Pro Bowl betting – Sunday, January 31, 7:20 PM ET
The AFC figures to be led by Houston’s Matt Schaub and Tennessee’s Chris Johnson, who won AFC Offensive Player of the Year. Peyton Manning of Indianapolis and the other six Colts will miss this game due to their Super Bowl commitments, and there are a few injuries on the team. Tom Brady and Wes Welker of New England, along with Philip Rivers of San Diego and Jake Long from the Jets, will be missing from the offensive side, while Buffalo’ Jairus Byrd and Houston’s Brian Cushing are the defensive injuries. Still, even with all the injuries, it’ll still be worth the price per head to see the AFC talent do their thing in Miami.
The NFC had four of the five top-rated quarterbacks in the NFL, and two of them have a history; Aaron Rodgers was given the starter’s role in Green Bay in place of Brett Favre, who retired, then came back to lead Minnesota to the NFC Super Bowl game. Favre and Rodgers should split time for the NFC under center, as Drew Brees joins four other New Orleans teammates in preparing for the Super Bowl. Injured players include St. Louis’ Stephen Jackson, Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Dallas’ Andre Gurode on offense, while Chicago’s Lance Briggs and Arizona’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will miss out on defense.
US sportsbook odds (US sportsbook reviews) for this game aren’t out yet as some players could still drop out of the contest due to injury or other reasons, but the NFC has won the last two meetings and three of the last four in a change from their Super Bowl betting fortunes: The AFC has won seven of the last 10 in the Super Bowl. This game, which is usually a meaningless exhibition, should be won by the talent under center, and with injuries to Rivers and Brady, as well as no Manning, the NFC has the upper hand with Rodgers and Favre, who will want to make up for his deadly pick in the late seconds of Minnesota’s overtime loss to New Orleans.
NFL picks: NFC