Pro Bowl 2012 Recap

The Pro Bowl is a game that generally doesn’t get a huge audience every year. Fans are too busy getting ready for their Super Bowl parties (and if they were honest, somewhat enjoying the break from football.) And while this year’s game didn’t fare much better in the way of ratings, it did hold some interesting storylines for those who were watching.

One of the biggest was that of Cam Newton, who was dubbed “the most exciting player to watch” this season by many and was making his first appearance in the Pro Bowl. Unfortunately, he did not bring the performance he undoubtedly hoped to, repeatedly getting sacked by AFC’s defense and throwing an interception. But, one needs to remember that it’s only the Pro Bowl after all, and the ‘boos’ he received from the crowd were probably unnecessary. And he play wasn’t abdominal; he did score a touchdown after all.

Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton may have not gotten nearly the headlines that Cam Newton did over the course of the year, but he’s certainly all anyone was talking about this game. With a nearly flawless game, Dalton’s probably one of the only players wishing this game actually had some merit to it. He ended the game completing seven of nine passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

For those who were looking for excellent plays during this game got it late in the third quarter when Brandon Marshall caught the throw from Andy Dalton. After what looked like it would end up being a fumble on Marshall’s part, the ball bounced off his leg, up into his arms, all while he happened to be properly positioned in the end zone. Truly heaven sent, along with Marshall’s record for the game: catching six passes for 176 yards and a total of four touchdowns — all of which are probably all reasons why he was chosen as the 2012 Pro Bowl MVP.

In the end, with the AFC taking a 59-41 win over the NFC, it was the second-highest scoring game in all of Pro Bowl’s history; the first was in 2004 when the game garnered a total of 107 points.

The backdrop of the game was of course, beautiful Honolulu as the game was played in Aloha Stadium, as it is every year (with the exception of 2010, when the game was moved to Miami.) That in itself was a storyline, not only because it made for great shots of paradise going to commercial break, but also because the state might no longer be playing host to the Pro Bowl after this year. The proposal to move it out of Hawaii comes from Governor Neil Abercrombie who thinks that the tune of $4 million (what the state paid to host the game this year) is too much for a football game, and that the funds could be better used for a state that has so many worthwhile causes, such as education, to tend to. Players are strongly vying to keep it in Hawaii, as many feel that it’s a well-deserved break for those who have played hard all year but not made the playoffs.

Categorized in: NFL