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ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Sure, Robert Mueller is busy at the moment, but Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden might want to drop the special counsel a line. "If he's not a Pro Bowler," Gruden said of Raiders tight end Jared Cook last week, "I hope there's an investigation." Not only was Cook snubbed, but so too was center Rodney Hudson, who had gone to the NFL's all-star game after each of the previous two seasons and is having the best season of his career. In fact, for the first time since 2003 and for just the second time in franchise history, the Raiders had no players selected for the Pro Bowl. Cook, Hudson and left guard Kelechi Osemele were named as alternates for the AFC squad. Raiders offensive lineman Jon Feliciano let his feelings on the snubs known on Twitter. This is what happens to 3-11 teams. But this is not what is supposed to happen to teams coached by Gruden, right? Hudson has not given up a sack and ranks first in pass-blocking efficiency and sixth in run-blocking, per Pro Football Focus. He was bypassed in favor of the Pouncey brothers, the Pittsburgh Steelers' Maurkice and the Los Angeles Chargers' Mike. Cook, meanwhile, has career highs in receptions (63), receiving yards (848) and touchdown catches (6) and was passed over in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce (93-1,220-10) and the Indianapolis Colts' Eric Ebron (59-662-12). Keep this in mind, though, because while the Raiders are in last place in their division, the Steelers, Chargers, Chiefs and Colts are all in the playoff race. It was a similar situation for struggling Raiders teams in 1989, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2014, when they had one player selected in defensive lineman Howie Long, punter Shane Lechler, defensive end Derrick Burgess, Lechler and fullback Marcell Reece (three straight years). Two years ago on this date, the Raiders were 11-3 and led the NFL with seven Pro Bowl selections. No investigation is needed to figure out what has happened in Oakland since.
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