HONOLULU - Peyton Manning threw effortless touchdown passes in bunches.

Nobody dared to look away from Michael Vick, afraid to miss something spectacular.

The AFC was a clear cut above the NFC - and the New England Patriots just couldn't lose.

Everything about the 55th Pro Bowl mirrored the season, which ended with the AFC's 38-27 victory Sunday.

Manning threw for three scores to extend his career Pro Bowl record, and Vick led the NFC to 17 points during a second-half comeback that fell short. While Manning collected the keys to his new car with just six completions in an MVP performance, Vick drew the biggest gasps and cheers from the sellout crowd at Aloha Stadium for the NFL's all-star game.

But the four Patriots who made the trip to Hawaii were the guests of honor among the stars all week, receiving deference and accolades for their third championship in four years. Though none made a big contribution to the AFC - Tom Brady played two series and Adam Vinatieri missed a field goal - they all went home with a winning check for $35,000.

"You're constantly thinking about becoming a world champion," said Pats linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who made his first appearance in Hawaii. "So to finally get it done and then come out here to enjoy the beach, the weather and the sounds of the waves, it's something that really reset my mind."

Manning, the regular-season MVP after breaking Dan Marino's NFL record with 49 touchdown passes, completed just six passes for 130 yards. But three were perfect scoring tosses, and the quarterback was named the player of the game in his fifth trip to the Pro Bowl.

Manning, whose Colts were eliminated by New England in the second round of the playoffs, didn't have the award clinched until the AFC defense finally slowed down Vick, who nearly rallied his club in his first Pro Bowl. If Manning is at the peak of his game, Vick clearly is on an incredible climb.

"I'm not going to say I wasn't holding my breath over there once Vick started to roll around, but our defense did a great job of stopping him," Manning said. "It was good we got the game this year after we let the lead slip away last year."

Pittsburgh's Hines Ward caught a touchdown pass and returned an onside kick for a score, and three Chargers stars led the clinching TD drive in the fourth quarter of the AFC's seventh victory in nine meetings.

This game didn't quite have the offensive fireworks of last season's 107-point marathon, won in a thrilling NFC comeback, but Manning and Vick wowed the 26th straight sellout crowd at Aloha Stadium with exhibitions of their strengths: Manning's expert throws and Vick's jaw-dropping elusiveness and creativity.

Manning has thrown 11 TD passes in the Pro Bowl, four more than any quarterback in NFL history. He hit Colts teammate Marvin Harrison, Ward and San Diego's Antonio Gates in the first 25 minutes while the AFC built a 28-10 halftime lead.

But Vick was determined to make a splash in his first trip to Hawaii - and with the Atlanta coaching staff calling the plays, he led three straight scoring drives after entering the game in the third quarter. Vick was 14-of-24 for 205 yards and a score, nimbly avoiding several sacks along the way.

Fittingly, Vick became the first quarterback to throw a touchdown pass and rush for a score in the same Pro Bowl.

"We hung in there, but they poured it out on us," Vick said. "I thought we were going to be able to come back on them, but we needed one more touchdown there in the fourth, and we couldn't get it."

Vick went 4-of-6 and hit Torry Holt for a 27-yard touchdown on the first series. He led another scoring drive moments later, diving over the goal line for a 3-yard score - even though his helmet was knocked off by Baltimore's Ed Reed, the NFL's defensive player of the year.

"I made myself nervous," said Vick, who was chosen for the 2003 game but dropped out with an injury. "My intention wasn't to run, but the opportunity was there."

The NFC got to 31-27 on David Akers' field goal midway through the fourth quarter, but the AFC's San Diego connection took over. Drew Brees hit Gates for a 33-yard gain on a flea-flicker play selected by fans in an online vote, and LaDainian Tomlinson finished the drive with a 4-yard TD run with 5:15 to play.

Harrison scored on a 62-yard pass from his Indianapolis teammate in the first quarter, tying Jimmy Smith's career record with his fifth Pro Bowl touchdown. Ward followed with a 41-yard TD catch.

When the NFC tried an onside kick in the second quarter, Ward leaped for the ball and outran several defenders, avoiding tackles and somersaulting through the end zone for a 39-yard score.

It was the first touchdown on a kickoff return in the 55-year history of the Pro Bowl.