First Report: Team Carter falls in Pro Bowl 32-28

Even though the Vikings didn’t have a player in the Pro Bowl this season purple Hall of Famer Chris Carter was an honorary coach so the Pro Bowl still retained a ‘norse’ feel.

January 20, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Carter alumni captain Cris Carter (left) and Team Irvin alumni captain Michael Irvin (right) pose with the trophy during the Pro Bowl Kickoff Press Conference at The Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The team in white and neon yellow took to defense first after head coach Carter deferred the toss holding Team Irvin to a field goal through the narrowed uprights.

Team Carter answered right back with a 75 yard touchdown drive capped off by an Andrew Luck to Greg Olsen 18 yard connection giving them the 7-3 lead. The game had a pre-season feel in terms of physicality and level of play.

NFC North foe Matthew Stafford fired a 10 yard touchdown pass put Team Irvin back in front 9-7 after he found teammate Golden Tate on +75 yard pass on the previous play.

Elvis Dumervil and the rest of Team Irvin pretty much disregarded the no blitz rule for most the first quarter until they were given an unsportsmanlike for an “illegal blitz” but Antonio Brown converted a 3rd and 17 to bail out Team Carter who later scored after TY Hilton grabbed his first ball, for a touchdown.

CC on the sideline after the blitz “Yeah they threw that blitz at us, I guess we are just going to have to change our game plan a little bit.”

Matthew Stafford did a Matthew Stafford type thing and couldn’t spike the ball before the end of the first quarter earning Team Carter the first defensive stop of the game due to special Pro Bowl rules.

Team Irvin was close behind, forcing a Pat McAfee punt then driving down the field for a Jimmy Graham touchdown, re-taking the lead 16-13.

Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Irvin tight end Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints (80) catches a touchdown pass in front of Team Carter safety Donte Whitner of the Cleveland Browns (31) in the 2015 Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees screwed over Vikings fans again overshooting his teammate Devin Hester on 4th and 6, handing the ball back to Team Irvin. Adam Vinatieri made up for his earlier extra point shank, tacking on a field goal extending the Irvin lead to 19-13

The Packer’s John Kuhn moved the sticks on 4th and 1 for the Vikings Hof’er on the following possession which ended in a Jordy Nelson TD catch.

Carter’s defensive captain JJ Watt did Texan and Viking fans proud intercepting Matthew Stafford at the 8 yard line to end the half, preserving the 1 point lead for Team Carter.

John Gruden said on the air “I don’t know how JJ Watt isn’t the MVP of this league.” That is of course until Aaron Rodgers name came up, to which he said “it would be a tough call.”

Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Carter defensive end J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans (99) blocks a pass by Team Irvin quarterback Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions (9) in the 2015 Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

JJ Watt started the second half with a fumble recovery, echoing his head coaches’ sentiments at half to “turn it up a notch.” The new instant replay protocol game into effect when Greg Olson appeared to have both feet down in the endzone but the officials ruled him to be out of bounds. Referee John Parry reviewed the call on the field using a tablet and overtuned the ruling on the field awarding Olson a touchdown.

Drew Brees hit TY Hilton on a slant route for the two point conversion and Team Carter led 28-19 early in the third quarter.

Brent Grimes added to his impressive night, intercepting Drew Brees of Team Carter in the endzone right after Michael Irvin said “we need a turnover” on the sideline keeping Team Irvin in the game already down 9.

Team Irvin went 80 yards ending the drive with a Matt Ryan to Emmanuel Sanders TD pass. Adam Vinatieri missed his second extra point of the night, something extremely unusual but easily explained by the closer goal posts and elongated yardage.

Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Irvin wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders of the Denver Broncos (10) scores a touchdown in front of Team Carter cornerback Sam Shields of the Green Bay Packers (37) in the 2015 Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Andy Dalton looked like the QB that didn’t deserve to be in the Pro Bowl like many said and was sacked by AFC North rival Elvis Dumervil going 3 and out his first drive.

Adam Vinatieri continued his atrocious night missing a game tying field goal something I have never personally witnessed. He actually got booed on his way off the field to end the third quarter.

Andy Dalton started to make a habit of going three and out, doing it on consecutive drives giving the ball back to Team Irvin with a chance to tie.

The game slowed down significantly in the late stages in the third quarter and as Team Irvin also went three and out but forcing Team Carter to start inside their 5 up by three.

Dalton made it a three peat, unable to find Antonio Brown on third and 4 and Team Carter punted from inside their own 10.

Antoine Bethea didn’t want the extra $27,000 to slip away and legitimately laid the wood on Darren Sproles in the open field but Team Irvin was already down inside the red zone. Aquib Talib echoed Bethea’s sentiment and made a nice play on a fade route bringing up 4th and down from the one.

Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Irvin quarterback Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons (2) during the 2015 Pro Bowl against Team Carter at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the fourth and one Matt Ryan calmed everybody down, calling a button hook to Jimmy Graham which he hit to give Team Irvin the 32-28 lead with 3 minutes remaining.

Team Carter finally got their 1st, first down with Andy Dalton at the helm when they needed it the most after a couple of Alfred Morris runs. Team Carter got the ball across the 50 behind Morris down by 4 with under two minutes to go.

It started to look like a pro football game with 27K on the line under two minutes to go, including increased legitimate hitting and tension in the voices of the millionaires on the field and sidelines.

Dalton worked his checkdowns extensively including Morris and Forsett moving the Carter offense to the Irvin 20 yard line with 1:07 to go.

Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Carter quarterback Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals (14) throws a pass against Team Irvin in the 2015 Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Eventually Team Irvin started to take away the underneath routes forcing a crucial 4th and 10 from Irvin’s 18 yard line with 53 seconds left.

Andy Dalton threw a duck off his back foot to end the game looking for either Greg Olson or Antonio Brown and Team Carter fell to Team Irvin 32-28 in the 2015 Pro Bowl.