Does Anyone Even Care About the Pro Bowl?

Every year the NFL's best meet in Hawaii for the annual Pro Bowl. While you think this game would be full of excitement and talent, I find it to be neither exciting, or at times worth watching. In my opinion, there is too many rules, and the way it's now set up, not even the league's best are in the game. Three years ago, the league moved the game to the week before the Super Bowl, changing from the normality of the week after the Super Bowl. With the game now being the week before the Super Bowl, some of the league's best players miss out on the Pro Bowl, while less accepting players, take their spots.

This year, Patriots', Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Logan Mankins, Brian Waters, Andre Carter, Vince Wilfork, and Matthew Slater will miss the game for the AFC squad. While on the NFC squad, Eli Manning and Jason Pierre-Paul, will miss out on this year's game. Andy Dalton will be the replacement quarterback for Tom Brady, and I'm not sure I agree with it. While Dalton had a good rookie season, leading the Bengals to the playoffs, was he really the 4th best QB in the AFC? He was the 9th best statistical quarterback in the AFC, and a few others, in my opinion were more deserving.

The Pro Bowl is the only major sports all-star game that has lower ratings than their regular season. Another issue with the Pro Bowl, is the selection of the teams. The fans vote makes up 1/3 of the voting and often times, teams in large markets, will have more players in the game, because of the number of fans. Being in a small market, it's a disadvantage to these players, because they don't get the same exposure as players in New York or Dallas.

The next issue is all the rule changes that take place in the Pro Bowl. It's not even a football game being played in my opinion. These are rules that take place only in the Pro Bowl:

• No motion or shifting by the offense
• Offense must have a tight end in all formations
• Offense can’t have 3 receivers on a side
• Intentional grounding is legal
• Defense must run a 4-3 at all times
• No press coverage except inside the 5 yard line
• No blitz
• Not allowed to rush a Punt, PAT or FG attempt

While these rules are put in to make the game safer, it also takes away from the competition as well. With even the removal of just these rules, the game could become more competitive. I think the NFL should remove the following rules:

• No motion or shifting by the offense
• Offense must have a tight end in all formations
• Intentional grounding is legal
• Defense must run a 4-3 at all times
• No blitz
• Not allowed to rush a Punt, PAT or FG attempt

While I'm not saying the "No Blitz," rule needs to be completely abolished, I think you could allow certain types of blitzes. By allowing no blitzes, and no press coverage, and forcing defenses into basically running loose zones, it basically becomes a 7 on 7 drill with the men up front not doing much, with the defense often getting burned, giving up an easy touchdown. If the NFL can either eliminate some of these rules, or even modify them, the game would instantly become more competitive and should gain more viewers, which in turn can help increase the ratings.