stripped down for rookie quarterback Derek Carr. In his peak years, the Broncos’ Ryan Clady was likely better than Dunlap is now, but injury seems to have robbed Clady of some athleticism.
Among Chargers opponents this season -- 13 different teams, including all four semifinalists from last year’s Super Bowl tournament -- the only left tackle who impressed me more than Dunlap was the Dolphins’ Branden Albert, whose season ended with a Game 9 injury.
Evaluating blockers is a tricky business. Even former NFL players and coaches who populate the media struggle with it because, minus information on what protections were called and what’s behind opponents’ tactics, incorrect conclusions are easily reached.
One Chargers employee who has all of the dope on protections is Rivers, who is deft at identifying where the blocking needs to go.
Grading players in isolation, too, is dicey. It can lead to absurd conclusions.
Context is important. Though Rivers is a blocker’s best friend, Dunlap isn’t exactly flanked by several blocks of granite. Left guard Chad Rinehart is having a down season. Losing Nick Hardwick for the season deleted one of the NFL’s savviest centers. Four other centers have been called upon. Blocking tight end John Phillips’ comeback from reconstructive knee surgery hasn’t gone as hoped. Coaches have shown inconsistent trust in newcomer David Johnson, a tight-end fullback who, though competent, is less forceful than other AFC West blocking tight ends such as the Chiefs’ Anthony Fasano and the Broncos’ Virgil Green.
Dunlap’s pass blocking is sturdy, but the swift, 6-foot-9, 330-pounder is also effective clearing brush on the quick screens and other outlet passes that are a Chargers staple.
The menu of opponents has been brutal, but for the most part, Dunlap has weathered the storm. Another challenge comes Sunday against the Chiefs’ Tamba Hali, who, I think, outpointed Dunlap in Kansas City’s win here in October.
