Matt Ryan ought to feel awfully comfortable at the Pro Bowl, surrounded by eight of his teammates. Ryan took over at quarterback in the second quarter and, after throwing an interception on his first pass, settled in to lead the NFC down the field. On the sixth play of the drive, Ryan found Tony Gonzalez in the back of the end zone for the score, putting the NFC up 21-0 with plenty of time left in the first half.
It’s been the Atlanta Falcons show thus far and the NFC’s last drive was a prime example of it. Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes gave the NFC the ball back by intercepting Peyton Manning, setting Ryan up with prime field position. Ryan took advantage, driving 58 yards in six plays, capped by Gonzalez’s touchdown catch. All three of Ryan’s passes on the drive went to his Atlanta teammates, with Roddy White catching two and Gonzalez one.
It’s been fast and furious for the NFC, who scored again on the next play from scrimmage after the AFC turned the ball over for the fourth time in the first 20 minutes. DeAngelo Hall came up with his second turnover of the day, stripping Wes Welker after a short gain. Hall scooped up the loose ball, racing 34 yards for the touchdown to put the NFC up 28.
The NFC is in complete control in Hawaii, leading the AFC 28-0. For more on the game, check out our Pro Bowl StoryStream.