"Attack!"
Logan Newman's ears picked up Lu Ke's snap call. Without a moment's hesitation, he lowered his head and started sprinting forward like he was in a 40-yard dash drill. His speed instantly went from zero to its maximum, showcasing his explosive power.
He didn't change direction, didn't turn, didn't stop, and didn't even look up. He just sprinted forward relentlessly, carrying a powerful wave of energy that swept across the field like a destructive force.
As a tight end, Newman was already bigger than a typical wide receiver. Even though the team kept urging him to gain more weight, he was still one size bigger. At this moment, Newman was running without any specific play in mind, as if he were in a 100-meter Olympic final and not a football game. He looked like a rocket, with a powerful and unreasonable momentum:
He ran past a linebacker, and then a cornerback. Both players' bodies involuntarily swayed with Newman's movement, hesitating whether to tackle him or not, and wondering what his real goal was. But before they could even think, Newman was already gone. Both players' center of gravity had shifted, and their subsequent defense was also at a disadvantage.
The linebacker was on the left side of the Philadelphia Eagles' defense, which was the right side of the San Francisco 49ers' offense. His job was to blitz the quarterback. But because of that slight hesitation, his reaction was a quarter-beat—or even an eighth-beat—slower. That slight delay caused him to lose momentum. After getting past the 49ers' offensive line, he encountered Lynch, who had a missed block, and he couldn't advance any further. Lynch defended him completely.
Normally, a linebacker would easily beat a running back, as one is a dedicated defender and the other is just doing a favor. But in this case, the situation had changed.
Newman, of course, was unaware of what was happening behind him. He was completely lost in the moment, with no other thoughts in his mind. His only goal was to attract the attention of all the players in the secondary defense.
This was a running play, and all the players on offense knew it, so they had to make a path for Lynch.
Besides the offensive line, which had to create a gap in their one-on-one matchups, Crabtree, Williams, and Ginn all had the same job: to occupy the linebackers and cornerbacks to keep them from cutting off Lynch's running path, clearing the way for him.
As for Newman, he was the tight end, the heavy weapon. His job was to create chaos in the secondary. If he could occupy a cornerback to relieve the pressure on Williams and let Williams clear the way for Lynch, that would be even better. If not, then the two safeties were Newman's target.
At the same time, he also had to distract the Philadelphia Eagles' defense with his fierce and unreasonable sprint, disrupting the defenders' attention. Before the snap, Lu Ke had moved Ginn, which was meant to plant a seed of doubt in their minds, making them think it was a passing play. Newman's movement was meant to make that seed grow.
So, with no doubts, no thoughts, and no burden of catching the ball, Newman just sprinted wildly. The simple and aggressive play, executed by the tight end's powerful body, became incredibly effective.
Bang, bang, bang!
Newman was running with all his might, completely lost in the moment. The more he ran, the more excited he got. He felt like a drawn sword, piercing the Philadelphia Eagles' weak spot with sharp, pinpoint accuracy. It was an amazing feeling! If he weren't in the middle of a game, Newman would have spread his arms and embraced the wind.
He was the Son of the Wind.
Even so, Newman didn't forget his job: sprint, and sprint some more. Twenty yards, thirty yards, forty yards, the midfield line... His speed hadn't slowed down. Thirty yards was just a couple of breaths away. In less than three seconds, Newman thought about whether he should make a fake catching gesture to shake off the secondary defense.
But the problem was, in three seconds, Lynch would have already burst out, and everyone would know it was a running play, so his distraction wouldn't work anymore.
Just then, a voice came from behind him, "Newman! Catch! Catch!" It was Williams' voice, carried by the wind.
Newman's muscles suddenly tensed up. He turned his head and saw the football flying high like a rainbow, whistling toward him. It hadn't even reached its peak yet, which meant... it still had a long way to go before it started to drop.
Damn it!
Newman started again, accelerating and gritting his teeth, sprinting like a madman. A safety was rushing toward him, but Newman's bull-like charge was unstoppable. The opponent had no chance. He just barely grazed Newman's waist and was left behind completely.
Newman quickly scanned his peripheral vision. There was another safety on the far left, cutting across the field, but he had started too late and couldn't keep up.
So, Newman focused all his attention on his hands. Forty-five yards, forty yards, thirty-five yards... Faster, a little faster. Newman was using all his might, but speed wasn't his strong suit. He had already started sprinting early, but it still felt like he was just a little short.
D***n Bambi! He threw it so far! He's not a puppy in a game of fetch!
Luckily, it was a rainbow pass. Lu Ke seemed to have anticipated the difference in Newman's speed, and the arc was very high, like a scimitar drawn across the sky, making the bright sunlight look like a prop. This gave Newman more time.
The thirty-yard line!
He had reached it. Newman made a catching gesture with his hands, as if he were holding a baby, and cradled the ball against his chest. He started to adjust his steps, turning them into small steps, but the forward momentum was too strong, and his steps were a little clumsy, stumbling and lurching.
At that moment, Newman showed his prowess as a top-tier receiver. His upper body was as steady as a mountain, completely unaffected by his unsteady feet. He cleanly, accurately, and smoothly brought the football into his embrace.
But that wasn't the end.
Newman had lost his balance and couldn't get a handle on it. His feet were all over the place. He tried his best to control his body, using his momentum to keep moving forward. As he ran, his knees started to buckle. Newman gritted his teeth, constantly cursing inwardly, "Dn Bambi! Dn Bambi! Why'd he throw it so far! God, I can't breathe!"
His strength reached its limit, and his knees finally straightened. But he couldn't keep his balance anymore. He was like a sprinter in the final leg of an Olympic 100-meter dash, his muscles exploding with power, turning momentum and gravity into forward motion. He charged past the goal line and then fell hard, face-planting and kicking up a huge patch of turf.
"My God, there are no defenders left in the Eagles' backfield! Newman! Newman!" Kirk's voice was starting to get distorted, and his heart was stuck in his throat. He shrieked, "He's past the midfield line, forty yards, thirty yards! Newman caught it! Jesus Christ! He caught it! Newman made the catch! That's a whopping sixty-four-yard pass! Crap!"
Even though he tried to hold it in, Kirk couldn't help himself and let out a curse. He was fined for it after the game, but he didn't care at all and had no regrets.
"A sixty-four-yard pass! My God, Newman is still running! Twenty yards, fifteen yards, ten yards... Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" Kirk grabbed his hair and yelled frantically, "He's crossed the end zone line! Crap! Newman is in the end zone with the ball! Touchdown! That's a touchdown!"
Not just Kirk, even Teddy was hitting the table and yelling frantically. "Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown!" His passion was completely unleashed at that moment. "Ladies and gentlemen, in the second half of the game, after a fierce collision, Lu Ke not only remained unharmed but also got his act together and boosted the team's morale. The offensive line delivered their first perfect pocket protection of the game, but Lu Ke and running back Lynch had a fumble during the handoff, which meant the running play couldn't be executed!"
"In a state of emergency, Lu Ke caught the ball again. With just two steps to adjust, he threw an incredible sixty-four-yard bomb! My God, this reminds us of the peak of Aaron Rodgers this season! The 49ers' number eighty-eight, Logan Newman, made the catch under physical duress and stumbled into the end zone. That's a touchdown! My God, that's a touchdown! Pure and simple!"
"The San Francisco 49ers have responded with a touchdown! They're closing the gap! The suspense of the game is back!"
That wasn't Kirk's commentary, it was Teddy's. In his passionate and excited state, his hoarse shouting was like a machine gun, erupting with incredible energy. Even after witnessing it all, they still couldn't believe it.
First a sack, then a fumble, and finally a long pass, ending in a touchdown!
This might have been the most exciting drive of the season so far! With such a dramatic storyline, their adrenaline was completely shot. Teddy suddenly stood up and raised his hands, following the referee's gesture on the field, confirming the call.
"Touchdown! San Francisco 49ers, touchdown!"
A frantic roar came from the TV screen. The small speakers seemed unable to handle the commentators' insane calls, but for the fans in "Joe's Bar," it was the most beautiful sound in the world. When they saw the referee confirm the touchdown, the entire bar erupted.
Jonathan was the first to jump up, as if he had instantly become thirty years younger. He did a scissor kick in the air and then waved his right fist. The sleeping lion began to roar, "Touchdown! Fg touchdown! That's a fg touchdown!" Jonathan's eyes were bloodshot, and he kept roaring at everyone in his sight, "Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown!"
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