AFC holds off NFC for fifth straight Pro Bowl win

Justin Herbert threw two touchdown passes, Mac Jones tossed one and the AFC held on for a 41-35 win over the NFC in the Pro Bowl on Sunday in Las Vegas. It marked the AFC’s fifth straight Pro Bowl victory.

Mark Andrews had five catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns to lead the AFC. Hunter Renfrow also caught a touchdown pass, and Stefon Diggs scored a rushing touchdown.

Kyler Murray threw three touchdown passes for the NFC, and Kirk Cousins had one. Kyle Juszczyk, Mike Evans, Kyle Pitts and Dalvin Cook each caught TD passes in the loss.

The AFC opened the scoring on a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown by Darius Leonard with 12:17 remaining in the first quarter. Leonard, who had four interceptions to go along with a league-high eight forced fumbles this season, stepped in front of a high pass from Murray.

The NFC pulled even at 7-7 on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Juszczyk with 9:57 to go in the quarter. But less than a minute later, Andrews grabbed a 15-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to give the AFC a 14-7 lead.

The NFC pulled within 14-13 on a pick-six by Antoine Winfield Jr. on the final play of the first quarter. Winfield faked a pitch and kept the ball for a 63-yard touchdown return, but a two-point conversion attempt failed.

In the first minute of the second quarter, Myles Garrett had a 22-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. Jones followed that with a successful two-point conversion, finding Diontae Johnson in the end zone to put the AFC on top 22-13.

Murray fired a 19-yard touchdown pass to Evans with 10:41 left in the second quarter. Murray then connected with CeeDee Lamb for a two-point conversion that pulled the NFC within 22-21.

A 7-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to Andrews, followed by an unsuccessful two-point attempt, gave the AFC a 28-21 lead with 5:01 left in the second quarter. Next came a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Renfrow — again followed by an unsuccessful two-point attempt — to make it 34-21 with 7:24 to go in the third quarter.

The AFC’s advantage increased to 41-21 on Diggs’ 4-yard run late in the third quarter.

The NFC cut the deficit to 41-28 on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Pitts with 10:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, and Murray threw his third touchdown pass, a 5-yard strike to Cook, with 2:36 left.

–Field Level Media