One For The (Record) Books

The Vikings' Corey Chavous made a huge play Sunday in the Pro Bowl, but the bigger question was who didn't -- as the NFC beat the AFC 55-52 in the wildest Pro Bowl ever.

It seemed only fitting that Sunday's Pro Bowl ended when kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who didn't miss a kick all year, missed his second field goal of the night (a 51-yarder) to end the wildest Pro Bowl ever with a 55-52 win by the NFC.

The Vikings' Corey Chavous had a big night with a key interception and seven tackles (second only to LaVar Arrington) to lead the NFC to the win.

Matt Birk and Daunte Culpepper also represented the Vikings in the free-for-all. Culpepper finished the game completing just two of seven, but they covered 57 yards -- a sign of things to come.

The NFC scored 28 points in the fourth quarter behind a four-TD performance from Rams QB Marc Bulger, who shared the MVP award with Peyton Manning -- setting Pro Bowl records for attempts and completions as well as throwing for 342 yards and three TDs.

For those who have dismissed the Pro Bowl as an anti-climax on the heels of the Super Bowl, they may have to take notice.

MONDAY NOTES
* Perhaps one of the reasons why NFL fans don't jump on the Pro Bowl bandwagon is that not all the top stars play in the game. This year a record 12 players declined playing in the Pro Bowl, including Randy Moss -- who has never missed a preseason, regular season or postseason game, but has skipped three Pro Bowls.
* The win for the NFC was just the second in eight years.
* The AFC set an all-time Pro Bowl record for points in a half by scoring 31 in the first half Sunday. That mark stood for just one half, as the NFC piled up 42 points in the second half -- including a record 28 points in the fourth quarter alone.
* One of the lighter moments Sunday came following Chavous' fourth-quarter interception as Culpepper and Arrington led a small group of NFC players in an impromptu rendition of the OutKast song "The Way You Move" on the sidelines.
* There were a total of 41 players who made their first Pro Bowl appearance Sunday -- another record.
* The stats may not tell the full story of this insane game. As a team, the NFC completed just 18 of 37 passes for 260 yards and four touchdowns. The AFC completed a Pro Bowl record 30 of 57 passes for 542 yards -- with five TDs and three interceptions.