Is saving the Pro Bowl a fantasy in 2014?
The NFL apparently believes so, saying traditional kickoffs and the time-honored NFC vs. the AFC format are things of the past as team captains and fantasy draft champions pick the teams for the Jan. 26 game at Aloha Stadium.
Whether TV viewers and fans will be, as presenting sponsor McDonald’s likes to put it, "lovin’ it," is uncertain, but the Hawaii Tourism Authority is hopeful.
"The new format for selecting the teams should bring greater interest to the game," said Michael Story of the HTA, which spends more than $4 million annually on the game.
In place of the AFC vs. NFC format employed since 1971, participants will be selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches and players. For example, the six leading quarterbacks in the voting will be all-stars regardless of how many are from AFC or NFC teams.
The two players with the largest vote totals will be made team captains. They will be assisted by two NFL.com fantasy football champions and alumni team captains Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders in picking the teams. The Jan. 22 "draft" will be held here and shown on the NFL Network. The format will be similar to what the NHL does.
Other changes include:
Game Within the Game: A two-minute warning will be added to the first and third quarters and the ball will change hands after each quarter. This will increase the opportunities for quarterbacks to direct "two-minute drills."
No Kickoffs: The coin toss will determine which team is awarded possession first. The ball will be placed on the 25-yard line at the start of each quarter and after scoring plays.
Rosters: Rosters will still consist of 43 players per squad. The kick returner will be replaced by an additional defensive back.
Cover Two and Press Coverage: The defense will be permitted to play "cover two" and "press" coverage. Previously, only "man" coverage was permitted, except for goal-line situations.
Stopping of the Game Clock: Beginning at the two-minute mark of every quarter, if the offense does not gain at least 1 yard, the clock will stop as if the play were an incomplete pass. This rule will make the team with the ball attempt to gain yardage toward the end of each quarter.
Game Timing: The game clock will start after an incomplete pass on the signal of the referee, except inside the last two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the second half.
Play Clock: A 35-second/25-second play clock will be adopted instead of the typical 40-second/25-second clock.
Sacks: The game clock will not stop on quarterback sacks outside of the final two minutes of the game. Currently, the clock stops in these situations outside of two minutes of the second and fourth quarters.
