NFL 2014-2015 Pro Bowl Recap
In an attempt to revive the Pro Bowl, the NFL last year scrapped the traditional battle between the AFC and NFC. The team run by Jerry Rice defeated the team run by Deion Sanders.
This year one captain was Michael Irvin. His team was coached by Jason Garrett.
Cris Carter captained the other team which was coached by John Harbaugh.
To create an exciting lead-in to the Super Bowl, this year the Pro Bowl was held in Glendale, Arizona near Phoenix rather than the usual site of Honolulu, Hawaii.
With the NFL being in the news for all the wrong reasons, the Pro Bowl was a welcome respite from DeflateGate.
Team Carter won the toss and deferred to Team Irvin, which consisted mainly of players from the Dallas Cowboys. Tony Romo led Team Irvin to an Adam Vinatieri field goal and a 3-0 lead.
Vinatieri’s Indianapolis Colts teammate Andrew Luck came back and connected with Carolina Panthers receiver Greg Olsen for a 17 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Team Carter.
The Detroit Lions Matthew Stafford replaced Romo and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to the Denver Broncos receiver Emanuel Sanders. Extra points were 35-yard tries instead of the normal 18 yards, and the goal posts were narrowed by four inches Vinatieri was no good as Team Irvin led 9-7.
Penalties are rarely called in the Pro Bowl, but Team Irvin was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct for an illegal blitz. Blitzing is not allowed in the Pro Bowl. Luck went to his Colts teammate T.Y. Hilton for a 10-yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed as team Carter led 13-9.
In the second quarter Stafford threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to the New Orleans Saints Jimmy Graham to put Team Irvin back in front 16-13. Vinatieri hit another field goal to make it 19-13 Team Irvin. Brees threw a 25 yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson to put Team Carter up 20-19.
The halftime show was safe, non-controversial and totally unrelated to football. This concludes coverage of the halftime show. It is not to late for the Super Bowl to cancel their halftime show and focus on football.
ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman showed why he is among the very best in the business. His halftime interviews with Super Bowl quarterbacks Tom Brady and Russell Wilson were substantive. Berman stuck to football, which is what leatherheads want.
Stafford fumbled to start the second half and Team Carter took over at Team Irvin’s 22. Technology was on display at the Pro Bowl. There is no replay in Hawaii’s Pro Bowl but in Arizona there is. Officials were on the sideline with a Tablet that allowed a pass ruled incomplete to be reversed for a touchdown. Greg Olsen’s 10-yard third quarter catch for a score from Brees and the successful 2 point conversion extended Team Carter’s lead to 28-19.
Brees thought he had another touchdown pass but got robbed. TY Hilton had it in his breadbasket but Brent Grimes stole it from Hilton for an interception and a touchback. Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons came in for Team Irvin in the fourth quarter and threw a 9 yard touchdown pass to Emanuel Sanders to get Team Irvin within 28-25.
Vinatieri had a tough game with the narrower goal posts, missing two extra points and the tying field goal on the last play of the third quarter.
Team Irvin moved to 1st and goal at the one but three straight passes fell incomplete. With less than 4 minutes left to play on 4th and goal at the one, Matt Ryan took the shotgun snap and fired to Jimmy Graham for the touchdown to put Team Irvin back on top by 4 points.
With one minute left Andy Dalton had led Team Carter to the 19 yard line of Team Irvin. On 4th and 10 Dalton looked for his Cincinnati Bengals teammate AJ Green and came up snakeyes.
Irvin ran around on the field like he had just won another Super Bowl. The Pro Bowl has been attacked by so many people, but this was a good football game. Now it is on to the Super Bowl in one week to close out the season. 32-28 Team Irvin