Colorado University Athletics
SAINTS BERGER AND EAGLES LEWIS PRO BOWL BOUND
BOULDER ? Former University of Colorado punter Mitch Berger and strong safety Michael Lewis were named to the National Football League’s NFC Pro Bowl squad this past December and will represent their respective teams in the annual all-star game to be held Feb. 13 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
A former first-team All-American with the Buffs in 1992, Berger, now with the New Orleans Saints, will make his second career Pro Bowl appearance and first since 1999 when he played for Minnesota. This season, he tied for third in the NFL with a 44.1-yard gross average, launching a long boot of 63 yards. Berger placed 28 punts inside the 20-yardline and concocted a league best 39.0 net average.
Perhaps his best game came in the Saints’ win over Dallas on Dec. 12 when he owned a 46.0-yard average and pinned the Cowboys inside their own 20 on five occasions. For his efforts he was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Berger was a sixth-round draft choice by Philadelphia in 1994, and has since enjoyed a prosperous career with the Eagles, Vikings, St. Louis Rams and Saints. In the 11-year span, he owns a 43.2-yard gross average and 35.5 net.
As for the Lewis, who’s in his third NFL year, he helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a No. 3 NFC defensive ranking allowing only 319.7 yards per contest. Philadelphia’s security squad also tied for a league second best in points allowed at 16.2 per game. A former all-conference standout from CU’s 2001 Big 12 Championship team, Lewis was second for the Eagles in tackles with 88, including a team-high 74 solo. He also posted 11 pass breakups, one interception and four forced fumbles.
Lewis was one of eight Eagles selected to the Pro Bowl, and will make his first ever appearance in the Hawaiian classic. His top game of 2004 came in a victory over Baltimore on Oct. 31 when he led the team with 12 stops, including a critical halt on third-and-1 late in the contest. He also picked off his first pass of the season.
While hosting Carolina on Oct. 17, he racked up an astounding 17 total tackles, which was a career-high and season best for any Eagles defender.