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Jan 27, 2014 at 12.30am UK
Team Sanders
21-22
Team Rice
FT
Jackson (10:06)
7
Q1
0
Newton (5:42)
7
Q2
14
Graham (9:05), Gordon (0:36)
0
Q3
0
Cameron (4:41)
7
Q4
8
Murray (0:41)

Live Commentary: Team Sanders 21-22 Team Rice - as it happened

Relive with Sports Mole all the action from the Pro Bowl clash between Team Sanders and Team Rice from Hawaii.
2

Team Rice and Team Sanders met in the newly re-formatted version of the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders drafted teams of players selected by their peers and supporters to compete in the All-Star game in the penultimate game of the 2013 NFL season.

Sanders's side led for the majority of the game but were beaten right at the death as Alex Smith drove his team downfield for a score from DeMarco Murray and Mike Tolbert ran in for the two-point conversion to hand his side the victory by one point.

Read below to see how all the action unfolded.


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Good morning and welcome to the live commentary of the NFL Pro Bowl clash between Team Rice and Team Sanders.

The Pro Bowl has undergone a change this year, as the teams are no longer from their respective conferences. So there is no battle between the best players in the AFC and NFC this year.

This year the teams have been drafted by Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders, who taken the best players that were selected by their colleagues and the fans this season.

Let's have a look at those teams now starting with Team Rice.

Team Rice Offense: QB Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, RB Matt Forte, LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray, FB Mike Tolbert, WR Larry Fitzgerald, Josh Gordon, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, TE Jimmy Graham, Tony Gonzalez, OT Jordan Gross, Tyron Smith, Joe Thomas, OG Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs, Evan Mathis, OC Ryan Kalil, Nick Mangold.

Team Rice Defense: DE Cameron Jordan, Robert Quinn, Cameron Wake, DT Marcell Dareus, Jason Hatcher, Kyle Williams, OLB John Abraham, Justin Houston, Robert Mathis, ILB Derrick Johnson, Vontaze Burfict, CB Antonio Cromartie, Brandon Flowers, Joe Haden, Alterraun Verner, S Jairus Byrd, Eric Reid, Antrell Rolle.

Team Rice ST: Justin Bethel, P Jonny Hekker, LS Matt Overton, K Stephen Gostkowski.

There is lots of talent on Team Rice as you would expect in this game. Drew Brees will start for his side, and have an arsenal of weapons around him including the rushing yards leader of the 2013 season LeSean McCoy, along with Chicago Bears duo Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. Brees has his Saints duo of Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs protecting him along with Tyron Smith and Joe Thomas.

Defensively the team are led by the NFL leader in sacks Robert Mathis along with the second placed player Robert Quinn. Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams will control the inside of the along with Cincinnati Bengals tackling machine Vontaze Burfict, while on the back end Brandon Flowers and Alterraun Verner will be looking to pick off passes.

Now let us check out Team Sanders.

Team Sanders Offense: QB Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Nick Foles, RB Jamaal Charles, Eddie Lacy, Alfred Morris, FB Marcel Reece, WR Dez Bryant, Antonio Brown, AJ Green, DeSean Jackson, TE Jordan Cameron, Jason Witten, OT Branden Albert, Trent Williams, Duane Brown, OG Kyle Long, Logan Mankins, Marshal Yanda, OC Alex Mack, Mike Pouncey.

Team Sanders Defense: DE Greg Hardy, JJ Watt, Mario Williams, DT Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, Ndamukong Suh, OLB Tamba Hali, Brian Orakpo, Terrell Suggs, ILB Luke Kuechly, Paul Posluszny, CB Brent Grimes, Tim Jennings, Patrick Peterson, Darrelle Revis, S Eric Berry, TJ Ward, Eric Weddle.

Team Sanders ST: Matthew Slater, P Brandon Fields, LS JJ Jansen, K Justin Tucker.

Team Sanders is quarterbacked by Andrew Luck after his excellent second season in the NFL as he led his injury-hit Indianapolis Colts side into the divisional round of the playoffs. He has some serious weapons around him including Jamaal Charles and Alfred Morris. At receiver he has a combination of size and speed with Dez Bryant and AJ Green bringing a physical edge while DeSean Jackson and Antonio Brown are the speedsters. Another good line for this side featuring rookie Kyle Long and Logan Mankins along with Alex Mack.

Defensively there is only one place to start and that is the beast JJ Watt, who will dominate the line after a good season if not as productive as his 2012 campaign, but he will still be doing what he does and that's go hell for leather on every play. We may even see him on offense. Elsewhere T-Sizzle is here and will be looking to talk smack as he usually does while being very productive, while outstanding second-year linebacker Luke Kuechly will show his talent on the national stage once again. A fascinating tandem of Patrick Peterson and Darrelle Revis will start at cornerback, so good luck to the receivers on Team Rice trying to get open against them.

This game tends to be a high-scoring affair, as the players don't quite play to their peaks as they don't want to injure themselves, which is quite right as well. We usually see some trick plays and some odd happenings, so it's quite a fun event.

Brees will start at the 25 for Team Rice, as there are no kickoffs in this game.

SACK! Team Rice goes three and out as Brees is sacked for a two-yard loss by McCoy and on third down and 12 he is pressured by Mario Williams as he tried to find Marshall down the sideline. Hekker's punt is collected by Patterson at the 21 before he gets drilled by Peterson.

Team Sanders gets moving on their first series as Luck fires to Reece over the middle of the field and he sprints down to the Rice's 49-yard line for a 21-yard gain on second and one, after Quinn jumped offside on second and six, which cancelled out a sack of Luck.

Luck goes short over the middle of the field again to Green and he gets seven yards on the play before he gets thrown out of bounds at the 42 and then a short pass to Patterson down the seam gets six yards for the first down. Luck is having some success throwing the ball, as usual in this fixture.

TOUCHDOWN TEAM SANDERS!

Team Sanders take the lead and it's one of those trick plays we were talking about earlier that opens the scoring this morning, as Luck hands the ball off to Charles and the back tosses it back to the quarteback who throws deep for Jackson in the endzone, Reid and Verner are there to break up the pass but it's the receiver who makes the grab for the score.

Another start at the 25 for Brees.

Another three and out for Brees as his pass to Gonzalez on third and three falls incomplete. That's the fun thing about the Pro Bowl, is that usual rivals Brees and Gonzalez are on the same team, you can see why they don't play together after that play though. Hekker's punt is taken to the 25-yard line by Brown.

Reece makes another grab for a first down as Luck fires the ball to him on an out route and takes the ball to the Sanders' 41 before he gets pushed out of bounds, after Charles got seven yards on a first-down carry.

INTERCEPTION TEAM RICE!

An incredible play by Burfict as pressure gets to Luck and Quinn knocks his pass up in the air and Burfict runs onto the ball and make a diving grab to get the pick.

Brees gets his first first down of the game as he fires deep down the sideline for Graham, that's better for the Saints duo to work together rather than with the Falcons tight end, and they hook up for 16 yards to take him down to the six-yard line.

Brees goes down on third and goal as Suh powers through the line and nearly takes him down for a loss, but because intentional grounding doesn't exist in the Pro Bowl he gets away with throwing the ball into the ground. They're going to go for it on fourth down.

Team Rice doesn't get the touchdown from the six-yard line as Brees is pressure yet again this time by Watt as he bursts through the line and the quarterback is just forced to get rid of the ball and his pass is nearly intercepted by Ward.

Team Sanders take over on the six and Charles gets his team moving immediately after they are handed five yards on first and the churns up the middle of the line for a 17-yard gain to take them to the Sanders' 25.

Two-minute warning in the first quarter and a sight that will make Chiefs head coach Andy Reid squirm as Charles takes an absolute battering as he ran through the line but it was by his own teammates at the Chiefs Derrick Johnson. I don't think he'll be too happy with Johnson when he next sees him. That was after Jackson got away with a fumble on an endaround, where he was forced to drop on the ball.

Team Sanders punts away after they failed to convert a third and 15 after Jackson's error put them in long yardage and Luck's pass downfield is nearly picked off by Johnson. Fields punt is taken to the 48 by McCluster.

Brees's converts a third down and five as he and Gonzalez connect this time on a corner route and he makes the grabs that takes Team Rice into Team Sanders territory with a 13-yard reception.

Another first down conversion by Brees to the 25-yard line as he fires to Jeffery on a slant route and he takes the ball to the 18 before he is brought down. Team Rice are wisely using their timeouts because at the start of the second quarter Team Sanders get the ball back.

INTERCEPTION TEAM SANDERS!

Brees goes to the endzone with time running out in the quarter and looks to Fitzgerald but the ball bounces off his hands and is intercepted by Berry, who tries to take the ball out and laterals to Revis, who is tackled at the 44-yard line. That won't matter as they will move back to the 25 for the start of the second quarter.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Team Sanders 7-0 Team Rice

Newton comes into the game for Luck in the second quarter and he doesn't get off to the best of starts as he goes three and out as he is decked by Dareus for a nine-yard loss and he tried to spin to avoid Hatcher. Fields punts to the Rice 32 where McCluster gathers and takes it to the 40 before he is tackled by Ward.

Brees and co pick up a first down as they fake about three reverses until the ball goes to Gordon and he runs for 13-yard gain into Sanders' territory before he is upended by his Browns teammate Ward, now it's the turn of new Browns coach Mike Pettine to worry, as he Gordon was spun upside down there.

Brees goes short down the right sideline for McCoy out of the backfield for 18 yards to get down to the 29-yard line and he used his speed to evade a couple of tacklers.

Tolbert comes through the middle of the line and absolutely crushes Kuechly as he tries to tackle him on third and one, after McCoy got eight yards on first down and Jeffery only got a yard on second down.

TOUCHDOWN TEAM RICE!

Team Rice draw level as Brees goes under center and has Graham split out wide and the quarterback does a Saints special and throws a jump ball for the 6ft 6in tight end against 5ft 10in Brent Grimes and there's no contest as Graham hauls the ball in with ease.

Newton will start at the 25.

INTERCEPTION TEAM RICE!

Newton throws the ball to Jackson on a curl route and as he makes the turn to complete the reception Haden strips the ball out of his grasp into his and makes the pick at the Sanders' 40. Game on!

INTERCEPTION TEAM SANDERS!

Philip Rivers comes into the game for Team Rice and he takes a hit on his first play from Watt and he loses the ball as it bounces into the hands of Poe, who makes the grab for the interception and he runs it back to the seven-yard line. What a play by the big man.

Team Sanders can't get the ball into the endzone on their three attempts as Newton is sacked for a four-yard loss on second by Quinn and Byrant is held out by a combination of three tacklers and Johnson with a late hit to stop him on a slant route for a 10-yard reception. That leaves fourth and goal on the one-yard line, and they're going for it.

TOUCHDOWN TEAM SANDERS!

Team Sanders take the lead as Newton keeps the ball himself on fourth and goal and it looks as though he's going to be stopped but he keeps the legs moving and gets over the line for the score.

Rivers will start at the 25.

INTERCEPTION TEAM SANDERS!

Another interception from Team Sanders. They're doing their captain proud, as Rivers tries to hit Marshall on a go route down the left sideline but the pass is slightly underthrown and Peterson goes up to make the pick as he tips the ball into his own hands at the Rice 47.

FUMBLE!

Team Sanders get put in a third and long situation as Newton goes down on first down as Jordan gets to him in the pocket and drags him down for a 10-yard loss, and on third down Newton throws a screen to Morris and he gets 15 yards of it back before he takes a whack from Johnson and loses the ball, and Verner gathers at the 42 for Team Rice.

Two-minute warning and Team Rice have a third and two at midfield.

Murray gets the carry on third down and he finds a hole in the line and gets six yards to get the first down for his side.

Rivers goes downfield and he hits Marshall on an out-route and he makes the grab for a 21-yard reception at the Sanders 24.

Rivers goes underneath twice as he hits Graham down the right sideline for an eight-yard gain and then he goes to Murray for a six-yard reception down to the Sanders' 10.

TOUCHDOWN TEAM RICE!

Rivers goes into the endzone with a 10-yard throw to the left sideline and Gordon goes up to make an excellent catch and he corrals the ball and does well to get both feet in bounds over Peterson.

Newton will begin at the 25 again.

Newton goes short on a screen pass to Morris and he makes several players miss down the right sideline after making a good grab in a tight area from Newton, and he gets 27 yards on the ground to take his side to their 48-yard line.

Newton goes short on third and 19 to Cameron down the middle of the field for an eight-yard reception to get his side into range for either a Hail Mary or a long field goal attempt. Tucker is going to go for a 66-yarder.

FIELD GOAL NO GOOD! Sanders 14-Rice

Tucker's kick falls short of the posts and Cromartie tries to return the ball and he get all the way to the 40-yard line before he is tackled to the ground and that will end the half.

HALF-TIME: Team Sanders 14-14 Team Rice

Half time in the Pro Bowl and it has been more entertaining that in the past few seasons, as the defensive lines have been on top as there have been six quarterback sacks along with more interesting hits from them on Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck. There's also been some good offensive football as Gordon showed great athleticism to go up for the ball and make his grab, while Jackson has the play of the game so far as he got between two defenders off Luck's flea-flicker to get his touchdown grab.

Rivers to start the third quarter for Team Rice at the 25.

FUMBLE!

Another turnover in the game as McCoy gets the handoff and runs into a wall but he cuts the play back and reverses it to the other side where he gets absolutely nailed by Berry and he picks the ball up to complete the recovery.

There is confusion over the snap count as Newton gets the ball and for once in the game the defense are slow in their rush and he fire the ball to Morris and he breaks free of a few tackles of his shirt and he gets 16 yards down to the Rice five-yard line.

Team Sanders is stopped on their three attempts as Newton fumbles the ball on first and goal and then he goes short to Morris over the middle for a four-yard gain leaving, third and goal at the four-yard line. Morris gets the handoff again but he is brought down for no gain by Dareus. Sanders is going to go for it on fourth down.

Team Rice make the stand as Newton takes the snap in the shotgun and he tries to drill the ball to Bryant on an incut over the middle but the pass falls incomplete, and Rice's side will take over on downs at their four-yard line.

Rivers gets his side off their goalline on third and 10 as he goes deep down the seam for Gonzalez and he takes the ball to the Rice 38 with a 31-yard reception. A nice grab by the tight end.

Rivers goes short to Forte who comes into the game on a screen pass as the rush over pursues and the quarterback can just dump the ball off to the back and he gets the ball in space for a 13-yard gain.

SACK! Hardy kills the drive for Team Rice as he gets to Rivers in the pocket and drags him down for a four-yard loss and Rivers can only get four yards of it back as he goes over the middle to Graham on third down but the tight end is tackled immediately. Hekker's punt is collected at the Sanders 11 by Patterson.

Lacy powers through the middle of the line for an eight-yard gain and then comes back with a one-yarder on second leaving third and one, and on third he gets the handoff yet again and he gets the first down for his side with a four-yard carry.

Team Sanders can't extend their drive as Newton throws three incompletions, with the last nearly being picked off as he tried to find Bryant in tight coverage down the left sideline. Fields punts to McCluster who makes on man miss and gets to the Rice 26 with a nine-yard return.

Smith comes into the game for Rivers and he gets his side moving with a short completion to Forte on an option route down the right sideline with a 10-yard reception to move the chains at the 36-yard line.

Smith fires over the middle of the field on second and 10 and he finds Graham on a crossing route for a 15-yard recption to take his side into Sanders' territory.

SACK! Another drive comes to and end as Watt steams through the line overpowering Gross on the edge and he gets to Smith to drag him down for a seven-yard loss on third and 10 following two incompletion. Hekker's punt is collected by Patterson at the Sanders' four-yard line.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: Team Sanders 14-14 Team Rice

SACK! Hatcher gets to Foles who replaces Newton in the game and kills the drive from Team Sanders after Lacy got a carry on first down for four yards through the middle of the line. Fields punts to the 24-yard line where McCluster beats a tackle and then goes down.

McCoy gets the handoff on first and he finds a hole through the middle of the line and gets 15 yards on the carry to take his side near midfield.

Smith fires short to Gonzalez for a five-yard gain down the right sideline and then he goes short to Marshall for a seven-yard gain to get the first down for his side to move them into Sanders' territory.

On third down and 10, Smith doesn't have any open receivers downfield so he takes off down the middle of the field and gets 14 yards with his feet to get the first down for his side, to move them into the field-goal range.

SACK! On third and 10 again and Smith looks downfield but this time he gets sacked from behind as McCoy gets to him in the pocket and drags him down for a four-yard loss and that will leave Gostkowski with a 54-yard field goal attempt.

FIELD GOAL NO GOOD! Sanders 14-14 Rice

Gostkowski can't convert as his kick smacks the post and bounces out. That was close but it's still level.

Team Sanders take over at the 40-yard line and on third and five they need a conversion desperately and Foles goes deep down the right sideline for Brown on a go route and the receiver gets just enough separation to make the grab over Haden for the 38-yard reception, to take them to the Rice 17-yard line.

TOUCHDOWN TEAM SANDERS!

Team Sanders takes the lead as Foles drops back in the pocket on second and nine and he lofts a pass up in the air for a jump ball for his tight end Cameron and he makes the grab for the 16-yard score over Rolle, who tried to defend the pass.

Smith starts at the 25-yard line.

Smith is pressured on third and two by Watt and he forces the incompletion, which brings the punt team out on the field after Forte got his side moving in first with an eight-yard carry through the middle of the line. Team Rice go for the fake punt and Tolbert gets the snap and he runs through a tackle from Reece to get the yardage needed to move the chains.

Smith keeps his side in the game on fourth down and eight as he finds Gordon down the right sideline on an out route for a 14-yard gain to move into Sanders' territory, an excellent throw by the quarterback as he was under some pressure there, and kudos to the receiver for making the grab in tight coverage at the 45.

INTERCEPTION TEAM SANDERS!

Another fourth down situation for Team Rice and Smith but this time he can't come up with the play as he is pressured out of the pocket and is forced to throw on the run and his luck finally runs out as Grimes makes the interception and returns the ball to the 35-yard line.

Charles comes back into the game and gets the carry on first down for his side and he beats a tackle over the left side of the line and he churns out 10 yards before he gets brought down, at the 45 when he gets knocked out of bounds. That is the two-minute warning.

Team Sanders can't kill the clock as Lacy is drive backwards on first down and that stops the clock and then a false start penalty takes them back even further. Lacy gets a few yards on second but on third Foles tries to pass and is forced to throw the ball away. Fields' punt is returned to the Rice 40 by McCluster. Smith needs a touchdown to tie the game here.

Smith fires downfield to Gordon who gets his side into Sanders' territory with a 24-yard reception to the 34-yard line on a incut over the middle of the field.

Another strike by Smith as he fires deep down the right sideline for Jeffery who gets to the 20-yard line with a 14-yard reception with Revis in tight coverage.

TOUCHDOWN TEAM RICE!

Smith fires to Murray over the middle of the field and he makes a cut to make a man miss and he gets behind a couple of blocks to gets into the endzone for the 20-yard score to bring themselves within one point of Team Sanders. They're going to go for the two-point score to take the lead.

TWO-POINT CONVERSION GOOD! Smith hands the ball off to Tolbert on the goalline and he powers through the line for the score to hand his side the lead.

There's still time for a score from Team Sanders.

Foles fires to Witten twice over the middle of the field to gets 26 yards with receptions of 15 and 11 yard respectively. That takes them to the Rice 49.

Foles is pressured and Hatcher forces the incompletion. It's either a Hail Mary or a 67-yard field goal from here. They're going to go for the field goal.

FIELD GOAL NO GOOD! TEAM RICE WIN THE PRO BOWL!

Tucker tries the kick from 67 yards it's on target but doesn't have the distance and that is that.

FULL-TIME: Team Sanders 21-22 Team Rice

Team Rice prevail in the first game of the newly formatted Pro Bowl. It was a good hard-hitting game from ones that we have seen in the past as defense dominated for most of the match, and the quarterbacks did take some hits. Team Rice just made enough plays to get the win but overall the result doesn't really matter, as these players were rewarded for their fine performances this season and credit to them.

Our focus now shifts to the big one next week. The final game in the 2013 season as the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos face off in Super Bowl 48 at MetLife Stadium. We'll be bringing you all the action as it happens from New Jersey so be sure to join us for that. Until next week, goodbye.

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Nose tackle Dontari Poe #92 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to the preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead Stadium on August 29, 2013
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