AFC gets five stars in All-Star game as they pound NFC 59-41 in Pro-Bowl victory - NFL Recap
The American Football Conference (AFC) became the best conference in this year’s National Football League season after their team outscored the National Football Conference (NFC) 59-41, at the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
With some of the best players taking part against each other in the prestigious fixture, it was always going to be a high scoring encounter, but the AFC came out on top, thanks to four touchdowns by Miami Dolphins' wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, who earned
the game’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
The game remained equal on score throughout the first period but in the second half, AFC took control by scoring four touchdowns to NFC’s two, taking a comfortable lead.
Marshall was happy at his brilliant performance telling reporters after the game
"You know what? I wanted it," he said. "It's a Pro Bowl. Some guys are playing 100 (percent), some guys are playing 90, some guys aren't playing at all, but it means a lot to be up in the rafters with some of these guys."
Rookie quarterback, Cam Newton who made his first Pro-Bowl after a brilliant rookie season with the Carolina Panthers said that he learnt a lot from the experience as he threw two touchdown passes while being intercepted three times.
"No excuses," Newton said. "When you hang the ball up there, against these kinds of players, that's what you get. It's the good and the bad of playing in a Pro Bowl. I learned a lot."
NFC went out in full spring in the first quarter as Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers called the shots from the middle.
Rodgers sent two quick fire touchdown passes to Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald to give NFC a 14-0 lead in a span of just 9 seconds.
However, the AFC pegged back the lead to 14-7 in the sixth minute as Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and two times Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger sent a 34-yard touchdown pass to Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J Green.
They drew level four minutes later as Roethlisberger sent a brilliant 74-yard pass to Brandon Marshall to score his first touchdown of the night.
San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers and New Orleans Saints Drew Brees took over quarterback duties for their respective sides and both sent two touchdown passes each to tie the game at 28-28 at the end of the second quarter.
For the second half both teams put on their rookie quarterbacks to take over duties.
Cincinnati Bengals Andy Dalton took over for the AFC while Newton came on for NFC for the final 30 minutes.
Both quarterbacks passed for two touchdowns each in the second period but Newton’s three interceptions proved costly.
Oakland Raiders' kicker, Sebastian Janikowski gave the AFC the lead at 12:23 in the third quarter with a 37-yard field goal but Newton put the NFC in the driving seat just a minute later with a 55-yard touchdown pass to his Panthers teammate Steve Smith
to make it 35-31.
Dalton late in the quarter sent a 47-yard pass to Brandon Marshall who scored his third touchdown to return AFC in the lead at 35-38.
In the fourth quarter the AFC put some serious daylight between their opponents. Baltimore Ravens fullback Vonta Leach rushed for a single yard to put AFC up by 45-35 and Brandon Marshall continued his run of scoring in each quarter after scoring his final
touchdown from a 3-yard pass by Dalton at 8:25.
Newton threw his third interception which was picked off Chargers safety Eric Weddle who passed to Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson for a 60-yard interception return.
With the score up by 59-35, the AFC looked comfortable and a 36-yard Newton pass to Larry Fitzgerald did nothing to dampen the celebrations as the AFC ran out comfortable victors.
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