Pro Pro Bowl

The Pro Bowl has it's critics but those people simply take the game too seriously. It was never meant to be a real game. It's an exhibition game. The players are there to have fun. There was a time when there was greater effort, especially on tackles, but those times are long gone. The running game is basically a wash as the ball carrier is essentially held up enough to trigger a quick whistle. Having fun and coming out of the game healthy are the priority. It's a glorified scrimmage, a passing contest, an exhibition game. It's a fun exhibition game. It's fun to see the best players in the game, even though many skip it due to injury and Super Bowl obligations, having fun on a football field. It's fun to see these football players one more time without the tension of a game that matters.

Yesterday's Pro Bowl was even more fun than most. The AFC edged the NFC 24-23 on a Derek Carr to Delanie Walker touchdown toss with less than two minutes to play. The NFC led throughout and the AFC had to chip away at the lead in the second half. Walker took home the Offensive Player of the Game award for scoring two touchdowns. Von Miller spent most of the second half in the NFC backfield and took home the Defensive Player of the Game award. It often didn't look like the NFC pass protectors were prepared for Miller's effort late in the game. Receivers TY Hilton (98 yards) and Jarvis Landry (78 yards) would also have been fine choices for Offensive hardware.

The Minnesota Vikings had five players in the game.

Adam Thielen, WR
Kyle Rudolph, TE
Linval Joseph, DT
Xavier Rhodes, CB
Harrison Smith, S

Thielen opened the scoring when he caught an eight-yard throw from Drew Brees. Rudolph was moving the chains all game with seven catches for 70 yards. Smith had the game's splashiest play when he intercepted Ben Roesthlisberger and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown. That put the NFC up 17-3 halfway through the second quarter. Rhodes had a nice deflection of a pass intended for Antonio Brown. Joseph simply clogged up the middle on the few runs that the AFC attempted (12 for 17 yards).

This year's Pro Bowl was a fun game. A fun exhibition. It was also more fun to watch five Viking players play well in a game that didn't mean anything than watch the entire team not play well in a game that meant something.