The AFC beat the NFC in the 2010 Pro Bowl on a late fourth quarter touchdown run by Tennessee’s Chris Johnson. The Pro Bowl, usually played in Hawaii after the Super Bowl, was moved to Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida and played one week before the Super Bowl. It was the 40th edition of the Pro Bowl.

Because of the date change of the NFL Pro Bowl, All Star members of both Super Bowl qualifiers (Colts and Saints) did not play in the game. Many of those players were on the sideline to watch Houston’s Matt Schaub get the AFC out to a fast start with touchdown passes to Texans teammate Andre Johnson and Denver’s Brandon Marshall.

Schaub finished with 189 yards on 13-of-17 attempts and took home the MVP award.

San Diego’s Vincent Jackson caught seven passes for 122 yards with a TD from Jacksonville’s David Garrard, who ended with 183 yards on 8-of-14 attempts and handed off to Jaguars teammate Maurice Jones-Drew for a rushing score.

Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay threw for 197 yards and two TDs on 15-of-19 attempts for the NFC, which had won the previous two installments of this contest. DeSean Jackson of Philadelphia caught a pair of touchdowns and had 101 yards on six receptions in defeat.

Chris Johnson’s two-yard score capped a rare lengthy drive that covered 76 yards in 11 plays to put the AFC up 41-34 with 5:59 left in the game.

Pittsburgh’s James Harrison picked off Dallas’ Tony Romo deep in AFC territory on the ensuing drive, and the AFC ran out the clock to secure the win.

A Schaub-to-Andre Johnson 33-yard hookup opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game.

Philadelphia’s David Akers put the NFC on the board with a 47-yard field goal, and Marshall hauled in a 23-yard score for a 14-3 lead with seven minutes left in the opening stanza.

Rogers then threw a 48-yard bomb to New York’s Steve Smith near the end of the first and hit DeSean Jackson with a screen pass that the speedster turned into a seven-yard touchdown 3:37 into the second.

Dan Carpenter of Miami finished off the first-half scoring with a 30-yard field goal, tying the game, 17-17.

On the second play from scrimmage out of the break, DeSean Jackson took a quick screen from his everyday quarterback, Donovan McNabb, and raced 58 yards for a touchdown.

Vincent Jackson’s 48-yard TD grab just 51 seconds later tied things again.

Shortly after Denver’s Brian Dawkins picked off McNabb on the next possession, Jones-Drew went in from four yards out. Carpenter’s 26-yard field goal with 5:09 left in the third made it a 34-24 contest.

Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams ran for a seven-yard score to cut into the deficit four minutes later, and Akers booted a 39-yard early in the fourth quarter to tie the game.

It seems that this year’s Pro Bowl lacked the interest of more than a few All Star participants. In fact, at least 12 players elected not to play and 1 player, Vikings Bryant McKinnie was removed from the NFC All Star team because of unexcused absenses – he missed 3 of the 4 pre-game practices.

It’s sad to see the lack of interest by the players. They should be grateful that they were choosen and at least have the common decency to represent their teams and hometown fans. Shame on these guys!

Here are the complete NFC vs AFC 2010 Pro Bowl statistics

source: usatoday.com