Pro Bowl Predictions 2012: Setting Stat Lines for All the Major Stars

The Pro Bowl is a great chance for NFL fans to watch some of their favorite players face off in a laid-back setting.  The Pro Bowl is inherently an offensive game due to special rules outlawing blitzing and because there is no time to install any kind of defense beyond a base look.  Points are always plentiful in the Pro Bowl, for better or worse.

The other side of the lack of preparation time is fans get to see these great players rely almost entirely on their own physical skill sets.  With no time to build chemistry or get into any heavy scheming, it really forces players to rely on their football instincts.  While the Pro Bowl is probably the least intense football game on the planet, it's still worth watching to see how all these stars interact with each other on and off the field.

Click through the slideshow for stat line predictions for some of the game's biggest stars.

Aaron Rodgers

16/20, 223 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

Aaron Rodgers saw his amazing season come unceremoniously to an early demise at the hands of the New York Giants in the divisional playoff round.  Rodgers was unquestionably not up to his usual level of play in that game, so it would stand to reason that he will come out as the starting quarterback for the NFC with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

Rodgers, I'm sure, would love to get the losing taste out of his mouth, and while the Pro Bowl is a minor consolation, it's a start.  Rodgers was harassed nonstop by the Giants, something that will certainly be far less of an issue against the vanilla defenses he will see in the Pro Bowl. 

Ben Roethlisberger

11/16 172 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

One of the most critical storylines over the past two months in the NFL was the sharp decline of Ben Roethlisberger.  Once he sprained his ankle, he was never the same, and he was among many on his team who were so banged up down the stretch that it really ended their season early.

With several weeks of rest and rehab since his last game, Big Ben should be much more effective.  The pillow-soft pass rush he will be facing won't hurt his cause either.

Drew Brees

14/17, 192 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

The NFC's No. 2 quarterback saw his season end in similarly disappointing fashion to the NFC starter, Aaron Rodgers.  Brees and his Saints fell at the last moment to the upstart San Francisco 49ers after Brees had just put the Saints ahead with mere minutes to go.

Brees is the perfect Pro Bowl quarterback because of his unparalleled accuracy. When quarterbacks and wide receivers have so little time to get acquainted with each other, it's a huge advantage if the quarterback can deliver the ball with precision, and that's something Brees does better than anyone else in the league.

Maurice Jones-Drew

8 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD

The Pro Bowl is usually very light on running plays, primarily because fans prefer to watch teams air it out.  However, with the AFC being at a significant disadvantage in quarterback play, Maurice Jones-Drew may play a larger role.  

MJD just survived an incredibly bleak season in Jacksonville where his play was the lone bright spot.  It speaks volumes about his quality that he is able to produce despite a dearth of talent around him.  With defenses taking it easy, MJD is precisely the kind of running back who could bust a big run at some point.

LeSean McCoy

4 carries, 32 yards, 5 receptions, 60 yards, 1TD

When Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees are you quarterbacks, no offensive coordinator is going to want to run the ball much.  Fortunately, McCoy offers himself up as a great target out of the backfield.  I fully expect for McCoy to have just as big of a role, if not a bigger one, in the passing game as he does running the ball.

McCoy's elite speed is what makes him so dangerous in a setting like the Pro Bowl.  With defenders playing a bit lax, McCoy can punish them if their tackling or pursuit angles falter.  Both Brees and Rodgers are used to throwing to running backs, so McCoy should be a combo with either quarterback.