They were named Pro Bowl alternates in December, and now less than a week before the league's All-Star game, Buffalo will have a pair of representatives in Sunday's Pro Bowl. Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor and center Eric Wood will be playing in Hawaii this weekend.
Taylor and Wood were named as replacements late Sunday evening for a pair of Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl players in quarterback Cam Newton and center Ryan Kalil. Both are going to be busy as they've advanced to Super Bowl 50 after Carolina's win over Arizona in the NFC championship game Sunday.
Taylor and Wood were two key pieces to Buffalo's resurgence on offense in 2015. Under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Wood led an offensive line that rebounded from a ranking of 25th in rushing in 2014 to lead the league this past season. A Pro Bowl alternate in 2014 as well, this will be Wood's first opportunity to play in the game.
Wood is the first Bills center to be named to the Pro Bowl since Wall of Famer Kent Hull went back in 1990.
Meanwhile Taylor in his first season as an NFL starter went 8-6 when he was in the lineup and his six interceptions were a league low among quarterbacks with 10 or more starts this season. Taylor's 3.33:1 touchdown to interception ratio was seventh-best in the NFL.
He also ranked seventh in the league in passer rating (99.4) and set a franchise record for single-season rushing yards by a quarterback with 568 with four rushing touchdowns.
Taylor is the first Bills quarterback to be named to the Pro Bowl since Drew Bledsoe in 2002.
Taylor and Wood will be Buffalo's only two representatives at the Pro Bowl after LeSean McCoy withdrew from the game due to a knee injury suffered in Week 15. But it's the first time since 2002 that three or more offensive players from the Bills have been named to the Pro Bowl (Drew Bledsoe, Ruben Brown, Travis Henry, Eric Moulds).
