On Sunday, Jan. 26, the 2020 Pro Bowl was played at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., when the best of the NFC faced the best of the AFC in the annual game between the divisions. The AFC was on a three-game winning streak prior to Sunday’s meeting and after defeating the NFC by a score of 38-33, the division now has a quartet of consecutive wins and continues to lead the all-time series, 25-22.
The game started with the NFC receiving the ball first, and before the game, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson gave his starting position to New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees. The NFC didn’t convert their opening drive into any points, but the AFC didn’t either as Budda Baker intercepted a pass Lamar Jackson intended for Jarvis Landry and took it for a 15-yard return, ending the AFC’s opening drive.
The NFC capitalized on the takeaway when Drew Brees and teammate Michael Thomas put the first touchdown on the board with a 16-yard pass. The AFC returned in their next drive and also put a touchdown on the board after Lamar Jackson connected with Andre Roberts for yards and tied the game at seven with 17 seconds left in the first quarter.
The second quarter began with the NFC having possession of the ball and they did capitalize on this opening drive after Russell Wilson connected with Amari Cooper for the six-yard score. This would be their last score of the first half.
The AFC team capitalized on their opening drive of the second quarter after Jackson connected with Mark Andrews and tied the game once more. In the next AFC possession, the team scored as Deshaun Watson connected with Jack Doyle for 13 yards and took the seven-point lead, 21-14, with one minute left in the first half. The team had one more opportunity to score before the end of the half, and Justin Tucker kicked the ball from 50 yards out to put a field goal up and give the AFC a 10-point lead going into halftime, 24-14.
The AFC started the third quarter with possession of the ball, but the NFC scored on this possession when Harrison Smith intercepted a pass from Watson and returned for 36 yards before pitching the ball to Fletcher Cox who took it the rest of the way for the 61-yard score. This brought the NFC within three points of tying with the AFC. The AFC went three-and-out during the next possession and the NFC took the lead in their next drive after Kirk Cousins connected with Davante Adams for 13 yards for six points. Wil Lutz’s kick was blocked, and the score was 27-24 with just under three minutes to go in the third quarter.
Team AFC didn’t let that touchdown go unanswered as they put one up of their own when Ryan Tannehill connected with D.J. Chark for a 60-yard touchdown pass and they took the lead back, 31-27. Both teams turned over the ball in their next drives due to intercepted passes and the third quarter came to an end.
The NFC had possession of the ball to start the last quarter, but they turned the ball over, and J.J. Watt took it 82 yards to put another touchdown on the board. The score was 38-27 with over 10 minutes left to play. Team NFC returned in their next drive and answered with a four-yard touchdown pass between Kirk Cousins and Adams but failed when they attempted the two-point conversion. Team NFC was only five points behind Team AFC following this touchdown, but when they got the ball back immediately for a fourth-down attempt thanks to a rule being tried out, they turned the ball over one last time when Cousins’s pass was intercepted by Earl Thomas III. The AFC didn’t put any points up in their last possession and the game ended with the AFC ahead, 38-33.
Calais Campbell was named the AFC’s Defensive Player of the game and Lamar Jackson was named the offensive Most Valuable Player.
The tone of the game was set early on following the news of NBA basketball great Kobe Bryant’s tragic death. Players on both sides of the field participated in on-field tributes to Bryant by imitating his famous jumps or pointing to the sky and holding up two fingers on one hand and four on the other to signify one of Bryant’s jersey numbers that hang at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
2️⃣4️⃣@tae15adams pays tribute to Kobe Bryant after his #ProBowl touchdown. https://t.co/Vj9OE84Y72
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 26, 2020
#Packers Za’Darius Smith gets a sack in today’s Pro Bowl and rounds up some NFC teammates for a celebration to honor Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/rQiA7sgodr
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) January 26, 2020
This past Sunday will go down as one of the saddest days in sports history, but for a few hours, the talented players of the NFL distracted us from the tragedy with the annual Pro Bowl game.
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2020
