Chapter 136 134: Somber Atmosphere
The San Francisco 49ers' offense had a problem, but the key question was, what was the problem?
The offense line? The five players were still in the process of gelling, so a few breakdowns were inevitable. The pressure on the quarterback was certainly high in the first half. But overall, the line was young, focused, and aggressive enough. The pocket protection was far from being a complete disaster.
The receivers? Three wide receivers and one tight end—there was nothing wrong with that configuration. But Ted Ginn Jr.'s routes lacked the power to create separation, giving him almost no chances to make a play. Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams were still inconsistent, running hot and cold. They had dropped at least two passes that should have been guaranteed catches. Logan Newman, on the other hand, had been unexpectedly brilliant. His chemistry with the quarterback, especially, had become a vital weapon for the 49ers' offense.
The running back? Anthony Dixon's performance had been mediocre. Even with solid protection from the offense line, he couldn't break through or gain ground, picking up only one or two yards per down. This prevented the team's offense from ever getting started. He even had a fumble that resulted in a turnover.
Or was it the quarterback? On the first two drives, Lu Ke's judgment was sharp, his passes were accurate, and he remained unflappable under pressure. He had delivered two touchdowns in just seven plays, making him unquestionably the biggest reason the 49ers took the lead in the first half.
So, with the same lineup and the same players, why had the entire offense gotten stuck in the mud? Was it simply because the running back was in poor form? Or was it because the quarterback couldn't adapt to the game's rhythm? Had two consecutive quarters of high-intensity play caused the quarterback's competitiveness to nosedive?
Lu Ke's physical conditioning was, without a doubt, a major concern.
The sheer amount of information from the first half was overwhelming. Jim needed a moment of calm to sort through his thoughts.
Just then, Bobby Engram appeared in the player tunnel. He stopped in front of Jim, handed him the report he was holding, and without saying a word, turned and walked into the locker room.
During the game, team manager Trent Balk and his team watched from a VIP box above the stadium, analyzing both their own team's and their opponent's tactics, as well as the evolving situation on the field.
On one hand, they communicate in real-time with the coaching staff to make tactical adjustments. On the other, at the end of the first half, they provide a report on player stats and tactics for the coaches to use as a reference for second-half adjustments.
That was the report Bobby had handed to Jim.
As he quickly flipped through the report, Jim's brow furrowed. His gaze landed on a few key statistics, and he became lost in thought.
...
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the locker room was also somewhat oppressive. Everyone could feel that the team wasn't operating smoothly, but being in the thick of it, they had a limited perspective. They had no idea what was going on or how they should adjust. For a moment, everyone fell silent, just looking at one another.
In the dead silence, only the sound of coarse, ragged breathing could be heard. The air grew progressively more tense.
Lu Ke looked up at his teammates. He knew that right now, a leader needed to step up, rally their spirits, and get the locker room fired up again.
Normally, this was a job best suited for the quarterback. The problem was, Lu Ke was a first-year rookie and simply didn't have that kind of authority. Parris Harrisson was the one who should have stepped forward, but after his terrible performance today, he had his own problems to worry about. How could he possibly help his teammates?
This was one of the serious problems facing the San Francisco 49ers in their locker room.
Besides, Lu Ke didn't have the energy to liven up the locker room right now. This was the first time he was truly playing a full game—or at least, preparing to. He hadn't been able to play a full game since graduating from high school. Moreover, this was the NFL, the highest level of intensity in the Professional Alliance. Amidst the Seattle Seahawks' fierce onslaught, there was hardly any room to breathe.
In just two quarters, Lu Ke had already endured at least five powerful, direct hits. As for the lesser collisions and bumps, they were innumerable. The Sea Eagle Team's defense had clearly ramped up the intensity of their blitzes and pressure. Lu Ke felt like a tiny butterfly in the middle of a raging storm. Even with his absolute focus, he was still battered and bruised.
The shortcomings of his physical conditioning and his lack of athletic talent were finally beginning to show in his first official game.
Of course, Lu Ke could have blamed the offense line; their pocket protection hadn't been tight enough. He could also have blamed the running back, whose rushing hadn't done enough to alleviate the pressure.
But blaming others wouldn't solve the problem. Ultimately, Lu Ke's own physical condition was what mattered most. For a football quarterback, confrontations, collisions, and contact were all an unavoidable part of a professional career.
Before the first regular season game began, Lu Ke's daily training task had completed another cycle, rewarding him with one base point.
'Back then, I chose to put it into the Ball-Carrying Run stat, raising it from sixty-one to sixty-two. But now, I regret it. I should have added it to the physical conditioning option. A score of sixty-four for physical conditioning really isn't enough on the professional stage. If we can win today, I have to add points to my physical conditioning... but that's only if we can win the game.'
There were still two quarters left in the game.
...
BANG. The locker room door was thrown open. Jim Hubble walked in, his expression grave. Looking at the lifeless locker room, he hesitated for a moment. But in the end, he didn't rally the players with encouragement, nor did he harshly scold them for their first-half performance. Instead, he got straight to the point. "In the second half, we need to get our heads in the game. We're going to make some tactical adjustments. Lynch!"
The first name he called was Marcus Lynch, the running back.
"And Hunter. In the second half, you two get ready to go in and rotate with Dixon." As expected, the first change Jim made targeted the underperforming Dixon, though he didn't bench him completely, instead opting for a rotation.
In football, the running back position can be broken down further into fullbacks and halfbacks.
To put it simply, a Fullback is a larger type of running back than a halfback.
Traditionally, a Fullback's primary role is to serve as a lead blocker for the halfback or to power through for short yardage. The position demands a high level of personal strength. On their first move to open a lane, they have to use their shoulders to instantly drive back the opposing linebacker, then use their hands to tie up another defensive player to protect the halfback or quarterback behind them.
The best way to identify a Fullback is by their position in the formation. In fact, strictly speaking, a Fullback only appears in one formation: the I-formation. The player in a three-point stance behind the quarterback is typically the Fullback.
The Fullback is a position that exists almost purely for the running game. They are heavier, slower, and their function is relatively one-dimensional. Now that the entire Alliance has entered an era of pass-focused offense, the importance of the Fullback is steadily declining. At the same time, many running backs have gradually evolved into all-purpose players, possessing the skills of both a fullback and a halfback.
As a result, the Fullback is slowly disappearing. In addition, offenses that use two running backs are also becoming a rarity. As for using three running backs, that's a retro formation from a distant era.
Among the five running backs on the San Francisco 49ers' roster, there was only one Fullback: Kendall Hunter.
Putting a Fullback on the field was a clear signal of a power-run stance. Paired with Marcus's tough, iron-fisted rushing style, it was obvious that Jim was still hoping the run game could open things up. Otherwise, the 49ers would be in a very passive situation.
Marcus and Kendall were both rookies, and they both leaped up, hopping around like little fleas. Their comical gestures brought a slight sense of relief to the locker room's atmosphere.
"Lu Ke," Jim called out immediately, without any pause.
Lu Ke was in the middle of winking and making faces at Marcus in celebration when he suddenly heard his name. He quickly composed himself, his smile vanishing as he looked up to meet the head coach's gaze.
Jim let out a long breath, as if going through an intense internal struggle. But he had never been an indecisive person. Planting his hands on his hips, he said decisively, "Second half, we're going to start our offense from the Shotgun Formation. I'm giving you command on the field. As for the overall flow of the plays and the Sea Eagle's defensive formation, we'll still relay that to you through your helmet's built-in headset. Don't worry too much about it. Just go out there and let it rip..."
The rest of his words faded away. Lu Ke stared at Jim in astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief. In fact, it wasn't just Lu Ke; the other players were also completely dumbfounded. Colin Kaepernick, who had traveled with the team to Candlestick Park, looked as if his jaw was about to hit the floor.
The Shotgun Formation! He actually said the Shotgun Formation!
The Pistol Formation and the Shotgun Formation—the two most common offensive tactics in a game of football.
The former emphasizes a balance between passing and running; both are possible, and the quarterback can even advance the ball himself on a carry. It's intricate and highly versatile. The latter concentrates its firepower, squaring up for a pass and engaging in a direct, head-on confrontation to maximize the quarterback's passing ability.
The same tactic can yield vastly different results in the hands of different teams, depending on how it's combined with the abilities of the quarterback, the running back, and the offense line.
Choosing the Shotgun Formation meant that Jim Hubble had decided to place his complete and utter faith in Lu Ke's passing ability!
For a first-year rookie quarterback, for a quarterback making his very first start in a career spanning both the NCAA and the NFL, this was simply unthinkable! More importantly, this quarterback was a player of Chinese descent who had just made history today!
And now, Jim was actually choosing to trust Lu Ke?
Was Jim Hubble sure he hadn't lost his mind? Was Jim Hubble sure he hadn't gone completely insane? Was that... was that really Jim Hubble, and not a clone or something? Was Jim Hubble sure he knew what he was doing?