NFC Favored In Sunday's Pro Bowl

NFL News - January 31st, 2010 - Written by John

For the first time in it's 30-year history, the Pro Bowl will be played somewhere other than Hawaii's Honolulu Stadium this Sunday as the NFC looks to continue it's two-game winning streak.

It is favored over the AFC by three in the NFL betting lines, according to Bodog, with a total of 56 1/2.

The game had previously been played in Honalulu Stadium a week after the championship game as a means of giving players a vacation and getaway after the long season.

But for a year, the NFL decided to experiment by putting the exhibition at the Super Bowl site in Miami a week before the championship with the game in hopes of drawing more attention, and bank on fan interest leading up to the championship.

Despite being without many of it's elite players and frustrating the two Super Bowl teams, the 2010 Pro Bowl sold out quicker than ever before and officials are expecting a record television rating.

The Indianapolis Colts have been the most vocal about their displeasure in the schedule because it's team members who were elected are being forced to attend the game despite not playing. They almost boycotted the game altogether after owner Jim Irsay called the game "stupid", before ultimately coming to an agreement that would allow the team to meet up with the players the next day.

The NFC holds a 20-19 all-time edge over their rival conference, winning 30-21 last year on the MVP performance by Larry Fitzgerald. Just a week after a draining Super Bowl performance, Fitzgerald caught five passes for 81 yards and hauled in the only two passing touchdowns for his team. The six-year receiver was elected again to the game, but will miss because of an injury.

He is one of 32 total players to pull out of the game as of Friday due to injury concerns. The AFC is actually missing all three of it's starting quarterbacks, forcing them to dig as deep as seventh choice David Garrard to fill out the roster.

Garrard is making his first appearance after a solid season, throwing for 3,597 yards and 15 touchdowns, but there are concerns about the game's integrity when so many players miss. Starting for the AFC will be Houston's Matt Schaub, who led the NFL in passing yards (4,770), completions (396) and attempts (583).

For the NFC, it will be Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers who gets the start now that New Orleans' Drew Brees is forced to skip due to a Super Bowl berth.

But with so many missing the game, fans will still be treated by the presence of Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson, who were both elected to start all along. The duo has been compared and scrutinized all year, and will face each other for the first time in their careers.

Peterson is a more physical back in his third year and scored a league-high 18 touchdowns, but many are coming to prefer Johnson's lightning quick speed and agility. He became just the sixth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards, and was the only unanimous choice to this year's All-Pro team. He and teammate Vince Young nearly capped an improbable run to the playoffs, winning eight of ten after starting the year 0-6.

Young, who threw for 1,879 yards and scored 12 times, will be the AFC's second quarterback.

Players like Chad Ochocinco see the game as a means to have a little fun and engage fans with plays that wouldn't ordinarily be seen. The Bengals wideout is an avid soccer fan, and hopes to be able to kick early in the game for the team, whether it be as a punter or place kicker.

"Yesterday was punting, today was kickoffs, tomorrow will be field goals," Ochocinco said earlier in the week. "I don't know. We'll see what happens."