"Ooh, Vernon Davis! Who would have thought that the first touchdown of this game would come from Vernon Davis!"
The familiar voice of the commentator echoed through "Joe's Bar" once again. After the Monday night game, Fox Sports had once again taken over the broadcasting rights for the San Francisco 49ers' game. Even though the 49ers were playing on the road in Seattle, the voices of Teddy and Kirk still accompanied the fans through every tense moment of the game.
Playing away from home today, the 49ers won the coin toss, and Lu Ke chose to receive the ball first, showing the team's strong confidence in their offense. Sure enough, after a drive lasting five minutes and twenty-one seconds, the 49ers ended their first offensive series with a touchdown, successfully storming the opponent's stronghold.
CenturyLink Field erupted. The unified booing sounded like a fighter jet sweeping overhead, roaring in everyone's ears. There was no sign of discouragement or retreat; instead, they were fiercely striking back against the 49ers' momentum with a tough stance. Even through the television screen, you could feel the earth-shaking vibrations, making it hard to imagine what it was like in person.
In response, "Joe's Bar" also burst into a chorus of cheers. Everyone was banging on the tables, rooting for the 49ers, as if their willpower could still be transmitted across the huge distance.
Meanwhile, in the studio, Teddy and Kirk were dutifully performing their commentary duties.
"On that drive, the San Francisco 49ers firmly controlled the tempo."
"First, Vernon Davis made a crucial third-down conversion, catching a four-yard short pass and shrugging off the defender's initial tackle. He carried the ball for another seven yards, successfully overcoming the third-and-six situation and keeping the drive alive."
"Then, on a second-and-three situation, Logan Newmann surprisingly ran a middle route, completing a thirteen-yard catch and finding a gap in Richard Sherman's coverage. He broke away from Sherman and charged forward for twenty-two yards."
"Finally, it was Vernon Davis again. On a third-and-one, Marcus Lynch, who had a strong performance in the initial drive, drew most of the defensive attention. Lu Ke found Vernon with a five-yard short pass, and with the lane opened up, Vernon carried the ball for another seventeen yards, breaking into the end zone and scoring a touchdown."
After highlighting the key parts of the drive in the simplest terms, Kirk summarized.
"You can see that Lu Ke is still one step ahead of the Seahawks in terms of tactical planning. He has consistently maintained a matchup and route advantage in the short and intermediate passing game. He even used his excellent passing to create more space for the run game. Marcus Lynch had four carries for eighteen yards, averaging nearly five yards per run, which is incredibly efficient!"
Teddy nodded in agreement with Kirk's assessment. "Five completions on seven attempts, four rushes, and a total of five minutes and twenty-one seconds, and the San Francisco 49ers successfully scored a touchdown. Before the game, there were a lot of worries about Lu Ke's condition, but now, fans can rest easy. Clearly, Lu Ke's touch is still excellent today."
The news of Lu Ke visiting the hospital before this game had been a hot topic for a while. Even though the 49ers had released an official statement and Trent Baalke, Jim Harbaugh, and Lu Ke himself had given interviews and repeatedly confirmed he was fine, the discussion didn't stop.
After all, even if a cold isn't severe, it can still affect passing and overall performance.
Now, after the first drive of the game, Lu Ke's performance has successfully put fans at ease. However, the intensity of this game was not affected in the slightest. For the Seattle Seahawks, victory is the only goal, and they have no other options. Since their defense couldn't stop the opponent, their offense has to step up.
"Lynch! Number twenty-four, Marshawn Lynch! Beautiful! A powerful seven-yard run, breaking through two tackles in a row, like a tank, getting a first down with an iron fist!"
"Lynch, it's Lynch again! My goodness, on third and four, Lynch found a tiny seam in the offensive line and broke through quickly. Even though he stumbled, he just barely pushed past the first-down marker, converting a third down and getting another first! Lynch's performance is really on fire today."
"Many viewers probably know that the 49ers' running back, number twenty-seven Marcus Lynch, and the Seahawks' running back, number twenty-four Marshawn Lynch, are cousins. In their first regular season matchup, Marshawn was clearly the star, while Marcus's performance was a bit lackluster. But after a full season, Marcus has delivered an excellent performance today, and now Marshawn is not to be outdone!"
The Seahawks' next drive felt eerily familiar, with the run game being their most powerful weapon.
Although wide receiver Golden Tate and tight end Zach Miller made some impressive catches during the game, opening up the passing game a bit, the run game remained their primary weapon. It was clear their strategy was to run the ball first and pass second.
The most exciting plays all came from Marshawn Lynch.
However, at the very least, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson's passing quality was much better than it was in Week 1, which gave the home fans a shot of adrenaline. In the gaps between plays, the loud, coordinated cheers and chants decorated CenturyLink Field beautifully.
It was Christmas Eve, one of the biggest holidays of the year, but CenturyLink Field was still at 100% capacity. The sea of dark blue home fans was a deep, bottomless ocean, causing problems for the away team and cheering on their own.
The 12th Man, like an extra player on the field, was giving everything for the victory!
"Jesus Christ! Beast Mode! Beast Mode! We are seeing Beast Mode again!"
"Marshawn Lynch! Thirty-five yards! Thirty yards! He's broken a tackle! Oh my God, Lynch just threw the opposing safety, Spearman, to the ground with an over-the-shoulder toss! Twenty-five yards! Twenty yards! Colin Jones! The 49ers' rookie safety Jones is the last line of defense!"
"Breaking through! Lynch breaks through again with force! Oh my God, oh, my God! Fifteen yards, ten yards, five yards... there's no doubt, it's a touchdown! Ladies and gentlemen, it's a running touchdown! A forty-one-yard running touchdown!"
"Marshawn Lynch has activated Beast Mode again, breaking five tackles in total, and ran almost the entire length of the field. He entered the end zone with unstoppable momentum, successfully scoring a touchdown for the home team! This performance brings back memories of his famous run. Beast Mode is truly ferocious!"
CenturyLink Field erupted.
The cheers, shouts, and roars swept in like a hailstorm, pouring down indiscriminately. The ground began to tremble slightly. You could truly feel the powerful sound waves shaking the entire world. The insignificance of each individual was amplified to the extreme, leaving them to tremble and look up at the tidal wave. The power of the home field reached a new height at this moment.
Lu Ke had thought the red sea at Candlestick Park was spectacular, but now he had to admit that the 12th Man at CenturyLink Field was even crazier and more intense. In comparison, the 49ers' fans still had a lot of room to grow.
"Kirk, doesn't this scene feel a little familiar?"
"Ha, of course. Everything seems like yesterday once more. I just wonder if the outcome will remain the same?"
Kirk and Teddy exchanged glances and both chuckled.
The first quarter of this game was indeed too similar to Week 1 of the regular season. First, the 49ers scored a touchdown, then the Seahawks scored one. Both sides showed a powerful, unyielding momentum. What's more, Marshawn Lynch's "Beast Mode" was so familiar, as he almost single-handedly carried the entire Seahawks' offense.
But, to be precise, there were still some subtle differences.
On one hand, the catches by Tate and Miller relieved some of the offensive pressure on Lynch. The Seahawks' first drive today went a little more smoothly than expected, taking six minutes and three seconds. One first down was even an automatic one due to a 49ers penalty, but they still ended up with a touchdown.
On the other hand, Lu Ke didn't make a single, long, game-winning throw to start things off. His steady, methodical offense showed more variety, making it truly difficult to defend. His ability to read the defense seems to have reached a new level after the intense competition of the last game.
Both teams have changed a bit. So, will the outcome of this game follow the same path as before?
The 12th Man at CenturyLink Field clearly hopes not.
When the 49ers' offense took the field again, the deafening boos and roars came rushing at them like a tidal wave. Every player felt like a small boat in a storm. It was difficult even to breathe amidst the raging waves, let alone execute a play.
The overwhelming pressure instantly made the atmosphere tense. In a flash, it really felt like eleven men were playing against twelve, as if they were falling behind in every aspect.
But the 49ers' offense, which had been tempered over the course of a season, had its confidence solidified and remained unfazed. What's more, they were standing opposite their division rivals. They would be thrilled to hand their opponent another defeat and personally destroy their playoff hopes, which would make the victory even sweeter!
And so, the offense, with Lu Ke at the center, quickly settled down.
Then... it was as if time had returned to Week 1 of the regular season.
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