The NFC Defeats The AFC In The 2008 Pro Bowl

All I heard all week is how ESPN (of all companies) was downgrading this game and making jokes that hinted at how boring this game could be. Well, for what it was worth, it was an offensive showdown that wasn't as boring as ESPN made it seem. Granted, I understand that in an All-Star game, one generally wants to see a high-scoring offensive show, but the defenses also stepped up as well.

Making up for early sloppiness, Terrell Owens caught two touchdowns passes, including a 6-yarder from Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia for the winning points in the NFC's comeback 42-30 victory over the AFC on Sunday.

Adrian Peterson made this Pro Bowl look easy. He ran for 2 touchdowns and 129 yards (second most in Pro Bowl history) to take home the MVP award. When he is at his best, the numbers he puts up are ridiculous. The New England Patriots better not get a hold of him.

Neither side held back the tricks, to the delight of the sellout crowd of 50,044 at Aloha Stadium. There was a fake punt, a throwback kickoff return and a handful of fourth-down gambles.

One of those was a 34-yard pass to Owens from fellow Cowboy Tony Romo that sparked the comeback. Before that huge play, Owens had a pair of ugly drops that drew boos.

He quickly turned them into cheers. Who could stay mad at Tony Romo and Terrell Owens?

What a way to cap off an incredible 2008 season of twists, surprises, victories, and defeats.

Brett Favre to NOT Start In the 2008 Pro Bowl

For those who watch the Pro Bowl after the Super Bowl....there have been major changes to the rosters.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, Buffalo Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel, Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Trent Cole and Washington Redskins long snapper Ethan Albright are going to the Pro Bowl.

Garcia will replace Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre on the NFC roster.

I ask why Garcia? Why no Tony Romo. That's my quarterback man! (I do a great imitation of Terrell Owens).

Garcia finished the season as the NFL's seventh-rated passer with a 94.6 rating. In 13 starts, he completed 209-of-327 attempts with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. His 197 consecutive pass attempst without an interception to begin the season was a team record.

The Pro Bowl appearance will be the fourth of Garcia's career and his first as a Buc; he played in three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2000-02 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. He becomes the third Tampa Bay QB in the Pro Bowl, joining Trent Dilfer (1997) and Brad Johnson (2002).

Schobel, who will appear in the Pro Bowl for the second straight year, was added to the AFC roster Thursday in place of injured Miami Dolphins end Jason Taylor.

Dockett has been added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster, replacing Tommie Harris of the Chicago Bears. Harris is out with a knee injury.

Cole was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster in place of injured Seattle Seahawks end Patrick Kerney.

Schobel had been selected as a Pro Bowl alternate last month despite a down season statistically. In 16 starts, he finished fourth on the team with 95 tackles and led the Bills with 6½ sacks, a considerable drop after 14 sacks last season.

Taylor is unable to play after tearing his left plantar fascia -- an injury that brings pain to the bottom of the foot and heel -- against Baltimore on Dec. 16.

Schobel will be Buffalo's lone representative at the game, to be played Feb. 10 in Honolulu. Bills left tackle Jason Peters was selected as a starter but will miss the game with a groin injury.

It will be the first Pro Bowl appearance for Dockett, who joins wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald as Cardinals representatives for the game.

In his fourth NFL season, Dockett led the Cardinals and all NFL interior linemen with a career-high nine sacks. He had 75 tackles, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and had 14 sacks while starting all 16 games.

Dockett was initially chosen as a Pro Bowl first alternate.

Cole, who was sixth in the NFL with 12½ sacks, had been selected as a Pro Bowl alternate. His total was the most by an Eagle since Hugh Douglas had 12½ in 2002.

A fifth-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2005, Cole recorded 103 tackles this season and earned the Eagles defensive MVP award.

Albrightt, the long snapper best known for his bright red hair and the fact he hasn't messed up a snap in ages, was selected for the NFC team.

"I really didn't think I'd ever be going," said Albright, a 12-year NFL veteran.

Albright will join tight end Chris Cooley and left tackle Chris Samuels as Redskins representatives. All three will wear jersey No. 21 during the game to pay tribute to former Washington safety Sean Taylor, who died Nov. 27 and was posthumously voted as a starter.

The long snapper position isn't subject to Pro Bowl voting, so the coaching staffs for each team have to select a snapper if there isn't one among the linemen already chosen. Green Bay's staff will coach the NFC, and Packers special teams coordinator Mike Stock held the same position when Albright joined the Redskins in 2001.

"They need a long snapper," Albright said. "Mike Stock is the one who brought me to Washington, and he thought of me."

Albright won't say the last time he had an errant snap, but all have been on target during his seven seasons in Washington.

New York Giants Advance In The Playoffs

As long as it's on the road, the New York Giants can't complain.

The Giants moved to 8-1 away from home with a dominating 24-14 NFC-wild-card playoff victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday. New York has won every away game since falling in its season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, and it gets a chance to diminish that blemish in a much bigger matchup next Sunday, with the winner going to the conference title game.

"We love playing there, we love going down to Dallas," Eli Manning said. "There are no secrets.

"It's a tough challenge against Dallas, we know that. We played them two times; maybe the third will be the charm."

As for concerns the Giants (11-6) left too much of themselves on the field in futilely trying to stop New England's perfect season on Dec. 29, well, forget it. After a lackluster first quarter, New York bullied the NFC South champions, who lost three of their last four regular-season games, including the final two when coach Jon Gruden rested many starters.

"We weren't sluggish, but it was not like we were the week before," said Giants veteran receiver Amani Toomer, who had a big game. "We needed one play to get us going and for me to be the guy, I was excited."

He was the guy often, making seven receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown.

It was the first postseason win after two defeats for Manning, who efficiently outplayed his counterpart, Jeff Garcia. Manning went 20-of-27 for 185 yards, with almost all the damage coming after a forgettable opening period in which New York had minus-2 yards of offense.

The oft-criticized Manning should draw nothing but praise for his performance, which included touchdown passes of 5 yards to Brandon Jacobs and 4 to Toomer. The score by Toomer completed a clinching 92-yard, 15-play drive.

"Eli had a great game today," Toomer said. "He took what was out there and didn't force anything. He doesn't get real excited; there is more than one way to lead a team ... and he showed that today."

The defense also showed up with a superb effort in the three quarters. Cornerback Corey Webster's interception and fumble recovery, and Michael Strahan's nine tackles and a sack led the way. Tampa Bay (9-8) gained only 166 yards before a late 88-yard drive made it 24-14.

"I think as a team we seem to perform better on the road," Strahan said. "I didn't know we won eight in a row. That's a great thing, because when it's the playoffs, if we're going to go as far as we want, we have to win every game on the road."

Jacobs also had an 8-yard TD run for the Giants, while Lawrence Tynes kicked a 25-yard field goal.

Earnest Graham ran for a 1-yard touchdown and Alex Smith had a 6-yard scoring reception for the Bucs, who have not won a postseason game since the Super Bowl in January 2003.

They didn't seem particularly impressed by Manning or the Giants' offense.

"He made little, annoying third-down conversions when he needed to," linebacker Barrett Ruud said. "If it is third-and-8, he gets 8 1/2 yards. That was frustrating."

The first quarter was so lopsided the Giants never picked up a first down. Meanwhile, Garcia, who beat the Giants in two previous playoff starts against them, led the Bucs on a 54-yard, 10-play march. It was highlighted by Graham, who capped it with a 1-yard TD run. Graham gained 41 yards on the drive.

But when the second quarter arrived, the visitors woke up. Manning found Toomer for 17-, 10- and 13-yard gains before Jacobs avoided Derrick Brooks to tie it on his 5-yard reception.

Six minutes later, New York led as Jacobs scored on an 8-yard run. Manning completed all four passes on the 65-yard drive, including a 21-yarder to Steve Smith on third down.

By halftime, the flag-waving Bucs fans had been silenced by the power running and precise passing of the Giants, who were up 14-7.

It got worse immediately for the locals when Micheal Spurlock, the only Buc to return a kickoff for a touchdown in their four decades, fumbled his runback to open the second half. Webster recovered at the Tampa 30 and the Giants got to the 4 before Tynes made his field goal.

Webster, starting only because Sam Madison was injured against the Patriots, contributed again moments later to foil a good Tampa Bay drive. He shadowed Joey Galloway to the end zone and picked off Garcia's weak pass.

"That was a bad decision by me," Garcia admitted. "I was just trying to make a play and Webster had very good coverage on the play."

The Bucs, who led the NFC with a plus-15 turnover margin, were minus-2 in a span of 8:50 of the third period and never recovered.

"That's huge, the play of the day," Gruden said of the fumble. "That play and the long 92-yard drive.