Chapter 161 159: Poor Touch
While the Dallas Cowboys' offense was on the field, Lu Ke was on the sidelines discussing tactics with Kip Kester and Craig Roman.
In essence, the Cowboys' defensive strategy wasn't complex. It simply shifted its focus to concentrate on shutting down the quarterback's passing weapons.
But for any quarterback, figuring out how to tear apart a defense, call plays, and complete passes was a constant chess match against the opposing defense.
The Cowboys had now chosen a simple, brute-force defensive method, and it was effectively stifling Lu Ke's passing attack. So, how would Lu Ke respond?
If Lu Ke could run the ball himself, the Cowboys' defensive strategy would be thrown into disarray. The problem was, Lu Ke's physicality and running ability were both major weaknesses. If he started to run, the powerful tackles from the linebackers—the sheer impact and momentum—would be that much fiercer, putting Lu Ke at serious risk of injury.
After all, a quarterback isn't built as sturdily as a running back—especially not one with Lu Ke's slight frame.
This time, the San Francisco 49ers' defense stayed sharp, stopping Romo at the Cowboys' 46-yard line and forcing them to punt. Lu Ke then took the field once more.
The Cowboys once again lined up in a packed-in defensive formation. Lu Ke, in a deceptive move, eschewed the Pistol and Shotgun formations, opting for another common setup in the League: the I-formation.
The I-formation got its name because the original alignment looked exactly like the letter "I." Five offensive linemen would form a line, with the quarterback standing directly behind the center. Lined up behind the quarterback would be a fullback and then a halfback, forming a straight vertical line with about three yards between each player.
The positions of the three wide receivers and one tight end would vary depending on the specific play call.
In the most traditional version, all four receivers would be on the same horizontal line as the offensive line. Over time, variations evolved where the receivers would align differently along the vertical axis created by the quarterback and running backs, all to confuse the opponent.
In modern football, the fullback has been gradually phased out, so most I-formations now feature only one running back behind the quarterback.
Such as the offensive formation Lu Ke was using now:
Five offensive linemen were lined up. Flanking them were a wide receiver on each side. Further out, a wide receiver was split to the left and a tight end to the right, both roughly parallel to the offensive line but set back half a step. Lu Ke was directly under center, ready for the snap. The running back was positioned six yards behind him.
The three basic formations each have their own strategic focus. In the I-formation, the quarterback is right under center, and the strategy is primarily run-oriented. In the Pistol Formation, the quarterback is about three yards behind the center, allowing for more versatile play combinations. In the Shotgun Formation, the quarterback is six to seven yards back, making the entire strategy pass-oriented.
Of course, this is just the traditional focus. The I-formation is conducive to the running back hitting the line, carrying the ball, and breaking through, while the Shotgun gives the quarterback a better view to observe, read the defense, and pass. However, unexpected moves—like running from the Shotgun or passing from the I-formation—can often yield surprising results.
Lu Ke lined up in the I-formation with Marcus as the running back, presenting the look of a power run. But the Cowboys were completely unfazed, resolutely sticking to their packed-in defensive formation.
After the snap, Lu Ke quickly took his drop and, just as the coaches had drawn it up, handed the ball off to Marcus.
Today was different from the first game. The Cowboys had set an impenetrable wall, so the 49ers had to use the run to disrupt their defensive rhythm. Otherwise, Lu Ke's passing game would be under immense pressure, the offense would struggle to gain any traction, and one mistake could easily lead to an interception or a fumble.
Furthermore, since the Cowboys were so heavily focused on pass defense, their run defense was comparatively weaker. This was the best opportunity to open things up.
After taking the handoff, Marcus cut left and then right, found a seam, and began to grind forward. But the Cowboys' defense was hyper-focused. Three defensive linemen and four linebackers swarmed in immediately, sealing every lane airtight. The two cornerbacks in the secondary also quickly closed in to provide run support.
The entire defense was like a mountain piling up, layer after layer. If Marcus could have transformed into the Hulk right then, he might have broken through. But the problem was, he couldn't.
As a result, Marcus only managed to gain two yards before he was stopped dead in his tracks, unable to advance another inch.
Second and eight.
Still in the I-formation. After the snap, Lu Ke quickly dropped back, faking the handoff to Marcus. He pulled the ball back at the last moment, turned, and began searching for a passing target.
The Cowboys completely abandoned the blitz, giving the 49ers a solid pocket. Lu Ke felt no pressure at all and had ample time to find a target, but the field was blanketed with Cowboys players. There were no openings. In a split second, Lu Ke released the ball, targeting Michael Crabtree.
But the Cowboys' cornerback was glued to him, giving Crabtree no room to make the catch. He was pushing, jostling, and waving a hand to block his vision—it was tight, physical coverage, but clean, with no sign of a penalty. In the end, Crabtree could only watch as the pass hit the turf. Incompletion.
Third and eight.
Lu Ke opted for the Pistol Formation. After the snap, he skipped the play-action fake entirely. Without hesitation, without even looking around, he immediately fired the ball, targeting his tight end, Logan!
With the short passing zones heavily defended, Lu Ke didn't get greedy. He opted for a five-yard pass, hoping Logan could use his ability to break tackles to get the first down. Sure enough, Logan caught the ball cleanly, but a second later, two defenders converged on him, wrapping him up and bringing him down on the spot.
Another three-and-out!
The San Francisco 49ers' first two offensive drives both ended in three-and-outs, gaining a combined total of only twelve yards. Lu Ke was one-for-three passing for a mere five yards. The team's offense was completely stuck in the mud.
An ominous feeling seemed to be turning into reality. Worse still, the game had only just begun.
On the subsequent drives, the San Francisco 49ers' fiery young offense ran into the Cowboys' suffocating defense, and the rookies' inexperience finally began to show. Marcus and Logan were the first to struggle.
Marcus's running today seemed to lack its usual spark. His choice of lanes and his cuts were all out of sync, and he struggled to gain any meaningful yards, often putting the team in difficult situations. Unintentionally, Marcus was starting to look like last game's Anthony Dixon.
Logan was in an even tighter spot. In college, his physical advantages were obvious, allowing him to simply overpower opponents. But after entering the League, that physical edge had been completely nullified. The coaching staff had been constantly telling Logan to bulk up, but he had never taken it to heart.
In today's game, the Cowboys' defenders were constantly using little tricks, both overtly and covertly, to disrupt Logan's rhythm. He couldn't get separation on his routes, and even his window to track the ball in the air was limited. Often, the pass was already on its way before Logan was even in position to make a catch.
Lu Ke had targeted him four times, but Logan only made the catch on the second attempt; the other three were all failures.
Beyond the two rookies, Marcus and Logan, the three veteran wide receivers also seemed far from their best form.
Lu Ke spread the field in an aggressive passing formation, not forcing the ball to anyone but prioritizing the open man. The results, however, were limited.
Two passes went to Michael Crabtree: one was successful for a three-yard gain; the other was batted down by a defender for an incompletion.
One pass to Kyle Williams, which he dropped.
Two passes to Ted Ginn Jr.: one was a miscommunication on the route, and the other was a case of butterfingers—after catching the ball, he juggled it like a hot potato and dropped it. The drop nearly resulted in an interception:
If a receiver makes the catch but fails to secure the ball, and it pops out, a defensive player can catch and control it before it hits the ground for an interception. However, if the ball hits the ground before the defender catches it, or if the defender fails to secure it, it is ruled an incomplete pass, and possession does not change.
Ginn's butterfingers sent a cold sweat through the entire San Francisco 49ers sideline. Fortunately, the Cowboys' cornerback couldn't hang on to the ball, and it fell to the ground. Incomplete pass.
The whole unit was misfiring. The entire offense was misfiring, resulting in three consecutive three-and-outs. The San Francisco 49ers offense, which had looked unstoppable in the first game, couldn't even manage a single first down today! It was an absolute shock to everyone watching!
The coaching staff, led by Jim Hubble, made adjustments. They subbed in Vernon Davis for the struggling Logan Newman, started rotating Anthony Dixon and Marcus Lynch at running back to change the tempo, and brought in Brylen Edwards to replace the nearly invisible Kyle Williams, reconfiguring their offensive plan.
"The San Francisco 49ers' offense has been truly abysmal so far today," Kirk Charleston commented from the broadcast booth, maintaining as neutral a stance as possible. "It's like they've reverted to their old form overnight. All of their offensive weapons have gone silent."
"Objectively speaking, Number 14, Lu Ke, hasn't gotten much support today. The terrible performance from his receivers has hampered his effectiveness. But on the other hand, at least two of his own passes have been off-target—and with no pressure in his face—leading to incompletions. For a quarterback known for his pinpoint accuracy like Lu Ke, that's highly unusual."
"Let's watch this play... he's looking for Vernon Davis... oh, my God, INTERCEPTION! INTERCEPTION! The San Francisco 49ers' rookie quarterback has just thrown the first interception of his professional career!"