Drivers circling the construction zone that was once Aloha Stadium’s Kam parking lot were greeted by a massive blue and white flag emblazoned with a “12” hanging from a crane.
The symbol of the Seattle Seahawks fan base was also in abundance inside the stadium on Sunday, and several of their favorites highlighted the Pro Bowl’s return to Hawaii.
TOP PRO-FORMANCE
Team Rice • Tight End Travis Kelce
Somebody forgot to tell Travis Kelce he’s already been paid.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end caught the first touchdown pass thrown in Sunday’s NFL Pro Bowl from Eli Manning and added another score on a pass from Derek Carr.
He finished with five catches for a team-high 91 yards just two days after agreeing to a five-year, $46 million extension with $20 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.
He was the only player to catch multiple TD passes in Sunday’s Pro Bowl and showed off an impressive synchronized dance routine with New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. after his first touchdown catch.
–Billy Hull, Star-Advertiser
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Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes in the first half and Michael Irvin’s playmakers outshone those captained by fellow Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice in a 49-27 win in the Pro Bowl’s 35th appearance at Aloha Stadium.
“This is better than any of my Super Bowls, beating Jerry Rice,” Irvin boasted, tongue firmly in cheek.
Typically light on hitting — running backs rarely touched the turf with plays blown dead at the first hint of resistance — the Pro Bowl’s highlight moments were predominantly downfield throws, and Wilson validated Irvin’s decision to select him first in last Wednesday’s draft by completing eight of 12 passes for 164 yards and was named the game’s offensive MVP.
“This is for the 12th,” Wilson said as fans waved said flags in the stands. “All these Hawks fans from all over, it’s pretty cool to see.”
By the end of the afternoon, all three Team Irvin quarterbacks — Wilson, Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater and Tampa Bay rookie Jameis Winston — had thrown at least two touchdown passes, with seven different receivers reaching the end zone.
“That’s instincts,” said Jacksonville wideout Allen Robinson, who caught two passes for a game-high 105 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown from Bridgewater in the third quarter.
“Any and every Sunday, once you strap up it’s about making plays, especially at the receiver position.”
New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie snagged two of Team Irvin’s six interceptions. He fumbled away the first during his return and later made an impressive over-the-shoulder catch in the third quarter.
“I had to get another one,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “The first one I kind of let go, so it was a must just to get the other one and try to redeem myself.”
Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, who agreed to a a $46 million contract extension during his stay in Hawaii, was an early MVP candidate by catching two touchdown passes for Team Rice.
Seattle and Team Irvin defensive end Michael Bennett had a sack of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and batted a pass that was intercepted by Tennessee’s Jurrell Casey and was named defensive MVP.
Seahawks were involved in another of the game’s light moments when cornerback Richard Sherman lined up on offense for Team Irvin and ran the ball on a reverse. He was cut off, doubled back and was eventually dropped by Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner for a 22-yard loss.
“He was talking trash that he was going to get some routes and he was going to try to run through me,” Wagner said. “So when I saw him get the reverse … I wanted to be the one to make the tackle.”
For all of the frivolity, the game also marked the last time Oakland safety Charles Woodson would suit up in an NFL game, punctuating his 18-year career with his ninth Pro Bowl selection.
“I really got the emotions out of the way a few weeks back,” Woodson said on his final walk to the locker room. “This one is just the icing on the cake for me to able to make the Pro Bowl, to be able to bring my family over here to hang out in Hawaii, that’s really what it’s all about for me.”
Team Irvin 49, Team Rice 27
Team Rice |
7 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
— |
27 |
Team Irvin |
14 |
14 |
14 |
7 |
— |
49 |
First Quarter
RIC—Kelce 4 pass from Manning (J.Brown kick), 9:31.
IRV—J.Jones 14 pass from Wilson (pass failed), 7:59.
IRV—Freeman 6 pass from Wilson (J.Jones pass from Wilson), 3:40.
Second Quarter
IRV—Gurley 10 pass from Wilson (Bailey kick), 12:32.
RIC—Kelce 10 pass from Carr (J.Brown kick), 3:24.
IRV—Sproles 2 pass from Bridgewater (Bailey kick), :32.
Third Quarter
RIC—D.Martin 3 run (J.Brown kick), 8:55.
IRV—Robinson 50 pass from Bridgewater (Bailey kick), 6:48.
IRV—Walker 53 pass from Winston (Bailey kick), 1:51.
Fourth Quarter
IRV—Hopkins 7 pass from Winston (Bailey kick), 7:50.
RIC—Landry 31 pass from Taylor (pass failed), 6:05.
A—50,000.
|
RIC |
IRV |
First downs |
27 |
25 |
Total Net Yards |
457 |
503 |
Rushes-yards |
16-61 |
28-97 |
Passing |
396 |
406 |
Punt Returns |
1-24 |
0-0 |
Kickoff Returns |
0-0 |
0-0 |
Interceptions Ret. |
1-37 |
6-73 |
Comp-Att-Int |
29-49-6 |
20-32-1 |
Sacked-Yards Lost |
1-7 |
0-0 |
Punts |
1-42.0 |
2-44.5 |
Fumbles-Lost |
1-0 |
2-2 |
Penalties-Yards |
4-20 |
4-20 |
Time of Possession |
31:17 |
28:43 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Team Rice, D.Martin 7-20, Ivory 1-16, Taylor 2-15, Peerman 1-6, A.Peterson 5-4.
Team Irvin, Murray 9-42, Freeman 6-27, Gurley 3-18, DiMarco 3-15, Sproles 2-12, Bennett 1-7, Wilson 1-2, Winston 1-0, Frederick 1-(minus 4), Sherman 1-(minus 22).
PASSING
Team Rice, Carr 14-25-2-198, Taylor 8-14-3-120, Manning 6-9-1-75, Hekker 1-1-0-10.
Team Irvin, Wilson 8-12-0-164, Bridgewater 6-8-1-129, Winston 6-12-0-113.
RECEIVING
Team Rice, Kelce 5-91, D.Martin 5-20, Landry 3-81, Ivory 3-55, A.Peterson 3-20, Kuhn 3-17, Peerman 2-24, Barnidge 1-28, Cooper 1-23, Hilton 1-20, Beckham Jr. 1-14, Lockett 1-10.
Team Irvin, Walker 3-80, Hopkins 3-71, Green 3-60, Robinson 2-105, J.Jones 2-26, Gurley 2-18, Freeman 2-17, Murray 1-16, Eifert 1-11, Sproles 1-2.
MISSED FIELD GOALS
None.
PRO BOWL RESULTS
Unconferenced results
2016 — Team Irvin 49, Team Rice 27
2015 — Team Irvin 32, Team Carter 28
2014 — Team Rice 22, Team Sanders 21