One of the most meaningless games in sports will take place on Sunday down in Orlando. The NFL Pro Bowl is supposed to be a collection of the game’s biggest stars, but several of the top players have chosen to sit the game out. Even though this is a football game, there will be very little tackling and points should come in bunches.
The AFC has won the last two Pro Bowl Games, and the NFC will be looking to get some bragging rights back. Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett will lead the NFC squad, while Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn will lead the AFC team. The line for this game is not yet out, but the NFC should be slight favorites, and the over/under will be set at a high number.
NFC Has Top Running Backs
Both of these rosters are full of the top players in the league, but the NFC has one clear advantage on offense. Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott are two of the top running backs in the NFL, and they will both suit up for the NFC squad. Since defenses won’t be going all out to try and stop these two stars, expect the NFC to have some long runs. Quarterback Russell Wilson has Pro Bowl experience, and he will lead the NFC offense to a big day.
On the defensive side of the ball, the NFC squad is full of members of the Chicago Bears. The Bears were the best defensive team in the NFL during the regular season, and you can expect these players to take pride in this game. Even though you won’t see any real hits on the quarterback in the Pro Bowl, the NFC squad will still put plenty of pressure on the AFC quarterbacks.
AFC Without Top Playmakers
The AFC had some of the top playmakers in the NFL all season long, but you won’t see those players in this game. Tyreek Hill and Antonio Brown are both skipping this game for health reasons, which will hurt the AFC team greatly on offense. Andrew Luck is expected to see much of the playing time at quarterback for the AFC, and he will likely be trying to protect himself. Most Pro Bowl games are high scoring affairs, but the AFC offensive roster looks weak.
The AFC defense will be led by the Watt brothers, J.J. and T.J. You can expect there to be some friendly competition between the two pass rushers, but neither of them will put a hit on the quarterback. The AFC does have some of the best secondary players in the NFL on their roster, but in an offensive game, that likely won’t matter.
NFC Blows Out AFC
By just taking a quick glance at the Pro Bowl rosters, it looks like the NFC team should have the upper hand. The NFC team also has some motivation in this game as they try to snap a two-game losing streak. It is always hard to predict how any All-Star game will go, but I don’t think these two teams are close in talent. Take the NFC over the AFC in the 2019 Pro Bowl.
