Sunday, February 10, 2002
[PRO BOWL]
|
Unity beats NFC Even in the glittery facsimile of an NFL game that is the Pro Bowl, certain truisms still apply.
-The AFC wins the all-star event the same
way the Patriots became world champs-Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon takes
the MVP award with two touchdownsBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comAs always, the team that controls the line of scrimmage and makes fewer turnovers has a very good chance to win.
Toss in some effective special teams play and a second-consecutive MVP performance by the Raiders' 36-year-old Rich Gannon, and you've got most of the recipe for the AFC's 38-30 victory over the NFC yesterday.
But it was even more than that. Coach Bill Cowher of the Steelers said energy from 26 players in their first or second Pro Bowl helped.
"We have a lot of young guys out here who feel they have something to prove," he said. "It just comes down to making plays. We made more than they did."
An announced sell-out crowd of 50,301 (although several hundred seats remained empty) at Aloha Stadium saw the fifth win in the last six games for the AFC, tying the overall series at 16.
That whole unity and sharing theme, too, leftover from New England's Super Bowl victory, might have had something to do with it. Five AFC players scored touchdowns, including Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, of all people.
Ty Law had already run an interception back for a touchdown in a Pro Bowl. It helped get him co-MVP honors in 1999.
So this time the Patriots cornerback let Lewis do the honors for the game's most entertaining play, unless you happened to be an NFC player, coach or fan.
Law's interception and lateral to Lewis resulted in a 44-yard score that made it 38-23 with 2 minutes and 49 seconds left, halting the NFC's attempted comeback. Lewis pushed a pile of high priced offensive talent turned defenders the last couple of yards.
|
"I tried to take it myself, but at that point I was pretty much stopped and I wanted to win the game," Law said. "I saw Ray all by himself. I knew no one would stop him from scoring. He ran like a bull, like Larry Csonka, into the end zone."Lewis said he would talk to the Ravens coaches about putting in some offensive plays for him.
"They don't have anything for me now, but maybe they will after this," he said with a big grin.
Chargers linebacker Junior Seau and Broncos cornerback Deltha O'Neal also intercepted passes for the AFC. Seau's pick of the Eagles' Donovan McNabb stopped an NFC drive at the AFC 19 early in the fourth quarter, and O'Neal's at the NFC 6 set up Curtis Martin's 4-yard touchdown run that gave the AFC its first lead (which it would keep to the end).
"I don't know if mine was the key one," O'Neal said. "Everybody made plays."
That included the defensive line. The AFC got only two sacks, by Marcellus Wiley of the Chargers and the Jaguars' Gary Walker, but the front four put consistent pressure on Kurt Warner, Jeff Garcia and McNabb.
|
Garcia acknowledged that, but said some of the NFC's offensive failings were of its own doing."Their D-line got after it a little bit, but we just didn't connect like we could have," he said. "We had guys open, but we just didn't make the play."
NFC coach Andy Reid credited the AFC's big boys on offense, too.
"Their lines played well on both sides," the Eagles' head man said. "Everyone was good. That's all you can really say in these kind of games."
Priest Holmes of the Chiefs, the Bengals' Corey Dillon and Martin had lots of holes to run through, and they combined for 179 yards on 21 carries, as the AFC netted 201 yards on the ground.
But Gannon, after an early misstep, was the brightest individual star once again.
"He's the consummate professional. He handled himself that way all week and it showed in the game," Cowher said.
After helping the NFC to a 10-0 lead with a bad pitch to Martin on the first play from scrimmage, Gannon got it together quickly.
|
The AFC scored four touchdowns while he was in the game, including two passes to Indianapolis Colts. He hooked up with Marvin Harrison on a 55-yard TD and Ken Dilger for 18 yards.The NFC battled back, closing to 28-23 on Terrell Owens' 8-yard scoring pass from McNabb. But Jason Elam's 38-yard field goal and Lewis' score put it away.
"We wanted to win, we fought hard and had a chance at the end," said Eagles tight end Chad Lewis. "But the turnovers killed us and we couldn't capitalize. Their defense ran to the ball well and they had a good pass rush.
"It was still a fun game."
Just a little bit more fun for the AFC. The NFC was a 312 point favorite.
"I heard we were underdogs," Law said. "Just like all the other times. My favorite cartoon growing up was Underdog. That character had a good day today."
AFC 38, NFC 30
AFC 21 7 0 10 -- 38 NFC 13 3 0 14 -- 30 First quarter
NFC--Green 2 run (Akers kick), 14:33.
NFC--FG Akers 29, 11:30.
AFC--Harrison 55 pass from Gannon (Elam kick), 10:32.
AFC--Martin 4 run (Elam kick), 8:36.
AFC--Holmes 39 run (Elam kick), 4:43.
NFC--FG Akers 41, :00.Second quarter
AFC--Dilger 18 pass from Gannon (Elam kick), 12:15.
NFC--FG Akers 49, :12.Fourth quarter
NFC--Owens 8 pass from McNabb (Akers kick), 8:18.
AFC--FG Elam 38, 3:46.
AFC--R.Lewis 13 interception return (Elam kick), 2:49.
NFC--Hearst 15 pass from McNabb (Akers kick), 1:40.
A--50,301.
TEAM STATISTICS AFC NFC First downs 19 23 Rushes-yards 31-201 12-36 Passing 197 310 Punt Returns 1-8 2-65 Kickoff Returns 6-187 7-106 Interceptions Ret. 3-82 1-44 Comp-Att-Int 16-28-1 29-58-3 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-7 2-13 Punts 4-60.8 4-44.8 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 4-1 Penalties-Yards 7-91 4-25 Time of Possession 31:18 28:42 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- AFC: Holmes 7-77, Dillon 6-58, Martin 8-44, Stewart 2-20, Centers 3-5, Brady 3-(minus 3), Gannon 1-0, Ward 1-0. NFC: Faulk 5-12, McNabb 1-12, Alstott 2-11, Garcia 1-1, Green 2-0, Warner 1-0.
PASSING -- AFC: Stewart 6-12-0-45, Gannon 8-10-0-137, Brady 2-5-1-22, Martin 0-1-0-0. NFC: McNabb 12-25-2-149, Garcia 11-19-0-111, Warner 6-14-1-63.
RECEIVING -- AFC: Harrison 4-80, Holmes 3-7, Tr.Brown 2-41, J.Lewis 2-27, Ward 2-17, Centers 2-14, Dilger 1-18. NFC: Owens 8-122, Johnson 6-50, Boston 3-39, Hearst 3-37, Green 3-29, Chamberlain 2-22, Faulk 2-13, C.Lewis 1-7, Alstott 1-4.
MISSED FIELD GOALS -- AFC: Elam 29 (WL), 53 (WL). NFC: Akers 62 (SH).
Most Outstanding Player Award-winners since the Pro Bowl began in 1971 (in 1971 and 72, an outstanding back and an outstanding lineman were chosen): Pro Bowl MVPs
1971 -- Back-Mel Renfro, WR, Dallas; Lineman-Fred Carr, LB, Green Bay
1972 -- Back-Jan Stenerud, PK, Kansas City; Lineman-Willie Lanier, LB, Kansas City
1973 -- O.J Simpson, RB, Buffalo
1974 -- Garo Yepremian, PK, Miami
1975 -- James Harris, QB, Los Angeles
1976 -- Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, WR, Houston
1977 -- Mel Blount, DB, Pittsburgh
1978 -- Walter Payton, RB, Chicago
1979 -- Ahmad Rashad, WR, Minnesota
1980 -- Chuck Muncie, RB, New Orleans
1981 -- Ed Murray, PK, Detroit
1982 -- Lee Roy Selmon, DE, Tampa Bay, and Kellen Winslow, TE, San Diego
1983 -- Dan Fouts, QB, San Diego, and John Jefferson, WR, Green Bay
1984 -- Joe Theismann, QB, Washington
1985 -- Mark Gastineau, DE, New York Jets
1986 -- Phil Simms, QB, New York Giants
1987 -- Reggie White, DE, Philadelphia
1988 -- Bruce Smith, DE, Buffalo
1989 -- Randall Cunningham, QB, Philadelphia
1990 -- Jerry Gray, CB, Los Angeles Rams
1991 -- Jim Kelly, QB, Buffalo
1992 -- Michael Irvin, WR, Dallas
1993 -- Steve Tasker, WR, Buffalo
1994 -- Andre Rison, WR, Atlanta
1995 -- Marshall Faulk, RB, Indianapolis
1996 -- Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco
1997 -- Mark Brunell, QB, Jacksonville
1998 -- Warren Moon, QB, Seattle
1999 -- Keyshawn Johnson, WR, New York Jets, and Ty Law, CB, New England
2000 -- Randy Moss, WR, Minnesota
2001 -- Rich Gannon, QB, Oakland
2002 -- Rich Gannon, QB, Oakland
1971: NFC 27, AFC 6; 1972: AFC 26, NFC 13; 1973: AFC 33, NFC 28; 1974: AFC 15, NFC 13; 1975: NFC 17, AFC 10; 1976: NFC 23, AFC 20; 1977: AFC 24, NFC 14; 1978: NFC 14, AFC 13; 1979: NFC 13, AFC 7; Pro Bowl results
1980: NFC 37, AFC 27; 1981: NFC 21, AFC 7; 1982: AFC 16, NFC 13; 1983: NFC 20, AFC 19; 1984: NFC 45, AFC 3; 1985: AFC 22, NFC 14; 1986: NFC 28, AFC 24; 1987: AFC 10, NFC 6; 1988: AFC 15, NFC 6; 1989: AFC 34, NFC 3;
1990: NFC 27, AFC 21; 1991: AFC 23, NFC 21; 1992: NFC 21, AFC 15; 1993: AFC 23, NFC 20, OT; 1994: NFC 17, AFC 3; 1995: AFC 41, NFC 13; 1996: NFC 20, AFC 13; 1997: AFC 26, NFC 23, OT; 1998: AFC 29, NFC 24; 1999: AFC 23, NFC 10;
2000: NFC 51, AFC 31; 2001: AFC 38, NFC 17; 2002: AFC 38, NFC 30.
The Star-Bulletin's Nick Abramo contributed to this report.