Chapter 280 278: United as One
As the commander on the field, the quarterback actually has the right to call a timeout. He can signal directly to the referee to force one.
Because the state of the game is constantly changing, the quarterback is responsible for communicating plays and leading the team. If a play isn't communicated properly and there's not enough time for the snap, or if the quarterback spots a hole in the opposing defense and wants to change the play but time is running out, they can call a timeout directly.
In fact, a quarterback's right to call a timeout even takes precedence over the coach's.
However, Lu Ke didn't have command authority on the San Francisco 49ers—the offensive captain was Jonathan Baldwin. So, at this moment, he had to request a timeout from the coaches.
Lu Ke knew perfectly well that it was far too early to be calling a timeout, which was a definite disadvantage for clock management. But the team was facing an even greater crisis, and he needed this pause. So, in the face of Brian's confusion and Jim's hesitation, Lu Ke didn't back down in the slightest, adamantly demanding a timeout.
Jim hesitated for a moment, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, but in the end, he nodded and granted Lu Ke's request, making the timeout signal to the referee.
The San Francisco 49ers called a timeout, and the referee blew the whistle, stopping the game.
"What's going on?" A confused voice came from the broadcast booth. Everyone was utterly baffled.
The second half had just begun, and the San Francisco 49ers had already used one of their timeouts. It was an irrational move, a clear disadvantage for clock management in the final moments of the game. Moreover, there didn't seem to be any particular problem on the field. Voluntarily calling a timeout was like shrugging and handing over the initiative—a truly unwise decision.
So, Kirk's first guess was, "Could Lu Ke be injured?" This was probably what everyone was thinking.
...
"Goddammit!" At Joe's Bar, Jonathan Baldwin could no longer hold it in. He slammed his beer mug onto the floor. With a CRASH, shattered glass flew everywhere.
He had endured Chris's taunts. He had endured watching Lu Ke get rocked by that terrifying hit. But at this moment, he couldn't take it anymore. His chest felt like it was about to explode. He shot to his feet, enraged. "Those son-of-a-bitch pussies! Are they even men? Get your shit together! All of you, get your shit together! Fuck!"
Jonathan's outburst was so sudden that it startled everyone. They just stared at him, stunned. But he didn't care. He strode to the center of the bar, pointed at the TV screen, and started cursing, "They're a bunch of veterans, but they've got balls the size of rice grains! They're not even as tough as Bambi, the rookie! Fuck! It was just one sack, and they're already scared shitless! Goddammit!"
His anger was directed at the players on the offensive unit.
Looking at that group of listless, demoralized players... forget the will to win, they didn't even seem to have the energy to keep playing. Negative, hopeless, silent, sluggish—they had practically laid down their arms and surrendered without a fight. This team reminded Jonathan of the nightmare of the past eight years, a long and hellish period.
Losing wasn't what was scary. What was scary was losing without a struggle, without a fight. You couldn't even see a spark of life in them. A game like this was frustrating to watch, and even more infuriating.
"Look at Bambi! You grown-ass men!" Jonathan roared, red in the face and hoarse, as if his voice could travel through the TV screen to the other side of North America. "Bambi's the one who took that brutal hit! Bambi's the one who should be pissed off! Bambi's the one who should be frustrated and dejected! Is this how you protect your quarterback? Again and again and again! Dammit, calling you pussies is an insult to pussies!"
"Wake up! All of you, wake the fuck up! Right now, Bambi is the only one fighting out there, Jesus Christ! Bambi needs your help, so get your shit together! Bambi is carrying the whole team on his back, can't you see that? You should all go to hell, goddamn hell! If it weren't for this rookie, we would've completely collapsed by now! You shameless bastards!"
Uninhibitedly, with spittle flying, Jonathan's rage still wasn't fully vented. As he spoke, his eyes started to turn bloodshot.
He couldn't believe his eyes. On the entire team, only Lu Ke had his spirits up. Only Lu Ke was completely focused. The other players were a hopeless case, and it was infuriating! This was the twelfth time. The twelfth time Lu Ke had been hit. He'd been hit so hard he was nearly knocked silly, but how did Lu Ke respond?
Lu Ke got back up! He clenched his fists, gathered his teammates, and fired them up! And the other players? They were hanging their heads? They were at a loss? They were dazed and confused? Fucking assholes! Goddamn cowards! With a pocket that porous, they had the nerve to call themselves an Offensive Line? A disgrace! A true disgrace!
"Fuck! You can all go to hell!" Jonathan lifted his right leg and viciously kicked over a nearby chair. His chest heaved, and he seemed to calm down slightly. Then he looked up and saw the entire bar staring at him, but he didn't give a damn. He spat to the side. "What, never seen a man get pissed off before?"
He thought for a moment, but was still overcome with rage. "Those bastards! If they don't get their act together, I'll storm the home field next game and give them a taste of what 49ers power really means! Fuck! Cowards! They're all cowards!"
"Well said!" Cliff Hart was the first to stand up, shouting in agreement, "Those useless bastards!"
"Bastards!" Jeff shot to his feet, letting out a curse.
Then, the entire bar came alive, erupting with an unprecedented amount of fight. Everyone was letting it all out, unleashing all their pent-up anger and frustration. The bustling chorus of curses spread through Joe's Bar like an exploding nebula.
Profanity. Nothing but profanity, vast and tumultuous. But at this moment, the bar had finally found its life again! All the pent-up frustration from holding back for so long was being released. They had waited for this moment, endured in silence for far, far too long. Now, they wouldn't be silent anymore!
"Shh! Shh!" At such a critical moment, someone was shushing the crowd? All eyes shot over to see Noah Parker with a finger to his lips. Even as the center of attention, he paid it no mind and just pointed to the TV screen.
In unison, every eye in the bar turned to the screen. On it, Lu Ke had called a timeout and was gathering all the offensive players.
"First of all, I'm fine!" This was Lu Ke's opening line. "Otherwise, believe me, I'd be the first one to come after you guys! This goddamn pocket is worse than a beggar's pouch—it couldn't even hold on to a quarter!"
No one likes getting hit twelve times. Even a saint would lose their temper, and Lu Ke was definitely not the type to just swallow his anger. But there were more pressing matters at hand.
The problems in the 49ers' locker room couldn't be solved overnight. Through last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals and the internal quarterback competition, they were slowly starting to come together. Facing such a difficult situation today, they needed to unite further, to truly work together as one to fight for the win.
"Guys, you need to focus. You can do this!" Lu Ke said firmly. Through his helmet, his eyes met each player's, one by one. He wouldn't look away until he received an affirmative nod in return.
This was a side of Lu Ke they hadn't seen in the previous three games. Perhaps they'd seen a glimpse of it in the locker room during the Dallas Cowboys game, and maybe it had appeared on the field against the Cincinnati Bengals. But today, Lu Ke was more proactive, more assertive, and more resolute. That powerful conviction was transmitted clearly and precisely through his gaze into every player's eyes.
Lu Ke made sure every player received his message, then clenched his fist tightly. "Calm, focused, committed! We can win this game! Believe me, victory is still ours for the taking!"
The simple words carried immense power. Fragments of memories from the past three weeks surfaced, one by one. They had experienced highs and they had experienced lows. And in the end, they had made it here, visiting Philadelphia on the momentum of a three-game winning streak.
"So, would you rather have those guys from the Eagles kick your asses, or would you rather I kick your asses after the game?" Lu Ke's question made everyone blink in surprise. He then nodded. "If possible, let's have neither of those things happen! So right now, I need you all to focus. I don't know how many more hits I can take, but I hope we can win this game before I fall apart!"
It was a fiery, passionate speech, but delivered with a surprising amount of humor. The tense atmosphere dissipated without them even realizing it. Logan and Marcus even bumped their shoulders against each other and let out a cheerful laugh.
"No one believes in us, not even our own fans. But we don't give up easily. Not because we're the strongest team, but because we are all warriors! Valiant warriors! Warriors who will never, ever give up before the finish line!" Lu Ke pumped his fist down hard. "So, we are...?"
"Warriors!"
"Goddamn cowards, louder! We are!"
"Warriors!"
The first shout was scattered and weak. The second shout was unified and powerful. Then, the third shout:
"We are!"
"Warriors!"
Fierce and full of valor, the desire for victory and the fire in their blood returned to their bodies once more.
"After this game is over, I want every single one of you to be able to walk off this field with your heads held high! Good. Now, we don't have much time left in this timeout, so we have to hurry. I'm calling the play now. Goddammit! You'd better execute it perfectly! I won't accept any other result!"
The lighthearted curse made his teammates chuckle. Lu Ke then complained again with mock exaggeration, "Fuck! I'm not kidding! The play, I'm only saying it once! We need to score!"