NFL Pro Bowl Roster Comparison: Team Jerry Rice Owns Team Deion Sanders

The NFL Pro Bowl took a backyard approach to picking teams this season.

Rather than splitting the squads by AFC and NFC, Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders drafted the teams with the help of some captains. Sanders picked Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt as his captains, while Rice chose New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn.

The untraditional way of picking teams leads to some odd matchups. Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis (Team Rice) will be rushing his teammate, quarterback Andrew Luck (Team Sanders). Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali also will be attempting to sack his quarterback, Alex Smith.

Let’s break down the rosters and see who came out with the better team.

QUARTERBACK

Team Sanders: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers; Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles; Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Team Rice: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints; Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs; Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Edge: Rice

RUNNING BACK

Team Sanders: Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs; Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers; Marcel Reece, Oakland Raiders (FB); Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins

Team Rice: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears; LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles; DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys; Mike Tolbert, Carolina Panthers (FB)

Edge: Rice

WIDE RECEIVER

Team Sanders: DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles; A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals; Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers; Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

Team Rice: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals; Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns; Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears
Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears

Edge: Sanders

TIGHT END

Team Sanders: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys; Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns

Team Rice: Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints; Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons

Edge: Rice

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

Team Sanders: Trent Williams, Washington Redskins; Duane Brown, Houston Texans; Branden Albert, Kansas City Chiefs

Team Rice: Jordan Gross, Carolina Panthers; Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns; Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys

Edge: Rice

GUARD

Team Sanders: Logan Mankins, New England Patriots; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens; Kyle Long, Chicago Bears

Team Rice: Ben Grubbs, New Orleans Saints; Evan Mathis, Philadelphia Eagles; Jahri Evans, New Orleans Saints

Edge: Rice

CENTER

Team Sanders: Mike Pouncey, Miami Dolphins; Alex Mack, Cleveland Browns

Team Rice: Ryan Kalil, Carolina Panthers; Nick Mangold, New York Jets

Edge: Sanders

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Team Sanders: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions; Dontari Poe, Kansas City Chiefs; Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Team Rice: Kyle Williams, Buffalo Bills; Jason Hatcher, Dallas Cowboys; Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills

Edge: Sanders

DEFENSIVE END

Team Sanders: Greg Hardy, Carolina Panthers; Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills; J.J. Watt, Houston Texans

Team Rice: Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins; Robert Quinn, St. Louis Rams; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints

Edge: Sanders

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Team Sanders: Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens; Tamba Hali, Kansas City Chiefs; Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins

Team Rice: Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs; John Abraham, Arizona Cardinals; Robert Mathis, Indianapolis Colts

Edge: Rice

INSIDE LINEBACKER

Team Sanders: Paul Posluszny, Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers

Team Rice: Vontaze Burfict, Cincinnati Bengals
Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs

Edge: Rice

CORNERBACK

Team Sanders: Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals; Brent Grimes, Miami Dolphins; Darrelle Revis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Tim Jennings, Chicago Bears

Team Rice: Alterraun Verner, Tennessee Titans; Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns; Brandon Flowers, Kansas City Chiefs; Antonio Cromartie, New York Jets

Edge: Sanders

SAFETY

Team Sanders: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs; Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers; T.J. Ward, Cleveland Browns

Team Rice: Antrel Rolle, New York Giants; Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills; Eric Reid, San Francisco 49ers

Edge: Sanders

KICKER

Team Sanders: Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens

Team Rice: Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots

Edge: Rice

PUNTER

Team Sanders: Brandon Fields, Miami Dolphins

Team Rice: John Hekker, St. Louis Rams

Edge: Rice

RETURN SPECIALIST

Team Sanders: Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings

Team Rice: Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs

Edge: Rice

SPECIAL TEAMER

Team Sanders: Matthew Slater, New England Patriots

Team Rice: Justin Bethel, Arizona Cardinals

Edge: Sanders

LONG SNAPPER

Team Sanders: J.J. Jansen, Carolina Panthers

Team Rice: Matt Overton, Indianapolis Colts

Edge: Even

Overall Edge: Rice (10-7-1)

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