Herbert, Crosby MVPs in AFC’s Pro Bowl victory

• Covered Oakland Raiders for CSNBayArea.com and Sacramento Bee for eight years
• Member of Pro Football Writers Association
• Previously worked at Los Angeles Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Sports Illustrated

LAS VEGAS — While a flag-football game may have been more competitive, that doesn’t mean the NFL’s all-stars had no pride in their showing and eventual outcome of what amounted to a two-hand touch game at the 2022 Pro Bowl.

No live tackling to the ground? No matter. Not to the fans who hung on every play at Allegiant Stadium, the first of three league events in Las Vegas, with the draft coming in April and Super Bowl LVIII in two years.

The goal, as players said throughout the week of practice, was to have fun and emerge unscathed. Mission accomplished, then, as the AFC beat the NFC 41-35 in a turnover-marred exhibition before an announced crowd of 56,206.

Indeed, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard got the scoring off to a quick start with a zig-zagging 45-yard pick-six off Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray three minutes into the game.

Leonard stepped in front of a pass intended for Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts near the left sideline. He then ran across the middle of the field and to the right sideline before out-running Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Ali Marpet and juking Buccaneers center Ryan Jensen to go back to the middle of the field and outracing Minnesota Vikings tackle Brian O’Neil into the end zone.

Granted, in a real game, Leonard would have been tackled — hard — immediately after the interception. But in an exhibition, the fans who paid at least $89 per ticket enjoyed the athletic display by Leonard.

And Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans got loud oohs and ahhs on his 19-yard TD catch in the second quarter when he went up and over the back of Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Denzel Perryman to haul in Murray’s pass. Yeah, Perryman took to Twitter in the locker room at halftime to address the play.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Las Vegas event without more locals being involved, as Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby was with three batted passes and a sack. Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow also hauled in a 6-yard TD pass from New England Patriots rookie QB Mac Jones in the back of the end zone on a pretty double-toe-tap number.

Crosby was the game’s defensive MVP, while Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was the offensive MVP, going 7-for-11 for 98 yards with two TD passes and an interception.

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