Denver's Clinton Portis, another first-timer, put the AFC up 45-27 with 13:14 left, turning a 23-yard screen pass into a TD with a sideline sprint and dive. Portis celebrated by getting up and running full-tilt into the goalpost.
"I just didn't think it was over, and I said that to the guys," NFC coach Andy Reid said. "I thought we were still in it."
Bulger, an injury replacement for Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb, engineered two more scoring drives to pull the NFC within 45-40 -- and Bly then stepped in front of Manning's pass and rambled for a diving score. Moments later, Minnesota's Corey Chavous intercepted a tipped pass and returned it to the 2, where Alexander scored.
Manning threw a 10-yard TD pass to Hines Ward with 1:54 left. After Bulger threw an end-zone interception, Manning led the AFC into scoring territory.
Vanderjagt, who didn't miss a field goal or an extra point all season, was barely wide right on the final kick. A week after New England won the Super Bowl on Adam Vinatieri's field goal with 4 seconds left, the NFC got just its second victory in eight Pro Bowls on a miss.
"That's the way you want this game to be," Manning said. "It's for the fans, so you want to give them something good."
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