The AFC has a five-game Pro Bowl win streak though there was some late drama.
The AFC scored 13 consecutive points in the second half to open up a 20-point lead at one point before holding on for a 41-35 win in a turnover-filled game. The two teams combined for eight turnovers. Seven of them were interceptions and six of them happened in the first half.
Justin Herbert’s fourth-quarter interception with the AFC up 41-28 gave the NFC a chance to get back into the game and cut the deficit to six. But Mac Jones hit Najee Harris on a fourth-down pass with less than two minutes to go to seal the win.
Jones’ pass to Harris came a play after he appeared to run for a touchdown on third down. He would have scored in any other game, but tackling was optional on Sunday.
The game was a glorified 7-on-7 flag football scrimmage. There wasn’t much tackling as evidenced by Jones being “down” on that run. And that two-hand touch football meant that both teams realized running the ball was futile. The NFC rushed eight times for one yard and the AFC had 21 carries for 52 yards.
The conferences combined for 92 pass attempts. Each of the six participating quarterbacks threw at least 10 passes and the only player to throw a pass that wasn’t intercepted was Buffalo wide receiver Stefon Diggs. He also rushed for a touchdown for the AFC.
The Ravens’ Mark Andrews caught two touchdowns for the AFC and had five catches for 82 yards. Four players each caught a TD for the NFC as Andrews was the only player to go over 50 yards receiving.
Both the Colts’ Darius Leonard and the Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield Jr. had pick-sixes. Leonard intercepted Kyler Murray on the first drive of the game and returned it 53 yards for a TD. Winfield then picked off Patrick Mahomes later in the half and scored a TD himself.
The AFC got its win in the second and third quarters. It outscored the NFC 27-8 in the middle periods after leading 14-13 at the end of the first quarter.
Murray finished the game 18 of 27 for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Herbert — the only quarterback to not throw an interception in the first half — was voted the most outstanding player of the game. He was 7 of 11 for 98 yards and threw two touchdowns.
