Larry Fitzgerald Scores 3 TDs in 59-41 NFC Loss In Pro Bowl

It is an otherwise meaningless game, but with an extra $25,000 going to each of the players on the winning team, the AFC pulled away from the NFC in the fourth quarter of the Pro Bowl and get the winning spoils, winning the game 59-41. Brandon Marshall was the MVP of the game, scoring on four touchdown receptions, finishing with six receptions for 177 yards.

The Arizona Cardinals in the game made an impact. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald scored the first two touchdowns of the game and also the last one of the game. He finished with six catches for 111 yards and the three scores. With the three touchdowns, he set a career Pro Bowl record for TD receptions with seven. He passed fellow NFC Pro Bowler Tony Gonzalez, who has six in his career.

Rookie Patrick Peterson also filled the stat sheet. After getting beat for a TD by A.J. Green, he picked off a passed, defensed another and had four tackles on defense. He also caught a pass that went for a eight yards and a first down and returned four kicks, averaging 30 yards a return, including a 48-yarder.

Adrian Wilson broke up a pass in the first quarter, but that was it.

The score was tied 28-28 at the half, the AFC led 38-35 after three quarters, but did the big damage in the fourth quarter behind rookie Andy Dalton at quarterback.

The game featured such gimmicks as two onside kicks, Drew Brees attempting to drop kick an extra point (he failed), center Nick Mangold lining up wide on an extra point try, a receiver playing defense (Antonio Brown at cornerback) and a cornerback catching a pass from a punter (Patrick Peterson from Andy Lee) on a fake punt play.

Now we move on to Super Bowl Week.

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It's the NFL Pro Bowl so what did you expect? Defense? Hitting? Effort? Nope, none of that is on display in Hawaii as the top football talent in the world go through the motions and nice friendly game of touch. At least that was the case until things started to heat up late in the third quarter as the AFC looked a little miffed after being punked one too many times on special teams.

The second half started with the AFC kicking the first field goal of the game, a 37-yarder from the big boot of Sebastian "Seabass" Janikowski. The NFC, after throwing a pick on their first possession, answered with a Cam Newton to Steve Smith 55 yard TD pass.

Then things got fun...or something.

The NFC completed their second onside kick of the game because they clearer a) want to win more and b) are making fun of all of us by playing this game like you would play a meaningless game of Madden on your xBox.

Newton couldn't make the "big, ballsy play" stand up, however, as he threw his second pick of the quarter.

The AFC must have been pissed about being punked three times on special teams so they got serious and started running the ball. Running the ball is serious business in a Pro Bowl considering how little effort the line man give in an effort to not damage themselves in a meaningless game that we care about for some reason that we can't really explain.

But then the AFC blew it with AJ Green trying just a little too hard to get a touchdown and instead putting the ball on the turf. Fumble. What a cluster that can probably be blamed on players not tucking their shirts in.

The circus continued as the third quarter started to wind down, Andy Dalton threw the ball up for grabs and two NFC defensive backs ran into each other and tipped the ball of Brandon Marshall's foot, into the air and back down into Marshall's hands as he lay on his back in the end zone. Marshall has three TDs after three quarters of play so bully on him.

The AFC has 528 yards while the NFC has 448 as the final quarter of "action" begins.

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Maybe if it was OK to rush the quarterback with fervor, there wouldn't be so many touchdown passes in the Pro Bowl. Nevertheless, the NFL All-Star Game is a QBs-to-receivers showcase and Sunday is no exception.

After Arizona Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald caught the first two touchdown passes of the game for the NFC, the AFC rallied and another Cardinal took his place in the annals of the Pro Bowl.

Rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson picked off a Philip Rivers pass for A.J. Green 44 seconds into the second quarter, tipping the ball to himself with one hand. Fitzgerald came up with two more catches in the quarter to give him four, and with 4:23 left on fourth-and-3, San Francisco punter Andy Lee completed a fake punt pass to Peterson, who made a one-handed catch, to keep a drive alive.

With a combined four touchdowns scored in both the first and second quarters, there wasn't much else in the way of crazy plays. Except when Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen performed a barrel roll just before a snap. Rivers hit Miami's Brandon Marshall for a touchdown pass on the play.

Running backs be damned, the AFC and NFC have combined for 666 passing yards in the first half. There can only be more aerial attacks in the second half as the desire to win becomes greater with bonus money on the line.

In what is expected in the Pro Bowl, the game looks more or less like what it is -- an exhibition. The defenses are light and the players are out there having fun. After one quarter, the NFC and AFC are tied at 14.

The NFC got off to 14-0 lead when Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals hauled in a 10-yard and a 44-yarder from Aaron Rodgers for touchdowns. The second score came after the NFC went for an onside kick.

Another member of the Arizona Cardinals, rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson was involved in another touchdown. Having made the NFC squad as a kick returner, he was in coverage and got beat by fellow rookie A.J. Green for a TD.

Miami's Brandon Marshall scored the other touchdown in the quarter on a 34-yard play from Ben Roethlisberger.

Safety Adrian Wilson also made a good play in coverage, breaking up a pass intended for Chargers TE Antonio Gates.

In the first quarter of the 2012 Pro Bowl, it has been marked by lackadaisical play for the most part. Defenses can't blitz or play press coverage. It makes for an offensive show.

Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals has been the entire show so far. In two targets from Aaron Rodgers, he scored two touchdowns. The first came on a wide receiver screen play from 10 yards out. He actually ran through Champ Bailey to get to the endzone.

The ensuing kickoff by the NFC was a surprise. They went for the onside kick and recovered the ball. On the first play of the next drive, Rodgers threw the ball deep to Fitz as he was covered by Darrelle Revis. He was wide open and scored a 44-yard TD.

With the score, Fitzgerald tied the Pro Bowl record for receiving TDs. He has six in his career.

Here is the video of the 44-yarder.

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