Honolulu – All anyone needs to know about the Pro Bowl is the Backstreet Boys stole the show.
The most pertinent question – besides, is this game really necessary? – for viewers on the continent was not how many points Broncos and AFC coach Mike Shanahan would devise for quarterback Peyton Manning, but “What else is on?”
The NFC defeated the AFC 23-17 on a rainy, then bright, but always sloppy Sunday afternoon at Aloha Stadium. Offensively speaking, the halftime show with the Backstreet Boys was about it.
“It was a great experience for me to be around these fine football players, see how they handle themselves, how they work, and you kind of compare them to the guys you have on your team,” Shanahan said. “I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did, but I did thoroughly enjoy it.”
This was one game where only the participants left pleased.
To show how bad the 2006 NFL Pro Bowl was, the league installed special rules for this game that essentially banned defense. There was no blitzing, no nickel packages. The safety couldn’t even cheat back out of the designated “box.”
Yet, there were six interceptions, nine fumbles (four lost), seven sacks and nine punts.
“I think because of all the rules we play with during the season, defensive guys are learning how to play,” said Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, who had one of the interceptions. In recent years, the NFL has made rule changes that make it tougher to cover receivers. “It’s not like when we got here, this is the first time we played with rules like this.”
Fittingly, a defensive player, Tampa Bay linebacker Derrick Brooks, was named the game’s MVP. He intercepted a Trent Green pass late in the third quarter and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown. Turnovers set up the other three touchdowns and one of the four field goals.
Hey, Marge, turn on the halfpipe.
Even if the Pro Bowl has never been a ratings winner, this isn’t what the NFL had in mind. In the previous six all-star games, the average score was 44-30. Two years ago, the score was 55-52.
This game was 17-10 entering the fourth quarter. To their credit, the crowd of 50,190 stayed until the end. The fans booed when the NFC broke a 17-17 tie with 6:29 remaining by settling for a 22-yard Neil Rackers field goal. They cheered when the AFC’s Jerome Mathis returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield.
They groaned when on the next snap, new AFC quarterback Steve McNair fumbled it back to the NFC.
It appeared both teams had a bit too much Hawaii last week and not enough football. Aside from an early 33-yard completion from Manning to Colts teammate Marvin Harrison, the top six offensive plays through the first three quarters were interception returns, two by Broncos defensive backs.
AFC safety John Lynch picked off Matt Hasselbeck in the first quarter and returned it 40 yards to set up the game’s first touchdown, a 16-yard pass from Manning to Chris Chambers. In the second quarter, Bailey intercepted Michael Vick and returned it 33 yards to the NFC 34. Two plays later, Manning was intercepted by Darren Sharper, who returned it 35 yards to the AFC 32.
Back and forth it went.
The dream pairing of Shana- han and Manning never materialized. Bothered by a steady rain and slick, new footballs through the first quarter and into the second, Manning threw three interceptions.
“The weather was so bad in the first half, it was a shame for everybody,” Manning said. “We’ve had some offensive shootouts over here. It just seemed like we were destined for a defensive battle.”
AFC 7 3 0 7 – 17
NFC 0 10 7 6 – 23
First quarter
AFC – Chambers 16 pass from Manning (Graham kick), 5:09.
Second quarter
NFC – FG Rackers 32, 7:45; AFC-FG Graham 31, 3:22.
NFC – Crumpler 14 pass from Vick (Rackers kick), :02.
Third quarter
NFC – Brooks 59 interception return (Rackers kick), 5:01.
Fourth quarter
AFC – Green 1 run (Graham kick), 12:47.
NFC – FG Rackers 22, 6:29.
NFC – FG Rackers 20, 1:10.
AFC NFC
First downs 19 18
Total yards 260 279
Rushes-yards 24-71 25-98
Passing 189 181
Punt returns 1-12 2-7
Kickoff returns 5-119 4-94
Interceptions returns 2-73 4-192
Passes 20-45-4 21-39-2
Sacked-yards lost 2-14 5-26
Punts 4-48.5 5-48.4
Fumbles-lost 3-2 6-2
Penalties-yards 8-59 8-55
Time of possession 27:59 32:01
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – AFC, L.Johnson 8-33, James 6-22, Tomlinson 5-13, Green 3-3, McNair 2-0. NFC, T.Barber 11-33, Moss 1-18, Vick 2-17, Dunn 7-12, Fitzgerald 1-12, S.Smith 1-6, Hasselbeck 1-0, Strong 1-0.
PASSING – AFC, Manning 13-26-3-139, Green 5-11-1-39, McNair 2-8-0-25. NFC, Hasselbeck 10-17-1-85, Vick 4-12-1-69, Delhomme 7-10-0-53.
RECEIVING – AFC, Gonzalez 5-36, Harrison 4-74, Chambers 2-34, Tomlinson 2-18, C.Johnson 2-15, R.Smith 2-13, Gates 2-7, Neal 1-6. NFC, S.Smith 8-46, Moss 3-39, Crumpler 3-35, Holt 2-18, Strong 2-17, Fitzgerald 1-32, Dunn 1-14, T.Barber 1-6.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5450 or mklis@denverpost.com.
