Forty-nine seconds ago, Lu Ke successfully connected with Ted Ginn, who completed a touchdown in the pose of an eagle with spread wings. They successfully took the lead and turned the tide of the game. With David Akers kicking the extra point, the score was 27-28. The San Francisco 49ers had their first lead of the entire game, just one step away from a four-game winning streak.
Forty-nine seconds later, Michael Vick led a continuous drive, and on a crucial fourth and six, he led the Philadelphia Eagles past midfield. The rookie kicker then completed a career-high 51-yard field goal, taking the lead once again. The score was 30-28. He had successfully delivered a reverse game-winner, securing their second win of the season.
The difference between heaven and hell was just 49 seconds. The final moments of the Week 4 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles were thrilling and intense, enough to give a person a heart attack. The game ended with a Philadelphia Eagles victory.
Kirk and Teddy, sitting in the studio, were still recovering. They were amazed by the Eagles' ability to come back, stubbornly snatching a victory from the 49ers. They were amazed that rookie kicker Alex Henery became the hero of the game-winning play, and the Eagles found new life after Akers' departure. But after the amazement, the after-effects were powerful.
"Wow, all I can say is that we never know the outcome until the game is truly over," Teddy was the first to calm down, letting out a long breath. "In the last two minutes of the game, both teams' offenses showed great strength. Their ability to deliver a fatal blow in a desperate situation was eye-opening. Unfortunately, the young Lu Ke lost the game, while the veteran Vick won. But I don't see this as a complete loss for the 49ers."
"Yes, that's the charm of sports. As long as the clock is running, anything is possible," Kirk also took a deep breath, showing his professional demeanor. "The Philadelphia Eagles won the game, but the San Francisco 49ers have no reason to be discouraged. They can hold their heads high and walk out of Lincoln Financial Field. They gave us a fantastic game and fought until the very end."
"Looking at the whole game..."
As Kirk and Teddy said, the game was over, but the aftermath had just begun. After the two commentators calmed down, they started to review the entire game and make their summary. On the field at Lincoln Financial Field, the extreme tension was not so easy to dissipate.
His heart rose high and became stuck in his throat. Lu Ke watched the football hit the goalpost. The muffled "bang" was like a thunderclap in his ears. But before the joy could even burst forth, he watched the football go through the goalposts, and his heart dropped heavily, hitting the ground with a thud.
They lost.
This was the only thought in Lu Ke's mind. He knew that a loss would come sooner or later. In sports, there are no undefeated champions. Even the strongest teams have a day when they lose. But today's loss was too sudden. Victory was almost within their grasp, but it slipped through their fingers, leaving only a void.
His first professional loss came a little later than he expected, but also a little earlier than he expected. As predicted, the bitter taste of defeat spread throughout his mouth, even more bitter than he imagined.
This was Lu Ke's first game as the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and it ended with a loss. His momentum was suddenly met with a cold slap in the face, a sharp and cold reminder that to become a football superstar, he had a lot to learn in addition to talent. Moreover, in terms of pure ability, he still had many shortcomings.
The starting position was an honor, but it wasn't the finish line.
He let out a long sigh, but the feeling was hard to shake off. As sweet as victory was, defeat was just as bitter, or even more so. He would probably have to live with this feeling for the next few days.
But, from another perspective, this was a good thing. Because he cared, it hurt. If a team started to get used to losing and it became normal, then victory might never come. Only by deeply remembering the taste of defeat can a person regroup and give their all for the next victory.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Ke ran to the center of the field and saw a smiling, high-spirited Michael Vick surrounded by his Philadelphia Eagles teammates. The atmosphere was incredibly enthusiastic.
Lu Ke walked up and shook Vick's hand politely. "Great game!"
In the last drive, Vick truly showed people the powerful offense of a running quarterback. Compared to the new generation of running quarterbacks, Vick's passing accuracy was actually always underestimated. In crucial moments, he had the ability to deliver a deadly long pass, which was intimidating for any team. Vick's performance today was truly admirable.
Vick also shook Lu Ke's right hand politely. "Good luck!" Without any unnecessary small talk, he gave a nod and turned to leave. He then raised his hands and began to applaud, thanking the fans for their support. The entire Lincoln Financial Field became an ocean of cheers, celebrating their second regular season victory of the year.
Lu Ke turned around and saw his teammates. They were all scattered in different corners, looking dejected. Some were sitting on the ground, physically and mentally exhausted. Some were standing in a daze. Some were arguing angrily.
Parys Haralson and Patrick Willis were arguing. One was a veteran leader, and the other was the on-field captain of the defense. Both were dominant figures in the locker room, usually getting along well, but today they were shoving each other in a heated argument.
Lu Ke let out a heavy sigh. If he had a choice, he wouldn't get involved. He didn't have the right to. As a mere rookie, he didn't have the authority to speak up in the team, let alone when two dominant players were arguing. But after this loss, every one of them was feeling terrible. The last thing they needed was to blame each other and fall apart.
What would happen then? After a three-game winning streak, would they end the season with a 13-game losing streak?
Lu Ke refused to accept that outcome. So, he walked forward quickly, picking up his pace, and finally broke into a jog.
"...If you hadn't missed that tackle, we wouldn't have been in this position!" "Damn it! Am I the only one to blame now? Why didn't you say anything about the weak defense before?"
"Stop!" Lu Ke squeezed between them, pushing Patrick Willis away, and then used his back to push Parys away. "Are you two crazy? Are you overheated? Calm down! Both of you, calm down!" But they didn't see Lu Ke and were still pointing at each other's noses and yelling curses.
This time, Lu Ke also got angry. He pushed Willis's chest hard. "Calm down!" Then he turned around abruptly and yelled at Parys, "Everyone fing calm down! You lose a game and you start blaming each other? Is this the example you set? F!" The sudden burst of dominance made Parys and Willis fall silent. Lu Ke, out of breath, cursed again. "F***!"
"Nobody wants to lose! Nobody! Losing is not one person's fault; it's the whole team's fault. Instead of blaming each other, shut your mouths, go back to the locker room, summarize the game properly, and prepare for the next one! You don't like to lose, and you don't like to lose. For God's sake, I don't like to lose either!"
Lu Ke looked at Willis, then at Parys, and yelled at both of them.
Neither of them answered. Lu Ke spread his hands. "Good, it looks like we've reached an agreement! F*** this loss! Remember this anger, remember this humiliation, remember this bitterness, and turn it into motivation! The season has just begun, and there are 12 more victories waiting for us to win! I'm ready. I'm just waiting for you!"
After he finished, Lu Ke didn't bother with the two of them anymore and walked away with big steps, letting the two veterans cool down.
In his sight, Lu Ke saw Colin Jones sitting on the grass.
He was also a rookie. In Week 1 of the regular season against the Seattle Seahawks, he caused a turnover by blocking a punt, laying the foundation for a big win. In the last drive today, Jones came in as a backup cornerback and, along with two other teammates, made an incredibly tough defense on the last three downs.
But now, Jones was crying uncontrollably, his face full of sadness as he stared blankly at the field, his eyes unfocused.
Lu Ke couldn't help but walk over, squat down, and pat Jones on the shoulder. He kept comforting him. "Colin, it's okay, it's okay. It's just one game, just one loss."
"I should have been tougher. I should have been faster," Jones kept repeating. On the third down, they tackled Riley Cooper and only let him gain one yard. Now, Jones was regretting that he had let that one yard go. If the field goal had been 52 yards instead of 51, would they have won?
Lu Ke's nose also tingled. "Colin, you played really well."
"Are you serious?" Jones's unfocused eyes slowly focused on Lu Ke, his face full of sadness.
Lu Ke nodded heavily. "This is not your fault. We need to remember this feeling, train harder, and hold on to victory firmly. How does that sound?"
Jones nodded, patted Lu Ke on the shoulder, and then wiped the tears from his cheeks. Lu Ke took his right hand and helped him up.
Looking around, Lu Ke saw his teammates. Crabtree was sprawled out on the grass. Ginn was standing at the edge of the end zone, hands on his hips, looking lost. Chilo Rachal was standing on the sidelines, sulking. Marcus Lynch and Logan Newman were staring blankly at the wildly celebrating fans in the stands.
Time seemed to have stopped in that moment.
NOTE:
New chapters drop Three times a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 30 chapters in advance!