Jones, Patriots Teammates Help AFC to 41-35 Victory in 2022 Pro Bowl
Though Super Bowl LVI is still one week away, Sunday afternoon did feature some NFL football for your viewing pleasure…sort of.
The 2022 NFL Pro Bowl took place on Sunday afternoon, February 6 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. While seldom, if ever, known for its play on the field, the game features some of the league’s brightest stars showcasing their talents for their fans in the NFL’s annual equivalent of the All-Star Game.
While the recent history of the Pro Bowl has been devoid of participants from the New England Patriots (largely due to the sheer volume of Super Bowls in which the team has played since 2001), this year’s contest featured four of its top performers from 2021. Quarterback Mac Jones, linebacker Matt Judon, cornerback J.C. Jackson and special teams ace each saw action on the field in what resulted in a 41-35 victory for the AFC over their NFC counterparts.
In case you missed Sunday’s Pro Bowl, here is a glance at how the Patriots fared on Sunday afternoon.
Mac Jones
Though Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was named the game’s offensive MVP, Jones may have stolen the show…with his dance moves. (more on that in a moment…) Despite not being selected for the AFC’s initial roster, Jones earned the nod as an alternate after Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson bowed out due to injury. Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen declined his invitation, while Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow is preparing for the Super Bowl.
In his first Pro Bowl, Jones performed relatively well. While sharing the field with Herbert, as well as Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes Jones finished the day completing 12-of-16 passes for 112 yards and one touchdown and one interception
The highlight of Jones’ day took place early in the second half. The Pats rookie led the AFC squad on a 13-play, 95-yard touchdown drive, which culminated in a six-yard strike to Las Vegas Raiders’ receiver Hunter Renfrow. Jones scrambled to his right and threw across his body, finding Renfrow near the back of the endzone for the score. The hometown wideout showcased great body control in getting both feet down in bounds.
Still, Jones’ afternoon may be best remembered for a rushing-touchdown-that-wasn’t. Late in the second half, Jones broke free on a quarterback scramble, sprinted 71 yards into the end zone. As he crossed the goal line, Jones flashed an ear-to-ear smile, proceeding to demonstrate his dancing prowess by rousing the Las Vegas crowd with his version of the Griddy. Though the officials had blown the play dead upon contact, Jones’ personality shining through was one of the highlights of the afternoon.
However, Jones’ afternoon was not without fault. The 23-year-old did throw one interception. Rarely in the second quarter, Jones attempted a pass intended for Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce, which was intercepted by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. Unfortunately for Jones, Sunday was not the first time in which he fell victim to a Diggs-interception. The Cowboys’ corner picked off his former Alabama teammate in Dallas’ Week Six victory over the Pats, which he returned for a touchdown.
J.C. Jackson
Jackson also made his Pro Bowl debut on Sunday. The Pats top cornerback notched a goal-line interception off a drop by San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk on fourth down. Jackson was also credited with three tackles, as well as the break-up of a potential touchdown to Cowboys’ receiver CeeDee Lamb. Overall, the soon-to-be free agent had a solid day in coverage against some of the NFC’s most prolific targets.
Matt Judon
Judon led all AFC defenders with 6 tackles, four of which were of the solo variety. Though he set a career-high in sacks for the Patriots with 12.5 in 2021, Judon was not the picture of pursuit on Sunday. Pro Bowl rules require teams to play only a 4-3 defense (with no blitzing or nickel/dime packages), Therefore, he played most of the day off the ball, with Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby were the AFC’s starting edge rushers. Crosby was named defensive MVP, logging two sacks and three tackles-for-loss.
Matthew Slater
Despite special teams plays being few and far between in this game, Slater still saw the field in limited action on Sunday, subbing in at safety on a few occasions. Slater is no stranger to the defensive backfield. Early in his Patriots tenure, Slater took some occasional snaps as a fill-in defensive back. Of the four-pack of Pats representing the Patriots in the 2021 Pro Bowl, Slater was the elder statesman. The 36-year-old has been selected as the AFC’s Pro Bowl special teamer in 10 of the last 11 seasons.
