The NFL Pro-Bowl selection process is like a dysfunctional relationship that you can’t seem to shake off. Despite the fundamental inadequacies, unsettled arguments and the attempts to convince yourself you no longer care, there it is, weighing heavily on your mind. As your favorite players get snubbed of an opportunity to represent your team, you can’t help but feel slighted, giving life to emotions you wish didn’t exist. For those of us that don’t have the privilege of cheering for the Carolina Panthers (10 selections), Arizona Cardinals (seven selections), Seattle Seahawks (seven selections), or New England Patriots (seven selections), you likely felt irked by the absence of at least one name when the Pro-Bowl rosters were released on Tuesday. Although we are all aware that this popularity contest is portrayed under the facade of post-season accolades, the yearly anguish of seeing deserving athletes fall short of the once coveted nomination is a hard pill to swallow. The 2015-16 NFL season, unfortunately, saw an unprecedented number of snubs. The NFC North was a division that was hit particularly hard.

The Vikings and Packers, two playoff contenders, combined for a measly four selections. Toss in Chicago’s goose egg and Detroit’s two picks, and the NFC North may be one of the most disrespected and under appreciated divisions in all of football, at least on an individual player basis. Here is an NFC North team-by-team look at players selected to the Pro-Bowl, and their notable snubs:

Chicago Bears

Selections: None

For the first time since the 1988-89 season, the Chicago Bears failed to see anyone voted to Pro-Bowl. Injuries were the largest hindrance for this group, as they have several players who have the talent to be perennial all-stars. Headlining the bunch is WR Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery was hobbled from the get go and has managed to play in just nine games this season. In those nine games, Jeffery was fairly effective, posting four 100-yard games and gobbling up 54 receptions. However, hamstring issues limited his ability to string together weekly productivity. Other players that saw their Pro-Bowl hopes dwindle due to nagging injury or inconsistencies include RB Matt Forte, TE Martellus Bennett, and OL Kyle Long.  

Snubs: Pernell McPhee (OLB)

In his first year in the Windy City, McPhee was a bright spot on an otherwise very average defense. The Mississippi State product, like many of his teammates, has been dealing with a knee injury that has capped his snap totals, and consequentially, his numbers. His raw stats don’t necessarily do him justice, but McPhee is an undeniable and disruptive force. His ability to rush the passer (five sacks), drop into coverage (one INT, three passes defended) and stuff the run (47 tackles) make him the one Chicago Bear that came within spitting distance of a business trip to Hawaii.

Detroit Lions

Selections: Ezekiel Ansah (DE), Calvin Johnson (WR)

Frankly, Calvin Johnson making the Pro-Bowl is exactly the reason why snub articles, such as this one, exist in the first place. Megatron is a specimen. There is no doubt about it. However, name recognition is literally the only reason Johnson made the cut for this year. The 2015 season hasn’t been kind to anyone in Detroit, and Calvin is no exception (16th in receptions, 15th in yards, and 18th in receiving touchdowns). Allen Robinson, Demaryius Thomas, and Amari Cooper have all had better years, just to name a few.

Zeke Ansah, on the other hand, has been a stud and is more than deserving of his first Pro-Bowl selection. At 13.5 sacks, Ansah has a legitimate chance at catching Oakland’s Khalil Mack (15) for the sack title in the last two weeks of the year. He is also tied for the league lead in forced fumbles with four. The third year defensive end out of BYU has been playing football for only a handful of years, and he has the ability to develop into one the NFL’s elite.

Snubs: Darius Slay (CB)

Admittedly so, this one is a stretch. Detroit’s scoring defense was god-awful (fifth worst). Giving up over 25 points per game screams incompetent secondary, right? Wrong. The Lions gave up 18 touchdowns on the ground, good for worst in the NFL. Overly committing to stop that trend in its tracks left Slay and his fellow defensive backs to fend for themselves in too many one-on-one battles. Slay came out on top more often than not, and with 13 passes defended and two INTs, Slay’s skillset is one of a fringe Pro-Bowler.

Green Bay Packers

Selections: Aaron Rodgers (QB), Clay Matthews (LB), Josh Sitton (OL)

The reigning MVP was all but a lock to earn his fifth Pro-Bowl selection, despite a slight decrease in his production this season. Although Rodgers' stats may have dipped a bit, losing top option Jordy Nelson hurt more than the average fan realized, causing defensive focus to shift towards Randall Cobb. In turn, Cobb underwhelmed, and Rodgers found himself dishing to a young, patchwork receiving core. This double-digit win season may be his most impressive yet.

Clay Matthews didn’t have the sexy season that we have become accustomed to seeing from him, but that was directly related to his switch from outside to inside linebacker. His sack numbers have slouched to 5.5 (behind only Julius Peppers for team high), but his total tackles are strong. He is the heart and soul of a Packer’s defense that has been an integral part of winning games, a stark difference to the high-octane Packer teams of recent history that needed only the golden arm of No. 12.

We round out the Packers selections with offensive lineman Josh Sitton. Sitton was voted to his third Pro-Bowl and is the foundation of the Green Bay offensive line. Pro Football Focus has him allowing just eight QB hits this season, an impressive number for a team that likes to throw the ball around the yard.

Snubs: Mike Daniels (DE)

Mike Daniels played well enough for the Packers front office to reward him with a four-year, $40+ million contract extension, but apparently not well enough to earn a Pro-Bowl spot. With 60 tackles and four sacks, Daniels has developed into a building block for Dom Capers and company. With Clay Matthews moving to the inside, there was more pass rush real estate for Daniels to capitalize on, and capitalize he did. If he follows the trajectory of his progression, look for Daniels to be selected in the coming years.  

Minnesota Vikings

Selections: Adrian Peterson (RB)

No surprise here. The league’s leading rusher makes his seventh Pro-Bowl, but this one was probably a little sweeter than the previous six. After missing all but one game last year, and being involved in speculative trade talks all offseason, Peterson had a lot to prove. Despite a few games where he publicly complained about lack of touches, the man they call All Day also leads the NFL in carries at 286. Excluding last year’s turmoil, Peterson has posted double digit touchdowns in every season, and  he is one away from doing so again in 2015-16. With a career average of 97.5 yards per game, Peterson is on track to post his third best yardage total and his highest since the 2,000-yard season of 2012, the last time Minnesota made the playoffs.

Snubs: Linval Joseph (DT), Harrison Smith (S)

If not for late season injuries, and therefore limited exposure during Pro-Bowl voting season, Linval Joseph (11 games) and Harrison Smith (10 games) would likely be heading to Hawaii in late January. They simply do it all for a stout Vikings defense that has sparked nine wins (so far) and a shot at an NFC North division title. It is no coincidence that two of Minnesota’s five losses came when this duo was sidelined, solidifying their value in Mike Zimmer’s system.

Smith has only one interception and one sack this year, but his nose for playing the run makes him special (56 tackles). A unique blend of headiness and freak athleticism makes him one of the most versatile safeties in the league. Harry the hit man lays the wood, and his presence brings something to the table that a box score cannot adequately depict. Just two years removed from being one of the worst in the league, Mike Zimmer and the coaching staff have put together a scheme that allows this jack of all trades to roam around the field and attack with ferocity.  

Linval Joseph is another guy that has been critical to Minnesota’s success this year, and his exclusion from the Pro-Bowl might be the biggest travesty of the year. Joseph doesn’t rack up sack totals, but he is one of the best run-stuffers the NFL has to offer. In his second year as a Viking, Joseph has really hit his stride, leading a defensive front that has allowed only seven rushing touchdowns all season (tied for fourth in the NFL).