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NFL Pro Bowl voting: Bears' Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings among leading vote-getters

Bears' cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, along with defensive tackle Henry Melton, are early favorites to earn spots on the NFC's 2012 Pro Bowl roster.

By Bryan Kilpatrick
Joe Robbins

Chicago Bears' cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings are the top two vote-getters at the position in the NFC, according to the NFL's director of NFC football communications Randall Liu. Bears' defensive tackle Henry Melton leads his position, as well.

With the help of those three players, the Bears boast the league's second-best scoring defense and a top five total defense. Jennings has a league-leading eight interceptions, which is three better than the second-place player. Meanwhile, Tillman has picked off two passes, both of which were returned for a touchdown, and forced a league-best seven fumbles. Melton has 22 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles.

Tillman was selected to this first Pro Bowl last season, while Jennings and Melton would be first-timers. The Bears' defense is loaded with multiple-time Pro Bowlers, including Julius Peppers (seven times), Lance Briggs (seven times) and Brian Urlacher (five times).

On Monday night, the Bears' elite defense will take on another superb unit on that side of the football in the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners are the NFL's top-ranked scoring defense in 2012.