Pro Bowl 2018 live results: Highlights from the AFC's comeback win over the NFC

So maybe you didn’t actually want to watch the Pro Bowl, but you’re still curious to see what happened. Well, you missed a fun game (really). Luckilly, we’ve got you covered with all the highlights from the AFC’s 24-23 win:

Recap

The AFC’s big comeback win over the NFC was the fun Pro Bowl we wanted

MVPs

Von Miller (defensive) and Delaine Walker (offensive)

Highlights

Keegan-Michael Key is the NFL’s touchdown celebration consultant for the Pro Bowl

LOL, of course it rained at the Pro Bowl

No one tried very hard to tackle Harrison Smith on his 79-yard pick-6

Tyreek Hill’s muffed punt in the rain was the first excitingly stupid play of the game

Drew Brees’ kids fighting on the sideline was the most intense part of the Pro Bowl

Casey Hayward’s interception led to some backyard football laterals

Final score: AFC 24, NFC 23

AFC 24, NFC 23: There was still time the NFC to put together a drive and potentially win on Graham Gano’s leg. But Cam Heyward and Von Miller were having none of that, teaming up to sack Goff and forcing him to fumble, which Miller recovered.

After a big comeback, the AFC gets the win.

AFC 24, NFC 23: With 1:31 left, the AFC took its first lead of the game! Derek Carr hooked up with Delanie Walker for the touchdown:

And no one is happier than Carr:

NFC 23, AFC 17: With just three minutes left, there was another fourth down, but this time, Derek Carr and the AFC picked it up for what could be the game-winning drive:

NFC 23, AFC 17: Doug Baldwin, who was selected as a replacement, is giving a full-on effort. Seahawks teammate Earl Thomas was more pumped than anyone for a play that was blown dead after just 10 yards:

If the refs hadn’t blown their whistle, Baldwin would’ve picked up a good chunk of yards. Instead, the NFC ended up facing a fourth-and-3 a little while later ... and turning it over to the AFC at their own 47-yard line.

NFC 23, AFC 17: Just when the AFC gets another chance to steal the game, Patrick Peterson came down with his second interception of the game:

This is Peterson’s seventh Pro Bowl in his seven years in the NFL.

NFC 23, AFC 17: So after a few flags, and more rain, that seemed to suck the life out of the game, Casey Hayward alllllmost made the play of the day when he came close to snagging a ball that went off Alvin Kamara’s hands.

Alas, he couldn’t hang on. The NFC tried its own fourth-down play and it was as successful as the AFC’s, with Jared Goff throwing the ball directly to his receiver’s feet.

NFC 23, AFC 17: The AFC had the chance to take its first lead of the game, but on fourth down at midfield, Derek Carr threw the ball all the way to Miami.

What the game has, disappointedly, lacked in good touchdown celebrations, the mascots are making up for it:

NFC 23, AFC 17: Jared Goff took over for the NFC and got them into scoring range, but Cam Heyward made sure it wouldn’t be a touchdown when he sacked (well, it’s the Pro Bowl, so it wasn’t quite a full sack) Goff on third down.

Graham Gano connected on his third field goal for the day, but it’s still just a six-point game.

Third quarter: NFC 20, AFC 17

NFC 20, AFC 17: The Pro Bowl is heating up! Derek Carr is in at quarterback now, and the AFC is still riding all the momentum. Carr threw it up for grabs downfield, and double-teamed T.Y. Hilton came down with a terrific catch, setting up first-and goal.

LeSean McCoy ran it in the end zone on the next play, and Antonio Brown helped him celebrate:

NFC 20, AFC 10: No lie, this Pro Bowl is fun. I mean, just look at this Russell Wilson pass after it was picked off by Casey Hayward:

Lateral party!

The AFC has the ball back and FOLKSSS, we’ve got ourselves a game.

NFC 20, AFC 10: The AFC came out ready to play in the second half — or at least try to challenge the NFC for $60K.

NFC HC Sean Payton’s message to his players at the half “Play 60”....winner takes home 60k in the Pro Bowl game. #ProBowl
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 28, 2018

Alex Smith dumped it off to Le’Veon Bell (who really doesn’t want to play under the franchise tag again this year). Then he found T.Y. Hilton for a long gain and Delanie Walker in the end zone for a 4-yard score — and the AFC’s first touchdown of the game.

Halftime: NFC 20, AFC 3

NFC 20, AFC 3: The AFC almost got a huge break when Kevin Byard poked the ball out of Kyle Rudolph’s hands, but the refs overturned the fumble, determining the Vikings TE never had possession.

Byard later lit up Adam Thielen, preventing a long completion. So Byard, as well as Von Miller on this almost-sack turned into a DOINK off the helmet, at least came to play for the AFC:

DOINK

Graham Gano added a field goal right before the half. The AFC — besides Byard and Miller — will have to bring it in the second half to get back in this one.

So far, the most intense battle was on the sideline between Drew Brees’ sons, who got into a fight while Brees was trying to do an interview with Lisa Salters. Way to embarrass your dad, kids.

NFC 17, AFC 3: Alex Smith is in at QB for the AFC now, and he’s doing what he suddenly started doing this year: taking deep shots down the field. Smith found Jarvis Landry for the AFC’s biggest play so far, a 49-yard completion.

Chances that Landry and Smith will each be playing for a different team next year? Pretty good.

A few plays later, Smith found a wide-open Patrick Peterson in the end zone. The problem, of course, is that Pat P is a cornerback for the NFC.

So with two minutes left, the NFC gets another opportunity to add to its lead.

NFC 17, AFC 3: Ben Roethlisberger tried to find teammate Antonio Brown down the field, but Harrison Smith snagged it in the air for the interception ... which turned into a pick-six because the AFC offense had ZERO interest in tackling. I mean, it is the Pro Bowl. You get it.

Tackling is optional

NFC 10, AFC 3: The NFC took advantage of the turnover, adding a field goal after the drive didn’t go very far in the rain.

But at least the fans are having fun!

NFC 7, AFC 3: The NFC’s rain-soaked drive went nowhere fast, but then Tyreek Hill misplayed the punt return for our first stupidly exciting moment of the game. Budda Baker ran the fumble in, but the touchdown didn’t count because they couldn’t advance the muff.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Still, it’s the NFC’s ball again. This time, Russell Wilson is under center.

First quarter: NFC 7, AFC 3

The NFC gets the ball back to end the first quarter, and now it’s a downpour. Must be Florida, must be the Pro Bowl:

NFC 7, AFC 3: Trickeration! Antonio Brown goes to throw ...

And nearly gets Keenan Allen killed.

And then Kwon Alexander jacks up Jack Doyle.

No injuries yet though, phew.

Xavier Rhodes made a terrific touchdown-saving swat against Brown, and Ben Roethlisberger and the AFC offense stalled. Another Steeler, kicker Chris Boswell, got them on the board, though.

NFC 7, AFC 0: The first drive wasn’t too exciting, except the ending: Drew Brees, Saints QB, hits Adam Thielen, Vikings WR, for a touchdown strike. Nice to know that there aren’t TOO many hard feelings after the Minnesota Miracle.

The attempt to block the XP was about what you’d expect from the Pro Bowl:

Brees methodically led the entire drive, going 7 of 8 for 68 yards. And we even got a fullback run on fourth-and-1.

MeanwhileMatt Hasselbeck auditions to join Sean McDonough for an all-bald Monday Night Football broadcast team (as Jon Gruden and his center part weeps somewhere):

What you need to know to watch

The Pro Bowl, at its best, is technically football.

The well-intentioned exhibition has been a staple of lazy Sundays in late January and early February for decades. Each winter, it gives some of the league’s top players the opportunity to hopefully not injure themselves in the sunny confines of Hawaii or, most recently, Orlando, Fla. While this is a rich tradition for the league, it’s slowly been supplanted by an even more important event — the annual rejecting of the Pro Bowl bids.

Several honorees have made it a point to turn down their prestigious invitations to the theme-park capital of the world in order to do literally anything else instead. In 2017, players like Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Donald Penn, Khalil Mack, Jadeveon Clowney, Aaron Rodgers, Larry Fitzgerald, Jordan Reed, Jason Peters, T.J. Lang, Aaron Donald, Ryan Kerrigan, and Pat McAfee all declined to play, citing injury, exhaustion, or the desire to never visit central Florida again.

A few of those guys will play this year, including the Steelers’ Killer Bs — Roethlisberger, Bell, and Brown. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin is in charge of the AFC sideline, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Steelers have more players (nine) participating in the Pro Bowl than any other team.

The Saints will be represented by seven players, including Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, and Marshon Lattimore. Not coincidentally, Sean Payton is the coach for the NFC.

The 2018 stream of “NOs” began with the 10 New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles who will selfishly skip the trip in order to prepare for Super Bowl 52. Derek Carr took advantage of a 6-9 record as a starter to supplant Tom Brady on the AFC roster. Jared Goff, who had a significantly better season, will take Carson Wentz’s spot.

Other honorees who won’t be able to attend the 2018 game include DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, Philip Rivers, Joey Bosa, Julio Jones, Luke Kuechly, Donald, Fitzgerald, Mack, and Clowney.

So maybe only about 60 percent of the NFL’s biggest stars will appear in this year’s Pro Bowl, but it’s still a strong lineup. Besides the robust contingents from the Steelers and Saints, Russell Wilson, Keenan Allen, Melvin Ingram, Harrison Smith, Todd Gurley, Earl Thomas, Kareem Hunt, Von Miller, and Jalen Ramsey are all slated to play.

This year’s game will kick off at 3 p.m. ET, airing on both ESPN and ABC. A live stream is available at WatchESPN.

Pregame reading

It was all NFC in that game too with AFC players dropping like flies until only Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry was left against Washington’s Ryan Kerrigan, Green Bay’s Mike Daniels and Carolina kicker Graham Gano. Even a rabid wouldn’t have a chance.
But then Landry got Kerrigan — albeit with a little bit of rules controversy; Kerrigan thought caught a Landry throw, but dropped his own ball in the process which is an elimination.
It was two-on-one after the stoppage to clear up the Kerrigan situation and it quickly turned into a ridiculously fun duel between Landry and Gano for all the marbles.

While the NFL probably isn’t wading into the national title debate, the Knights sure don’t mind getting the words “national championship, undefeated season” in there one more time. They continue to carry themselves like, well, champions. They paid out championship bonuses owed to coaches, hung a title banner, and had a parade. At least one major national title selector actually has the Knights at No. 1 as well, so it’s not just UCF brass blowing smoke.

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