Standing on the sidelines, Lu Ke was focused on discussing strategy when his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a group of hulking figures thundering past him like a migrating herd of antelopes. Not just him, but Craig Roman and Kip Crichton also looked up, their attention instinctively drawn to the game, their eyes fixed on the sprinting Marcus Lynch.
Touchdown! Marcus had actually scored a kickoff return touchdown! This was the San Francisco 49ers' first return touchdown of the new season, and it came in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a perfectly timed play, closing the score in the shortest and most efficient way possible, and once again putting all the pressure back on the offense led by Michael Vick!
Without a doubt, Marcus Lynch had truly proven his worth in today's game!
Watching Marcus celebrate wildly, Lu Ke couldn't help but let out a big smile. The offensive players on the sidelines all came over to high-five Lu Ke. Logan Newman even stretched exaggeratedly. "Ah, that saves us some trouble. We get to rest some more. Not bad, not bad."
With a successful return touchdown, everything would proceed as a normal touchdown. This meant that the San Francisco 49ers' offense and the Philadelphia Eagles' defense would remain on the sidelines to rest, while the 49ers' defense and Eagles' offense, who had just been battling it out a minute ago, would take the field again to continue their confrontation.
Just then, Marcus ran off the field with a big smile, his arms wide open, rushing toward Lu Ke and Logan. His eyebrows were raised, his eyes were sparkling, and his mouth was wide open, like a labrador running toward its owner. The only thing missing was a wagging tail.
Finally, Marcus stopped in front of his friends, his face beaming as he roared, "Tell me, who's the man? Who is it?"
Lu Ke and Logan exchanged a look, and shook their heads helplessly. Then they both raised their hands, extended their index fingers, and exaggeratedly pointed their fingers at Marcus. They slightly turned their bodies, lifted their chins, and their squinted eyes were full of playful light. The dramatic gesture was a perfect imitation of a supporting cast member, diligently performing their role.
Marcus nodded, satisfied. Then he smugly put his hands behind his head and started moving his hips excitedly, complete with an overly dramatic expression, as if he were dancing to an electronic beat in a nightclub. His greasy moves were truly cringe-worthy and hard to watch.
"Ugh!" Everyone made sounds of disgust, as if they had seen something dirty, and quickly backed away. Even Craig and Kip were involved. Then, seeing the empty space in front of Marcus, everyone burst into laughter.
Compared to the San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles' mood was not so great. After both teams' special teams were back on the field, David Akers made no mistakes, and after kicking the extra point, the San Francisco 49ers narrowed the score to 24-21. Now, with only a field goal separating the two teams and plenty of time left in the game, anything could happen.
Before the fourth quarter, people had been hoping for such a fiery matchup, but they never expected all their hopes to come true. For neutral fans, this was a party. But for the fans of both teams, the moment of a heart attack was approaching, and their palms started to sweat.
The San Francisco 49ers' special teams took the field for the kickoff. They didn't make the same mistake their opponents did. After kicking the ball out of the end zone, the Philadelphia Eagles would start their drive at their own 20-yard line.
The tension gradually thickened, almost solidifying and making it hard to breathe. The Philadelphia Eagles' offense seemed to be affected. Their inconsistency from the last three games reappeared at a crucial moment. Michael Vick had a wildly inaccurate pass, a running play that hit a wall and went nowhere, and a sack...
In the blink of an eye, the Philadelphia Eagles went three-and-out.
Facing the aggressive San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles not only failed to regroup and pull away but also went three-and-out, handing the ball over to their opponents. This was the worst possible situation for the home team, and they were immediately on the defensive.
As they left the field, Vick and the offensive linemen got into a heated argument. They clearly had different opinions about the sack that had just happened, and the atmosphere was tense. Even the home fans started to boo, hoping their team would get its act together soon.
The opportunity was back in the 49ers' hands. With a field goal separating them, they could tie or even take the lead with this drive, truly turning the tide of the game. So, the offense, back on the field, showed a powerful, united spirit. Lu Ke, in particular, was in excellent form.
After taking the field, Lu Ke went all out. He used two quick screen passes, eight and nine yards respectively, finding Michael Crabtree and Logan Newman. Using their size advantage, he continued to advance, earning two quick first downs.
Then, with two more powerful runs from Kendall Hunter, they gained nine yards. On third and one, he threw a four-yard short pass to Kyle Williams, and the San Francisco 49ers' offense, in a flash, with little resistance, had already crossed midfield.
They were now even closer to a field goal.
But then, the 49ers' offense ran into some trouble. Lu Ke watched the slightly high arc of the football, his eyes focused on the target, Michael Crabtree. It was a five-yard short pass, thrown quickly and decisively, hoping to use the timing and Crabtree's strong wide-receiver advantage to get a first down.
At a crucial moment, Nnamdi Asomugha, a Pro Bowl cornerback who had just joined the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason, made a critical defensive play. At the last second, he used his body to forcefully squeeze out Crabtree. The latter's fingertips had already touched the football, but under the strong impact, he could only watch as the ball flew back into the air, and gravity quickly pulled it down to the ground with a thump.
Before that pass, on first down, Lu Ke had thrown a three-yard pass to Ted Ginn. On second down, Marcus Lynch had run for three yards. So, they were facing a third and four. Now, Asomugha had made a defensive play, breaking up the connection between Lu Ke and Crabtree, resulting in a failed third-down conversion.
The original plan was to use Crabtree's size to beat Asomugha one-on-one and make the catch. But things didn't go as planned. A hair's breadth of difference led to a disappointing result. They had just crossed midfield and were about to enter field goal range, but their drive came to a sudden halt. This was hard to swallow.
"Yellow flag on the field," a yellow flag from the referee saved the San Francisco 49ers' offense from their disappointment. The referee announced, "Holding, number thirty-one of the Philadelphia Eagles. Five-yard penalty. Automatic first down, San Francisco 49ers."
Number thirty-one was rookie cornerback Curtis Marsh. He wasn't a starter, just a rotational defensive player. In that last defensive play, he was covering Kyle Williams but accidentally committed a holding penalty. The Eagles had just made a third-down stop, but now they had given their opponents a first down and had to start all over.
The entire Lincoln Financial Field let out a groan of frustration, but "Joe's Bar" erupted in thunderous cheers.
For the San Francisco 49ers' offense, there was no time to celebrate. They calmed down and started organizing their next play.
Lu Ke quickly snapped the ball and handed it off to Marcus Lynch on the first down. But the Philadelphia Eagles, who were still on edge, were highly focused. Not only did they stop Lynch from advancing, but they also pushed him back a yard. Their ground defense remained as tough as it had been all game.
On second and eleven, Lu Ke connected with Logan Newman, but unfortunately, it was only a four-yard short pass. Newman was then immediately double-teamed and tackled, unable to advance any further.
On third and seven, facing another long-yardage conversion, the San Francisco 49ers lined up in a shotgun formation, seemingly trying to replicate their powerful 64-yard touchdown pass from before. But after the snap, Lu Ke surprisingly chose to quickly move laterally, looking for an open spot in the Philadelphia Eagles' intermediate coverage, and threw the ball.
It was a traditional post route. The pass was thrown to the middle of the field, a simple and direct twelve-yard pass that was completed in the blink of an eye. The target was: Ted Ginn!
Ginn, known for his speed, was familiar with this basic route of running straight, cutting inside, and charging forward. But the defenders were a nuisance. Safety Tom Nelson quickly rushed to cover and was in tight coverage, constantly using his body to squeeze Ginn. Even though Nelson couldn't quite keep up with his speed, his interference disrupted Ginn's rhythm and balance, preventing him from fully using his speed advantage.
Despite this, Ginn still extended his hands to make the catch. The ball was getting closer, and closer, but his disrupted footwork meant he was a bit behind. He could only tip the ball with his fingertips, but at the last second, he missed it by a hair. His fingertips slid across the surface of the football without any force, and he could only watch as the ball slipped past them and fell to the grass.
"Damn! Damn! Damn!"
Ginn cursed repeatedly. He adjusted his stance, and without even taking a breath, he shouted at the referee, "Foul! That was pass interference!"
✨ Announcement: Tier Benefits and New Series Launch
I'll be updating the number of exclusive chapters available for each tier!
For The King of the Bay Area, the early-access chapters will increase as follows:
Epic Tier: 5 days advance access — 15 exclusive chapters
Legendary Tier: 10 days advance access — 30 exclusive chapters
The exclusive chapters for Naruto: Reborn of the Great White Serpent will remain the same.
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