clarinews@clarinet.com (02/04/90)
HONOLULU (UPI) -- The NFL's Pro Bowl is a game quarterbacks either love or hate. ``I feel like it's a privilege,'' said Seattle's Dave Krieg. ``I love coming here.'' Krieg is playing in the game at Aloha Stadium (8 p.m. EST) because five other AFC quarterbacks declined: Cincinnati's Boomer Esiason, Denver's John Elway, Buffalo's Jim Kelly, Miami's Dan Marino and Cleveland's Bernie Kosar. For the NFC, no-show quarterbacks are San Francisco's Joe Montana and Green Bay's Don Majkowski. Esiason turned down the Pro Bowl for the second straight year, claiming the quarterbacks are sitting ducks. ``This has not been a game that has allowed quarterbacks to get great protection,'' said AFC Coach Bud Carson of Cleveland. ``The sacks seem to happen every year, and all the quarterbacks in the league know that, particularly the good ones who have been here.'' Even New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, making his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, has sympathy for the quarterbacks. ``Over the last couple years, quarterbacks have taken some big shots in the Pro Bowl,'' he said. ``It's not the kind of game you want to get hurt in.'' It is tough for a quarterback with a $1 million-plus contract to risk injury in a game where winning players earn $10,000 and the losers $5,000. The teams practice for only a week, and not very intensively at that. The problem lies in the defense getting its timing down much more quickly than the offense does. The NFL is aware of the defensive advantage and attempts to limit it. In the Pro Bowl the defense must line up in a 3-4 alignment with odd spacing and only the strong side linebacker can blitz from the outside. Blitzes from both outside linebackers are allowed only in third- or fourth-down short-yardage situations or when the ball is inside the 5-yard line. Pass coverage is limited to man-for-man or three-deep zone with no bump-and-run. But even with the limitations, the defense could still create a nightmare for the quarterback. ``The defense has a host of great athletes, and they'll pounce if the offense doesn't execute,'' said NFC Coach John Robinson of the Rams. The NFL hopes the rule changes will give Krieg and Houston's Warren Moon time to find Buffalo's Andre Reed, Cleveland's Webster Slaughter, San Diego's Anthony Miller or Seattle's Brian Blades. Philadelphia's Randall Cunningham and Washington's Mark Rypien will be looking for San Francisco's Jerry Rice, Los Angeles' Henry Ellard, Tampa Bay's Mark Carrier, and Green Bay's Sterling Sharp. Cunningham was the hero was of last year's game, leading the NFC to three scores and a 34-3 victory. If there is no time to throw, NFC quarterbacks can just give the ball to San Francisco's Roger Craig, Detroit's Barry Sanders, New Orleans' Dalton Hilliard and Green Bay's Brent Fulwood. The AFC will have Cincinnati's James Brooks, Buffalo's Thurman Thomas and Kansas City's Christian Okoye as running backs. Thirty of the 84 players Sunday will be appearing in their first Pro Bowl.