In Week 11 of the regular season, there was an upset. The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Arizona Cardinals at home. Like the New England Patriots' upset loss to the Buffalo Bills, and the Pittsburgh Steelers' two losses to the Baltimore Ravens this season, division matchups are never short of sparks and upsets. Surprises never stop. More importantly, there are no absolute weaklings in the league.
It was an unexpected outcome that broke a series of records. The San Francisco 49ers' undefeated home record this season was officially broken, and their five-game winning streak was also snapped. Lu Ke's rookie record of having a touchdown pass in nine consecutive games was also broken. In this game, the 49ers' only touchdown came from a run, and Lu Ke's three personal interceptions set a new season high.
Charles Davis gloated on "Inside the League," joking, "Everyone knows that Lu Ke's idol is Peyton Manning. Now, they finally have something in common." The allusion was to Manning still holding the rookie record for most interceptions in a season. Now that Lu Ke was in sync with Manning, the number of interceptions would become a nightmare for Lu Ke in the coming games.
For San Francisco 49ers supporters, it was a bitter loss. For Charles, it was a sweet revenge, especially after the humiliation of the "Across the Pacific" incident last week. Now, Charles was finally triumphant, even more so than the victory of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4.
"I said it, I've said it before. Don't be too hasty, don't praise him too highly. He's just a rookie. The sample size is too small. We need to observe slowly, and time will prove everything." These were similar words, but Charles's meaning was completely different. His gloating and condescending attitude was truly infuriating.
Spencer was the first to refute, "It's just one game. The San Francisco 49ers are far from being in a difficult situation. Not long ago, they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, but they immediately followed it up with a big win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home."
"I know, I know," Charles said with a magnanimous expression, waving his hand leisurely, not in a hurry at all. "We can analyze what happens in the future later, but for now, let's look at this week's game, shall we? As for next week, I'll give you a spoiler. That opponent is not the Arizona Cardinals."
This was Charles's moment. He had suppressed it for so long, waited for so long. It was like a golden retriever that had been locked up for ten days or two weeks, and finally, the door was opened, and it could run free. It was wagging its tail and doing its best, even its small steps were starting to become joyful and bouncy. There was no stopping it.
As Spencer said, for the San Francisco 49ers, this was not the end of the world. It was just the second loss of the season. It was far from being a time for despondency. But as Charles also said, losing a game with interceptions and having a performance that was far below expectations was a serious test for Lu Ke's career. This is the case for every quarterback. They are responsible for carrying the entire team forward. When they win, they get to enjoy the cheers and admiration, and when they lose, they must bear the pressure and responsibility.
From Peyton Manning to Tom Brady, from Drew Brees to Aaron Rodgers, even the top four elite quarterbacks in the league have faced the same dilemma of losing a game due to their own interceptions. It's not just them; almost every quarterback has to face the same situation. This is because quarterbacks bear the responsibility of driving the game forward, and the burden of a comeback in a crucial moment is in their hands. This kind of risk is inevitable.
Is there a way to avoid this risk? Yes. The coaching staff can choose to give the ball to a running back to make the final play, so the risk is transferred to the running back. In Week 2 of the 2014 regular season, the Denver Broncos hosted the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was in its final stages, and the Chiefs still had the advantage, leading 17-14. They only needed to run out the clock to win. They chose to give the ball to running back Jamaal Charles. Charles fumbled at a crucial moment, and the Broncos' defense picked up the fumble and returned it for a touchdown, making a comeback.
Sports are always like this. If you want to enjoy the glory, you must bear the same amount of risk. No one is an exception. However, this was the first time in Lu Ke's career that he had personally ruined a game. The feeling was absolutely terrible. There was no way to relieve the feeling. The anger, regret, disappointment, unwillingness, and frustration—all the negative emotions were stuck in his throat. He couldn't swallow them, and he couldn't spit them out. It was suffocating.
If he could, he never wanted to experience such a loss again. He hated losing, especially when he lost a game in such a way. It was utterly disgusting! On the road to becoming an excellent top quarterback, Lu Ke still had a lot to learn, and this game was an incredibly important lesson. Undoubtedly, this lesson would leave a deep mark in Lu Ke's mind.
However, Lu Ke didn't have time to quietly lick his wounds and re-examine this loss. The regular season is like a high-speed train that will not stop until it reaches its destination. Everything is moving forward at a fast pace. After a victory, they only have one day to enjoy the joy. After a loss, they only have one day to recover, and then it's a new week of games. It's a continuous cycle until the end of the season. But what's worse for Lu Ke and the San Francisco 49ers is that this week, they don't even have a day to recover. That's because, in Week 12 of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers will have their first Thursday night game of the season, where they will travel to play the Baltimore Ravens.
A Thursday night game, broadcast nationwide, is one of the most important games of the entire season. For both the team and the players, it is the best stage to make a name for themselves, and it is also a stage to gain more benefits and create more opportunities for the future. This highly anticipated Thursday night game seems to have come at a bad time. Because it's an away game, after the Sunday game, the team didn't even have time to mourn the loss. They quickly showered and packed their bags, and then they immediately went to the airport to fly to Baltimore to prepare for this week's game.
They started recovery training on Monday, moved on to tactical analysis and regular training on Tuesday, and had their official media day and tactical drills on Wednesday. Then came Thursday. The preparation for the game, which would have normally taken six days, now had to be completed in just three days. Everything was like it was on fast-forward, moving at two or three times the speed. It seemed to flash by so quickly that he didn't even have time to savor it or react before Thursday was already upon him.
For Lu Ke and every rookie player, all of this was new. They had to adapt to the rhythm and intensity of a Thursday night game, and they also had to adapt to the uniqueness and strangeness of a Thursday night game. Furthermore, the Thursday night stage is also very significant, especially for rookie players. This is their first time standing in front of a national audience and showcasing their abilities. The expectations and pressure, the attention and spotlight, the topics and hot spots are all on a completely different level.
After a loss, Lu Ke didn't even have time to properly think about what went wrong in the last game or to reflect on his last-minute pass selection and defensive judgment. Instead, he had to dive into preparing for this game. He had to do regular training, watch game film, plan tactics, and improve his performance and morale. In a limited amount of time, this was not an easy task, and he also had to ignore the constant harassment from the crowd of reporters outside the hotel and the interference from the ubiquitous cameras. The entire world was a chaotic mess, and he couldn't find a single moment of peace. This required Lu Ke to focus even more.
He had no other choice. Lu Ke could only force himself to put the loss aside and look forward. What's more, this week's opponent should not be underestimated. They were one of the most dangerous opponents in the league. The Baltimore Ravens used to be the Cleveland Browns. They later moved to Baltimore and became the strong AFC team they are today. People often say, "The AFC has the consistent big three, and the NFC has the revolving powerhouses." The AFC's "big three" specifically refer to Tom Brady's New England Patriots, Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts, and Ben Roethlisberger's Pittsburgh Steelers. The AFC championship has not been won by anyone else for eight consecutive years. But besides these three powerhouses, the Baltimore Ravens are undoubtedly the most stable fourth powerhouse.
In the 2000 season, the Baltimore Ravens made it all the way to the Super Bowl and defeated the New York Giants, winning the first Vince Lombardi Trophy in their history. Since then, they have always been a powerhouse in the AFC that cannot be ignored. After a surprising absence from the playoffs in 2007, they have successfully made it to the playoffs for the past three years. This season, after Manning was sidelined with an injury, the Colts quickly fell behind, while the Ravens quickly rose up and, along with the Patriots and Steelers, formed a new "big three" that dominated the AFC.
Against a team like this, even the slightest bit of carelessness could lead to a loss. What's more, the San Francisco 49ers had just suffered a disappointing loss. They had to pull themselves together and start over, facing this game with a new attitude, without making a single mistake. Otherwise, a two-game losing streak would be a high probability. Compared to the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants, the Baltimore Ravens are a more difficult team to deal with.
People often say that in the league, one loss is bad, but two consecutive losses are the end of the world. So, in order to avoid the end of the world, the San Francisco 49ers must give it their all!
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