Standing on the sideline, Kip Kleist roared, releasing his excitement and passion. He hugged anyone he saw, hugging everyone tightly, sharing his joy and happiness. It wasn't just Kip; all the coaches and other players on the team rushed onto the field, punching the air, shouting, and celebrating. They even started running around the field, and the entire stadium became a red ocean.
For a moment, Lu Ke was the most popular person on the field. All the players rushed toward him, high-fiving and hugging him. The party had gotten out of control.
One side was heaven, the other was hell; one side was fire, the other was ice. The two sides of Candlestick Park showed two completely different scenes.
Jim Harbaugh punched the air forcefully, but his celebration was fleeting. He immediately started yelling, "Extra point, extra point!" They still had the extra point to complete. The game wasn't over, and the score hadn't been reversed yet. The two teams were only tied. "Extra point!" But Harbaugh's voice was completely drowned out by the cheers and shouts. Not even the referees could stop the celebrating 49ers. This made Harbaugh smile helplessly and shake his head. He could only grab the players next to him and pass on the message, "Extra point!"
Tom Coughlin took off his headset, his face filled with frustration and annoyance. He stood there, dazed, trying to say something, but no sound came out. Even his anger was stuck in his chest. It was just... a deep sense of powerlessness. The dramatic game ended in such a way.
Standing next to him, Eli Manning was stunned for a moment, then let out a wry smile. A strong sense of absurdity rose within him. To be honest, after all the unexpected events at the end of the game, regardless of the outcome, both teams had played to the best of their current ability. They had used up all their strength and energy. There was sadness, but no regret or anger. On the contrary, Manning had a genuine sense of respect for both the winner and the loser.
"Brilliant, it's absolutely brilliant! What a fantastic play!" Teddy's exclamations were endless. The television was showing replays over and over again, of the final play, the final catch, not just to analyze the offensive strategy, but also to confirm the legality of the catch. "There's no doubt about it. It was a legal catch. No problem, absolutely no problem. Crabtree's catching motion was clean, and his control of the catch at the last moment was perfect. My God, it was like dancing on the edge of a knife, making a tough catch while surrounded by enemies! Beautiful! It was just so beautiful!"
Teddy's continuous exclamations perfectly expressed the feelings of every viewer in front of their TV. Then, he turned to Kirk and asked, "So, what are your thoughts?" After the touchdown, Kirk had remained silent. In the midst of all the noise and excitement, his calmness and composure seemed out of place, especially for Kirk, until now.
"Incredible," Kirk said. His first words were his classic signature, but his slightly trembling voice betrayed his inner turmoil and excitement. "What's incredible is the Giants' defense's stubbornness at the end and the 49ers' offense's relentlessness. What's incredible is that Michael Crabtree, despite being plagued by penalties today, made this extremely difficult catch cleanly!"
"What's even more incredible," Kirk paused for a moment, "is the calmness, strength, and boldness that the 49ers' rookie quarterback showed in this extreme situation. Everyone's attention was on Logan Newman's one-on-one matchup, but Lu Ke chose Crabtree as his target. Why?"
"Aaron Ross, the talented cornerback, was plagued by injuries in 2009 and 2010, and his performance declined severely. He didn't even play a single game last year," Kirk explained simply. "This season, due to Terrell Thomas's injury, Ross returned to a starting position. However, he has never recovered to his peak form. It's not just a matter of his game performance, but also his physical strength and energy, which couldn't keep up with the intensity of the regular season. So, he primarily plays as a rotational player."
"Even though Crabtree was troubled by penalties today, his catching performance was undoubtedly outstanding. Using the difference in performance between Crabtree and Ross for the matchup was undoubtedly a risky choice, but also an ideal one," Kirk's eyes lit up. "Imagine, in a crisis, Lu Ke's anticipation, setup, choice, and execution not only showed the potential of an excellent quarterback but also demonstrated the thorough preparation before the game. Of course, we can't rule out that it was a lucky choice," Kirk joked easily during the conversation. "But considering the many variables at the end of the game, Lu Ke's performance was even more remarkable."
During the live game, the referee announced a successful touchdown. However, to avoid any wrong calls, the referees gathered to rewatch the replay, repeatedly confirming the legality of the touchdown and whether there were any fouls during the catch. This short forty-five seconds felt like an eternity, especially after the twists and turns of the final moments. The tension and anxiety became more and more intense. It was the same for the Giants and the 49ers. Everyone was silent, anxiously and eagerly watching the referees' every move.
However, the red ocean inside Candlestick Park was still surging. The fans were cheering and shouting tirelessly, celebrating their victory and the team's wonderful performance, which had won everyone's support and recognition.
Ryan Baldwin couldn't hold on after all. His knees buckled, and he fell back heavily into his wheelchair. Jonathan, who was standing next to him, noticed Ryan's movement and knelt down in a panic, looking at him with concern. But Ryan waved his hand with a smile, out of breath and unable to speak, but his expression was enough to convey his satisfaction and joy.
Now, Ryan finally understood why Jonathan was willing to bring up the team in front of him again. The once taboo topic had once again become a shared passion between the brothers. Ryan looked up and scanned the stadium. The excitement and surge of the crowd were all in his sight. The dazzling red was intoxicating, and then they all shouted the same chant in unison, "Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
The continuous sound waves were stirring, uniform and earth-shattering. Even the two teams and all the referees were completely submerged in them, as if they were just a small sampan in a stormy sea, passively bobbing up and down, unable to resist. Unconsciously, Ryan also opened his mouth and whispered, "Bambi."
The referee, who had finished watching the replay, returned to the center of the field and turned on his microphone. "After review, the call on the field stands. It's a touchdown!" As soon as he finished speaking, the roar of the crowd escalated by two more levels. The referee's next words were completely lost. He had to raise his voice and repeat, "Next, the San Francisco 49ers' choice: a one-point extra point."
Everything was so familiar. They had tied the game at the last moment again, and they had the chance to win the game with an extra point at the last moment again. At this moment, on the sideline, the 49ers' teammates were already celebrating their impending victory, while Lu Ke left his congratulatory defensive teammates and walked quickly toward David Akers, who was warming up on the sideline. After Akers made the sign of the cross on his chest, Lu Ke walked over and gave him a big hug.
"We did our job. It was a bumpy and difficult ride, but..." Lu Ke didn't continue. Instead, he smiled brightly and said, "Now, it's your turn. Go for it!"
The special teams, a part of the game that was often overlooked but constantly talked about in crucial moments. But for the team, the special teams were always an indispensable part. Akers patted Lu Ke's shoulder and just smiled happily, not saying anything more. He jogged onto the field.
Both teams' special teams lined up on the field. Akers stood in a familiar position again, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. The beating of his heart and pulse slowly calmed down. This was just another regular extra point in a regular season game. This was just another regular extra point in a long professional career. Standing there, Akers effortlessly jumped a few times to relax his leg muscles, then took his position, ready to kick. He nodded to the holder and the special teams' line.
As the backup quarterback and holder, Scott Tolzien's palms were sweating, but seeing Akers' calm and composed look, his mood settled down a bit. Thinking back to Lu Ke's incredible performance at the end of the game and the team's wonderful performance, he nodded heavily, signaling that he was ready. The referee's whistle echoed through the sky. The Giants had no more timeouts, so there would be no more surprises. The game continued smoothly.
The snap, the hold, the run-up, the kick, the kick. The moment Akers' foot touched the football, he kicked it out steadily, spinning quickly in the air, creating a beautiful arc. It went over the Giants' special teams' jump block and, without a doubt, went through the uprights.
The goalpost referees raised their hands high in unison: the extra point was good. The scoreboard on the big screen changed with a click, 28-27, with the home team in the lead.
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