Chapter 292 290: Defensive Breakdown
"One, two, three! Crabtree broke three tackles! Not just from cornerbacks and safeties—he even forced the Philadelphia Eagles' linebackers to fall back! In the chaos, it took more than seven members of the Defense Team to swarm Crabtree and finally stop his advance!"
Kirk's exclamations were endless. Even after watching the replay two, three times, his amazement wouldn't subside. "From the tactical drop back at the snap, to Lu Ke's deceptively simple yet incredibly difficult long pass under pressure, and then to Crabtree's powerful and ferocious run! The San Francisco 49ers' offense went into full-on Superman mode, brutally carving a path through the defense!"
"Wow." Teddy was nearly speechless, just shaking his head again and again in disbelief. "Hachar's tough defense, Newman's beautiful screen, Ginn's key block, and Crabtree's powerful breakthrough—he even broke a double tackle! Jesus Christ! An absolutely brilliant pass, an absolutely brilliant run! This is definitely a strong contender for play of the week!"
Amidst their exclamations, Kirk and Teddy exchanged a look, both breaking into smiles. This was why they loved football so much—that surging passion, that boiling blood, it made you forget everything else.
"Facing a difficult second-and-fifteen, Lu Ke completed a precise twenty-seven-yard long pass. After the catch, Crabtree ran for another thirteen yards. In one fell swoop, they've charged into the Philadelphia Eagles' territory, now at the thirty-six-yard line! More importantly, the San Francisco 49ers used less than fifty seconds on those last two plays. There are still seventy-three seconds left in the game—anything is possible! God, anything is possible!"
Kirk was the first to regain his composure, offering a summary. "We need to calm down now and watch the San Francisco 49ers' next play. For them, a Touchdown is the only acceptable outcome!"
...
On the field, the home fans fell silent for a moment, confused. Crabtree's devastating run had seized them by the throat, plunging them into shock and panic. But it lasted only an instant. They quickly recovered, and the roaring, harassing noise rose to a new level, pouring down like a torrential storm as they cheered for their home team and tried to disrupt the visitors.
"Go! Go!"
Lu Ke's voice was completely swallowed by the noise, like a small boat tossed on fierce waves. Left with no choice, Lu Ke could only raise his hands, repeatedly making a pushing motion, urging his Offense Line teammates forward as they quickly crossed midfield to the thirty-six-yard line.
The entire offense was completely focused, their minds clear of distractions. They had only cheered Crabtree on as he pushed forward; the moment the play ended, their attention snapped back, ready for the next down. The time they had left was incredibly tight.
The noise was absolutely insane, even affecting the sound in the headsets. Jim Hubble's communication with the playbook room seemed to be failing, and then a string of commands came through, "No-huddle, no-huddle, no-huddle!"
Lu Ke glanced back at the coaching staff on the sideline. Kip, Greg, Jim, and the others were all making the same gesture: no-huddle offense, no timeouts. Time was already tight, and the crowd noise was too disruptive. Rather than trying to communicate a complex play, they would trust Lu Ke's instincts.
Lu Ke brought his gaze back, scanned his teammates, and said nothing, his determined eyes conveying everything. He clapped his hands sharply, signaling everyone to get into formation. It was simple, crisp, and clear. Every member of the offense fell into their roles, returning to the line of scrimmage full of confidence and free of distractions.
'Read the defense.'
Lu Ke subconsciously rubbed his fingertips together, his gaze sharp as he observed the opponent's defensive formation. 'They've changed it. They're scared!'
The Philadelphia Eagles had abandoned the blitzing tactics that had been so successful all day. They left only three men on the Defense Line and one linebacker up front to rush the passer and defend the run. The other three linebackers and four defensive backs were spread out in three tiers, completely blanketing the short, intermediate, and deep passing lanes.
In this critical moment, they were afraid. Lu Ke's passing ability, especially his long ball, was a powerful deterrent. No one cared about the commentators' analysis, and no one cared that he was one of the Undrafted Players. The fact was, in today's game, Lu Ke had demonstrated devastating Long Pass Accuracy, and they had no choice but to guard against it.
There were so many players in the secondary; it felt like every corner of his vision was filled with the navy blue jerseys of the Philadelphia Eagles. But Lu Ke wasn't the least bit nervous. He went back to the same play, lining up in the Pistol Formation with one receiver to the left and three to the right. He didn't even change the players' positions.
Was this a repeat of the same play? Or was it a trap?
There was no time to think. The Philadelphia Eagles' defenders immediately realized that Lu Ke had snapped the ball! 'So fast?' That was the only thought in their minds. They hadn't even had time to catch their breath. They had just gotten set on the thirty-six-yard line, and Lu Ke had already snapped it!
"Son of a bitch!"
...
Lu Ke held the ball with both hands and began his methodical dropback, gradually putting distance between himself and the Offense Line. Marcus Lynch, who had been behind him, rushed forward—
In a normal situation, an unexpected run play here would have been highly effective. But with just over seventy seconds left in the game, they had to get a Touchdown. Passing was their only option, and the Philadelphia Eagles knew it, which was why they were concentrating on pass defense.
So, with no play-action fake, Lynch immediately shot forward and cut to the right side, using the numbers advantage to completely overwhelm the Eagles' Defense Line, which had been having its way all day. The pocket didn't just hold; it pushed forward, creating even more distance between the rushers and Lu Ke.
Lu Ke's eyes were like a hawk's, rapidly scanning the field. The right side was clearly the focus of the play, with Newman, Crabtree, and Williams all charging forward simultaneously.
Crabtree was the first to break, cutting horizontally in the short-pass zone and moving toward the sideline, making a gesture as if to receive the ball. Next, Newman stopped on a dime, making a sharp turn and using choppy steps to adjust toward an open spot in the middle, even backtracking a few steps. Finally, there was Williams, who charged forward with his head down, showing no sign of stopping, as if he planned to run straight into the End Zone.
The different levels and routes were dazzling, throwing the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary into utter chaos.
The Eagles' secondary had no choice but to stay on high alert. They committed at least five players to zone coverage, with one more roaming the middle to cover short and intermediate routes. The result was a scene of white jerseys streaking through a sea of navy blue, but the airtight coverage made it difficult to find any openings.
Just then, Lu Ke's Observation Field of View caught sight of an Eagles player— 'Someone blew their coverage! An opening! A chance!'
Without a moment's hesitation, he made his decision. Lu Ke raised his arm, drawing it back like a fully-cocked bow. The rotation of his shoulder and the explosion of his muscles combined perfectly, concentrating all that power into the football. The pass shot out like a thundering Crescent Moon Saber.
"The San Francisco 49ers went with a quick snap, and the receivers are immediately deep into Philadelphia Eagles territory. But the Eagles' secondary hasn't let its guard down, they're providing tight coverage across the field. This is the critical moment. A breakthrough might have to come down to a receiver's individual skill. Crabtree and Newman are the obvious targets! Lu Ke has thrown the pass, and the target is... Hah."
Still live on air, Kirk let out a sharp gasp. "Ted Ginn Jr.! The pass is to Ted Ginn Jr. on the left side of the field!"
Ted Ginn Jr. was sprinting, no fancy moves, just a simple, straight go-route. The thirty-yard line, the twenty-five, the twenty... He was lightning fast, pushing his speed to its absolute limit, as if his feet were about to catch fire.
This was a no-huddle offense, which meant every receiver was running their route based on instinct and their chemistry with Lu Ke. Lu Ke read the entire field, found an open man, and immediately made the throw. It meant every receiver had to be completely focused, unable to relax for even a second, always ready for the ball.
Accelerating, then accelerating again, Ginn pushed his advantage to the absolute limit.
In his peripheral vision, he could see the Eagles' number forty-nine, Tom Nelson. Since he was the only receiver on the left, the Eagles had assigned Nelson to cover him one-on-one. Nelson had been sticking with him, but as he ran past the twenty-five-yard line, all the 49ers receivers scattered like petals in the wind. Nelson faltered for a split second, then broke toward the open space in the middle of the field.
'An opening!'
Ginn screamed inwardly. His side of the field was now completely clear of defenders. He prayed Lu Ke would see the opening. He quickly adjusted his feet, turning back so his left shoulder was facing Lu Ke, placing his hands in front of his chest in a receiving position. But his feet never stopped moving forward. The fifteen-yard line, the ten, the five...
'Lu Ke! Lu Ke! Lu Ke!'
"The pass is away!"
Ginn saw the football arcing through the sky. He became calmer than ever before. He leaned back slightly, presenting his chest as a target, his back to the rest of the field. Now, even if a defender caught up to him, he could use his body to shield the ball.
The football was flying incredibly fast, its trajectory perfectly controlled. It was exactly where Ginn had imagined it would be, landing precisely in the spot he anticipated.
WHOOSH. Without a doubt, he made the catch with ease!
But it wasn't over!