First Down/Fourth Down: Pro Bowl Highs And Lows

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers enjoyed the freedom of a pressure-free Pro Bowl.

MIAMI -- First Down/Fourth Down picks the winners and losers from the 2010 Pro Bowl.

First Down: Aaron Rodgers. This is what it would feel like if he had an offensive line that could keep defenders off of him. Rodgers was 15-of-19 for 197 yards and two TDs in the first half. To make himself feel at home, though, he did manage to take one sack.

Fourth Down: Norv Turner. Chad Ochocinco begged him to let him try a 36-yard field goal at the end of the first half, but Turner refused. In a nifty karmic twist reminiscent of Turner's playoff loss to the Jets, Dan Carpenter (filling in for Nate Kaeding) missed the kick anyway.

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First Down: London Fletcher. Of all the players in the game, he was the most vocal about what an honor he felt it was to play in it. And he played that way. There were times when the Washington linebacker looked like the only player on the NFC defense who was trying at all.

Fourth Down: Asante Samuel. The Eagles' defensive back set the defensive tone early, as he stopped running and didn't even make a show of trying to cover Andre Johnson on the game's first touchdown. His goofy dancing after his gift fourth-quarter interception wasn't enough to move him off the bad list.

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Best of Pro Bowl

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) holds up his MVP trophy after the NFL football Pro Bowl Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, in Miami. The AFC defeated the NFC 41-34.

Mark Humphrey, AP

Top NFL Playoff Pics

Dallas Cowboys tight end John Phillips (89) falls into the end zone for a touchdown in front of Philadelphia Eagles defender Quintin Mikell during the first half of an NFC Wild Card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, January 9, 2009.

Ron T. Ennis, Fort Worth Star-Telegram / MCT

Dallas Cowboys running back Tashard Choice (23) runs past Philadelphia Eagles defender Trent Cole during first-half action in an NFC Wild Card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, January 9, 2009.

Ron T. Ennis, Fort Worth Star-Telegram / MCT

Running back Felix Jones #28 of the Dallas Cowboys stiff arms safety Sean Jones #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium on January 9, 2010 in Arlington, Texas.

Ronald Martinez, Getty Images

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Andre Caldwell (87) is upended by New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard (36) for an incomplete pass in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, in Cincinnati. Jets players David Harris and Bart Scott look on.

Ed Reinke, AP

Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones (28) is taken down by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown (24) during the first quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, January 9, 2010.

Louis DeLuca, The Dallas Morning News / MCT

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Andre Caldwell (87) is upended by New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard (36) for an incomplete pass during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, in Cincinnati.

Ed Reinke, AP

Wide receiver Braylon Edwards #17 of the New York Jets is tackled by cornerback Leon Hall #29 of the Cincinnati Bengals after a catch during the 2010 AFC wild-card playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium on January 9, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Andy Lyons, Getty Images

New York Jets cornerback Dwight Lowery breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell (87) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, in Cincinnati.

Rob Carr, AP

First Down: Mike Jenkins. Late in the second quarter, the Cowboys' CB made an actual play, whacking the ball away from Vincent Jackson and preventing what would have been a David Garrard touchdown pass. It was as if Jenkins took it upon himself to prevent Garrard from throwing a touchdown pass in the Pro Bowl, since the selection process somehow failed to take care of that.

Fourth Down: AFC defensive backs. The sequence early in the third quarter, where Brian Dawkins got an interception and lateraled it to Champ Bailey, who lateraled it to Darrelle Revis, who fumbled it back to Dawkins, helped make a mockery of a game that didn't need any help.

First Down: Adrian Peterson. He didn't fumble! Sure, he only got three carries, but don't trouble me with details. He didn't fumble any of them!

Fourth Down: Nnamdi Asomugha. Tough break. Had to leave with a knee injury. How do you get hurt in a game where the top priority is to not hurt anybody?

First Down: Joshua Cribbs. Had a 65-yard punt return, averaged 27 yards on four first-half kick returns, and offered this modest appraisal of his own efforts: "I have a little bit of experience at it, as you can see. You know, I'm here for a reason."

Fourth Down: Donovan McNabb. 3 of 10 for 78 yards and an interception? Brutal. Sure, he had a touchdown pass, but so did five of the mascots and three of the cheerleaders.

First Down: DeSean Jackson. Might have been the fastest guy on the field. AFC defenders looked like they were trying to tackle a water beetle.

Fourth Down: Chad Ochocinco. Tweeted the commissioner pregame to ask permission to celebrate, and then couldn't seem to find the end zone. What's worse, it appeared he was the only one the defense wouldn't allow to score. Everybody loses on that one.