It was a little disconcerting for everyone, watching a football game for the first time without a kickoff. Is this the wave of the future? It felt a little too much like practice or a spring game.

Team Sanders won the toss and elected to defer. When asked what direction the teams would like to take, nobody cared.

A quick three-and-out by Team Rice gave way to a five-play, 79-yard touchdown drive by Team Sanders. The scoring play was a 36-yard touchdown pass from Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck to Philadelphia receiver DeSean Jackson, who made a great leaping catch for the score. Justin Tucker added the PAT for the only score of the quarter.

This game was much more competitive than a true all-star game. Drew Brees was picked twice and sacked twice in the opening 15 minutes as the defenses ruled.

With the over/under set at 93, those who went low must have had big smiles plastered on their faces.

Team Rice had a chance to score with a first-and-goal at the 6 after a batted Luck pass turned into an interception by Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Team Rice set up shop at the Team Sanders 27, but got no closer than the 3, failing to convert a fourth-down pass from Brees to New Orleans teammate Jimmy Graham.

Late in the quarter, Brees threw a 14-yard completion to Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez. It was a Pro Bowl record 50th catch for Gonzalez, extending the retiring tight end’s own mark.

Again, Team Rice was moving the football, but another deflected pass by Brees on a second-and-3 play from the Team Sanders 15 was picked off by Kansas City strong safety Eric Berry and he returned it 29 yards before he lateraled it to Darrelle Revis. The Tampa Bay defensive back went another 15 before being forced out of bounds to end the quarter with Team Sanders holding the 7-0 lead.