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NFC vs. AFC 2012 Pro Bowl Preview & Free Pick

NFC Conference vs AFC Conference Gambling Predictions

The annual Pro Bowl game comes out way this Sunday and for those of you that just have to get their football fix; this game will certainly fill the void. Unfortunately while this game lives up to the talent expectations, it lacks in intensity, hard hits and superb execution.

NFL Pro Bowl
Date/Time: Sun, January 29, 2012, 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Aloha Stadium Honolulu, HI
Broadcast: NBC
Pro Bowl Betting Lines from betonline.com
Spread: NFC -4
Moneyline: AFC +150: NFC -170
Over/Under: 73 points

Oh well – it’s a football game nonetheless.

Honolulu hosts the best that the sport has to offer – minus those taking part in the Super Bowl and those who declined the invitation because of injury or in Ray Rice’s case – family reasons.

The NFC is currently favored by 4 points – and so they should be!

The NFC will start Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and have Drew Brees come off the bench followed by Cam Newton who will be in for mop-up duties. The AFC will trot Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Andy Dalton out onto the field – huge advantage NFC!

At running back, the NFC has the edge as well. LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte and Marshawn Lynch will all suit up for the NFC while the AFC counters with Maurice Jones-Drew and Arian Foster – Ray Rice who is perhaps the best rusher in the AFC has declined the invitation to play in this game. The NFC’s advantage is slight but it is an advantage.

We all ready know that the QBs of the NFC are far superior to that of the AFC – now let’s look at the Wide Receivers!

Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Smith, Greg Jennings and Roddy White will be the targets for Rodgers and the boys while erratic Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers have Mike Wallace, Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson and AJ Green at their disposal. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

It is clear who the better unit is here!

At Tight End, the NFC again has a huge advantage now that Rob Gronkowski is otherwise occupied. Jimmy Graham is the best tight end in the Pro Bowl, hands down. Not even the AFC’s Antonio Gates can measure up.

Defense is largely non-existent in the Pro Bowl but let’s talk about it anyway.

Baltimore players – Safety Ed Reed (nerve impingement, sore shoulder and a sprained left ankle), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (thigh) and linebacker Terrell Suggs (undisclosed) will all miss this Sunday’s game for the AFC – that’s a huge difference maker, believe it or not.

The NFC, for that reason alone has to be given the slight edge in this game.

Betting Prediction: I think you know where I am going with this. Truthfully, I could have stopped at the quarterbacks and made my pick! Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees on the same team are simply unfair!

With little defensive intensity hindering them, they should explode – there is no way that anyone could keep up!

Pick: NFC -4 and the Over (of course) 73 points

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By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.