Posted at 7:15 p.m., Sunday, February 2, 2003
AFC rolls past NFC in Pro Bowl, 45-20
Associated Press
Ricky Williams' first trip to the Pro Bowl was worth the wait.The Miami Dolphins' star running back rushed for 56 yards, scored two touchdowns and forced a fumble on special teams to earn the MVP award in the AFC's 45-20 victory over the NFC today at Aloha Stadium.
The AFC had six interceptions while beating the NFC for its sixth victory in the last seven Pro Bowls.
Starting quarterback Rich Gannon, the MVP of the regular season and the previous two Pro Bowls, went 12-for-18 for 102 yards and two TDs as the NFL wrapped up its season with another high-scoring, entertaining all-star game.
Williams, who led the NFL in rushing after three tough seasons in New Orleans, also caught three passes as the AFC jumped to a 28-6 halftime lead and eliminated the tension already minor at best from this good-natured exhibition.
"What's fun is how laid-back everything is," Williams said. "It's always great to get in the end zone, but it's especially great to do it against the best players in the world with millions of people watching."
The AFC nearly broke the Pro Bowl record of 51 points set by the NFC in 2000. But Buffalo's Eric Moulds was ruled out of bounds in the end zone with 1:24 left after a 36-yard pass from Indianapolis' Peyton Manning.
A sellout crowd at Aloha Stadium enjoyed another blowout victory for the AFC, which has dominated the matchup in recent years. Each of the AFC's players earned $30,000 for the win, with the NFC's stars receiving $15,000 apiece.
