I've never understood the criticism, even concentrated anger, directed at the Pro Bowl. For the first 50 or so years of the game's existence no one seemed to mind the game. Now there's outrage. The complaints started about the time that social media gave everyone a voice. It's an all-star game. An exhibition game. It's supposed to be for fun. I don't understand why anyone would expect the game to be anything more than that.
The Pro Bowl is fun.
2016 Pro Bowl
Team Irvin 49
Team Rice 27
Jerry Rice picked a team. Michael Irvin picked a team. I don't think that Jerry Rice knows what he's doing when picking a team. He's lucky that he's picking a team from a selection of excellent football players. It's hard to go wrong. Big receivers decided this game and Irvin had all of them.
One rule put in play for this Pro Bowl that I could do without is the one that called for a change of possession at the end of the first and third quarter. Now there's a two minute warning at the end of each quarter. I suppose that the rule is intended to generate more two-minute drills and as a result more thrills. It was an interesting change but I think that it can be manipulated. If prospects for a score aren't promising for an offense why not intentionally turn it over? Give the ball to the opponent for a few seconds so that you get it back at the start of the next quarter. Just a thought.
In the past decade the Pro Bowl has really become a passing game. It was always pretty wide open but the run game was involved. Now it really isn't. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was the MVP of the 2008 Pro Bowl. That was the last time that a running back did much of anything running the ball. Team Rice gained 61 yards on the ground. Team Irvin gained 97 yards and many of those yards came at the end when they were trying to drain the clock.
A few players were cruising through the game. The first glaring cruiser was Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner. In a play near the goal line it looked like he had Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman corralled at the three-yard line and then just let him go for the score. Maybe he was trying to pad the stats of his Seahawk quarterback. Russell Wilson got his third touchdown pass of the game when Wagner "let" Freeman score. That gift helped Wilson take home the game's MVP award.
For the first three quarters both defenses were tackling players to the ground. In the fourth they weren't. The effort put forth in a Pro Bowl often picks up in the fourth quarter. But that's when the outcome is still in doubt. The outcome of this game wasn't in doubt. It was pretty much touch football for the final ten minutes.
One player that was hustling all game was Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett. He was doing his best to wreck anything that Team Rice tried to do. He was so eager to play that he even jumped offsides a couple of times.
Michael Irvin said that his team was being aggressive in going for 2-point conversions after his team's first two touchdowns. Great! But it wasn't really fair to one of the kickers that made the team.
Proof that this was an all-star game. An exhibition game.
Receiver DeAndre Hopkins played a bit at corner.
Receiver Odell Beckham played some at safety.
Corner Richard Sherman played a little receiver. He even got the ball on a reverse and lost 22 yards. He should stick to corner.
Defensive lineman Michael Bennett got a rushing attempt. He took it all the way to the endzone but it took place in the fourth quarter. He was touched down after a seven-yard gain before he broke away.
Center Travis Fredrick and quarterback Jameis Winston swapped positions for the final play of the game as Winston snapped the ball to Frederick for a kneel down.
How did the Minnesota Vikings players do?
Teddy Bridgewater: 6/8 for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns.
-his first pass attempt was intercepted.
-his second touchdown was a 50-yard beauty to Allen Robinson.
Adrian Peterson: 5 carries for 4 yards/3 receptions for 17 yards.
Harrison Smith: 1 interception
-for whatever reason Mike Tirico kept calling him Hunter Smith. Nice.
Everson Griffen: he chased Russell Wilson a couple of times and broke up an attempted pass.
Anthony Barr: he was probably on the field more than any other Vikings player. He seemed to enjoy himself. Good thing. He's going to be tapped for a lot of these games.
It was a fun game. It's fun to watch these excellent football players get together for one last exhibition game.
I miss Charles Woodson already.
No comments:
Post a Comment