Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 6, 1995 TAG: 9502060088
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: HONOLULU LENGTH: Medium
In still another NFC-AFC blowout, Marshall Faulk turned the tables on the NFC.
The Indianapolis Colts' star, the only rookie in the game, staged the most spectacular running show in the quarter-century history of the Pro Bowl on Sunday, rushing for 180 yards to shatter O.J. Simpson's 22-year-old record in the AFC's 41-13 rout of the NFC.
The AFC, whose champions have lost 11 straight, mostly by lopsided scores, to the NFC in the Super Bowl, won the Pro Bowl for the third time in five years.
Closing the books on the 1994 NFL season, Faulk carried 13 times and scored on a 49-yard run to top Simpson's record of 112 yards rushing in the 1973 Pro Bowl.
``I've watched this game many times, and for [the record] to happen to me is incredible,'' Faulk said. ``To have a big game here means a lot. I ran behind an All-Pro line, and it showed. We just blew them off the ball.''
The AFC, coached by Bill Cowher and his Pittsburgh staff, dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
Seattle's Chris Warren also went over the previous rushing mark with 14 carries for 127 yards for the AFC, which rolled up a Pro Bowl-record 400 yards on the ground against the NFC's all-star defense. Warren, a former Ferrum and Virginia running back, actually held the rushing record for one play in the fourth quarter until Faulk broke it on the next play.
``We were informed when I was in the process of breaking the record,'' Warren said. ``They wanted to get me the ball so I could break it. Then they took me out and put Marshall in, and he broke it.
``We were going back and forth [with the record]. I felt like whoever got the ball last would have the record.''
The AFC defense, with linebacker Junior Seau of San Diego logging seven tackles, gave up 209 yards of offense to the NFC, only 41 yards rushing.
The AFC players earned $20,000 each for the victory, and the NFC players got $10,000 apiece.
``I wasn't really surprised at the outcome,'' said Barry Switzer, whose Cowboys staff coached the NFC. ``These all-star games, guys make big plays here and there.''
Tight end Eric Green of Pittsburgh had two touchdown receptions, including a 22-yarder from Denver's John Elway in the second quarter that helped bring the AFC back from a 10-0 deficit. Green, a former Liberty University star, then had a 16-yard touchdown reception from the Los Angeles Raiders' Jeff Hostetler in the final quarter, when the AFC broke the game open with three touchdowns.
Steve Young of San Francisco, the MVP of the 49ers' 49-26 Super Bowl blowout of San Diego a week earlier, helped stake the NFC to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but a third-quarter field goal by Minnesota's Fuad Reveiz was the only other NFC scoring.
Young completed 8 of 15 passes for 129 yards.
``We didn't stop them on the first couple of drives, but then we shut them down and controlled the ball on offense,'' Cowher said.
Faulk made several spectacular runs, including a 41-yarder early in the fourth quarter. On his 49-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, he broke tackles in the secondary for the game's last score.
Cleveland's Leroy Hoard put the AFC in front to stay when he threaded his way through the defense on a 4-yard touchdown run for a 17-10 lead with 2 minutes, 7 seconds before halftime.
Hostetler, a replacement for the injured Dan Marino on the roster, drove the AFC to the touchdown by Hoard.
by CNB