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MIAMI
(AP) In its new role as a
warmup to the Super Bowl,
the Pro Bowl became a series
of wind sprints.
Long gains were the rule and
hard hitting was the
exception as the AFC beat
the NFC 41-34 on Sunday
night.
Light showers fell for much
of the game, stirring
memories of a rainy Super
Bowl in Miami three years
ago. But uniforms remained
mostly spotless, with more
pushing and shoving than
tackling.
"It's different. It was like
7 on 7," NFC linebacker
Brian Orakpo said.
"Everybody came out here
trying not to get hurt and
give the fans a good show"
Matt Schaub of the Houston
Texans threw for 189 yards
and two AFC scores, and was
chosen the most valuable
player.
"It's a game you watch
growing up as a kid and
wonder if you could ever be
in," Schaub said. "To
actually be a part of it is
incredible."
Aaron Rodgers also threw two
touchdown passes, and NFC
teammate DeSean Jackson had
two scoring catches.
From the standpoint of
ticket sales, this year's
new venue and slot on the
league calendar was a
success. The crowd of 70,697
was the largest for a Pro
Bowl since 1959 in Los
Angeles.
Spectators included Peyton
Manning, Drew Brees and
other Pro Bowl players from
the Super Bowl teams.
Manning and the Indianapolis
Colts will face Brees and
the New Orleans Saints on
the same field next Sunday
in the biggest game of the
season.
The NFL sought to transform
the Pro Bowl into a bigger
game by playing it before
the Super Bowl for the first
time. In a one-year
experiment, the league also
moved the game from
Honolulu, its home since
1980.
The stadium was half empty
by the third quarter,
perhaps partly because of
the rain and temperatures in
the 60s. It was sunny and 82
in Honolulu at game time.
Did the weather dampen the
players' enthusiasm for
Miami?
"It's beautiful. It's
paradise," NFC receiver
Steve Smith said. "Too bad
it's not Hawaii."
Eager to host more big
events, the Dolphins have
proposed adding a roof that
would cover fans as part of
stadium improvements that
could cost $250 million or
more. NFL commissioner Roger
Goodell says the upgrades
are needed if South Florida
is to remain competitive in
bidding for future Super
Bowls.
Nearly 40 percent of the
players originally selected
for the game didn't play.
One of the AFC replacements,
David Garrard, threw for 183
yards, including a 48-yard
touchdown to Vincent
Jackson.
"It's so awesome," Garrard
said. "One of my goals
coming into the game was to
just be relevant and show
all the people who said,
`What is he doing in there?
The Pro Bowl has dropped off
a few pegs,' that I do
belong."
Vincent Jackson made seven
catches for 122 yards. Chad
Ochocinco had a 40-yard
reception but didn't do any
kicking after practicing
placements and punts for the
AFC during the week.
"That's OK. It was fun
anyway," Ochocinco said.
DeSean Jackson scored on a
7-yard pass from Rodgers and
a 58-yard pass from Donovan
McNabb, his regular
quarterback with the Eagles.
"I'm just out here having a
great time," Jackson said.
"And at the same time I'm
trying to put out a little
effort."
There were plenty of other
big plays. Josh Cribbs
caught a punt at the goal
line and returned it 65
yards. A penalty negated
LaMarr Woodley's
64-interception return for a
touchdown.
"I slowed up to get a little
camera time," Woodley said.
The AFC totaled 517 yards
and the NFC 470. Both teams
threw for more than 400
yards.
Redskins linebacker London
Fletcher, a 12-year veteran
playing in his first Pro
Bowl, found the AFC's
offensive approach
exhausting.
"They came out with a bunch
of screens and had us
running around," Fletcher
said.
But there were no complaints
from Fletcher's teammate on
defense, first-time Pro
Bowler Justin Smith of the
49ers.
"The pace is nice," Smith
said. "You don't have to
worry about working too
hard."
The game will return to
Honolulu in 2011 and 2012,
but the league hasn't
decided whether to hold
those games before or after
the Super Bowl. The Pro Bowl
site for 2013 and beyond
hasn't been determined.
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