Chapter 603: The Momentum Shifts
The entire stadium was in an uproar, and so was all of North America. Neutral viewers watching the game from their televisions went into a frenzy, roaring and shouting. This offensive battle had completely ignited and detonated their adrenaline. The spectacular passes and matchups came one after another, and it simply wouldn't stop.
According to official NFL statistics, viewership showed a staggering increase after the second half began, easily setting a new season high and still climbing with no end in sight. Every viewer knew that this game was far from over.
In the third quarter, the San Francisco 49ers scored a touchdown and a field goal, while the New Orleans Saints also scored a touchdown.
As the fourth quarter began, the San Francisco 49ers immediately faced a three-and-out situation again and couldn't advance into field-goal range. It was clear that the New Orleans Saints' defense had also stepped up their intensity, unleashing an unimaginable amount of energy in their desperation.
The Saints' offense that followed was also shaky, even facing a fumble scare. But they narrowly escaped once again, which made Lu Ke seriously wonder if his luck for this game was negative. In the end, Brees barely managed to get into field-goal range, and the kicker made a 41-yard field goal.
After the back-and-forth, the score was now "34-31." Although the home team, the San Francisco 49ers, still held a three-point lead, the game had entered the fourth quarter, and the New Orleans Saints' offense and defense had clearly stepped up, truly showing their veteran experience.
Theoretically, the San Francisco 49ers were a very young team, while the New Orleans Saints were a relatively older team. The 49ers should have had the advantage in terms of physical and mental energy. But the fact was that in this fiercely competitive playoff game, the 49ers had used up too much energy in the first three quarters and were now having a hard time keeping up with the pace at the start of the fourth.
This was the difference that experience makes. How to properly manage physical stamina and how to adjust their performance were not things that could be taught through words or videos. The only way was to experience it firsthand. More importantly, the 49ers were now in a tough spot. They had no choice but to grit their teeth and push through.
After the fourth quarter began, the 49ers had a three-and-out on their first possession. The Saints scored a field goal on their second possession. And on the third possession, the 49ers were on the field again.
Although there was still plenty of time left in the game, Lu Ke could clearly feel that this drive would be a crucial turning point for the momentum of both teams. Not only could they not relax, but they also had to push through to the end!
So, even though he could clearly feel his breathing was fast and hot and that a fiery blaze was burning up all his energy in his veins, he still gritted his teeth and did his best to motivate his teammates, advancing one play at a time. No matter how difficult it was, they couldn't give up.
"Marcus Lynch! It's a run! Lu Ke's passing motion fooled the entire defensive line, but when he turned, he had already handed the ball to Marcus Lynch! This is an Oscar-worthy play-action run! The Saints' defense was completely unprepared, and they completely missed Lynch's run!"
"Lynch! 35 yards! 30 yards! Lynch is still running! Marcus Lynch! 25 yards! 20 yards! He finally stops. Malcolm Jenkins and Roman Harper team up to tackle Lynch! In the final crucial moment, the secondary still held on, otherwise, if he had gotten through, the outcome of this game would have been uncertain!"
"After a fumble on their first down, Lu Ke unexpectedly used a pass play as a decoy and handed the ball to Marcus Lynch again. Choosing to run for the second consecutive time, they achieved an astonishing result, advancing a full 18 yards in one go, from midfield to the field-goal range! Beautiful!"
"What's going on? What on earth is going on? Crabtree dropped the catch!"
"This is a fatal mistake. Compared to Pierre Thomas's fumble in the first half, this mistake is even more terrible because it happened in the fourth quarter. Facing a third-and-three, Michael Crabtree had already completed the catch smoothly, but under the hit from cornerback Tracy Porter, he fumbled, which resulted in an incomplete pass!"
"This might be a dropped catch that turns the tide of the game! The 49ers could have gotten a first down and entered the red zone to challenge for a touchdown, but now they've lost the opportunity. Choosing a field goal is the safest decision."
Standing on the field, Lu Ke was breathing heavily. He didn't pay attention to a frustrated Crabtree and was desperately arguing with head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Bryan Hampton.
"Trust me, coach, it's fourth-and-three. We can do it. We're on the 20-yard line. One pass, one touchdown can completely turn the game around! We need this touchdown! The Saints' momentum is rising... I know, Bryan, I know! I'm not an idiot. I know what this fourth-and-three means! I said it! I know!"
"But... but!" The debate coming from the headset was too intense, and Lu Ke's words were interrupted several times. "We can do it! Our morale is rising now. We're holding..."
But he didn't have a chance to finish his sentence. The offense was holding on to one last breath. If they could use it, they could take a gamble and go for the fourth-and-three conversion, continuing to challenge for a touchdown. This would have a significant impact on the momentum of both teams.
Fourth-and-three. Lu Ke trusted his teammates, even the one who had just fumbled the ball. Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to finish.
"Field goal! We're going for a field goal!" Harbaugh's voice came through the headset. Seeing that the offense on the field hadn't moved, his voice became stricter. "Lu Ke, we don't have time! The special teams have to get on the field! Dammit! Don't make us waste another timeout! Get off the field! Now! Field goal!"
Lu Ke let out a long breath, looked at his offensive teammates, and finally calmed down. He didn't complain or get angry. The arguments were for him to know and didn't need to affect his teammates' emotions.
"Field goal!" Lu Ke said loudly.
"Dammit!" Logan was the first to curse, showing his dissatisfaction. But this time, Lu Ke stepped up and took on the responsibility of an offensive team captain. "Logan, I said, get off the field now and let David handle it!"
Logan reluctantly shut his mouth, and the other offensive teammates also lowered their heads and quickly left the field. Crabtree was cursing at himself, walking off the field in frustration.
Facing David Akers, who was walking onto the field, Lu Ke raised his right hand high, and the two of them high-fived each other, showing encouragement.
"Sure enough, after some careful consideration, Jim Harbaugh chose to go for a field goal! Akers successfully made the 37-yard field goal, and the score is now '37-31.' The difference is six points again. The San Francisco 49ers successfully stabilized their position and threw the pressure back on the New Orleans Saints."
Under heavy pressure, the Saints' special teams chose to return the kickoff, but the 49ers' special teams didn't lose focus. They immediately formed a circle and held the returner down on the 21-yard line. It took eight seconds, and the return was far from satisfactory.
When Drew Brees took the field again, there were seven minutes and twenty-nine seconds left in the game.
Standing on the sideline, Lu Ke drank a large amount of water, venting his frustration and disappointment. He wouldn't deny that not getting a touchdown on that drive was hard to swallow because it was a crucial drive for both teams. The effect of a touchdown and a field goal was completely different.
As the fourth quarter began, the Saints were gaining the upper hand, and the 49ers were losing their advantage. Just now, they had gritted their teeth and pushed through that drive, advancing to the 20-yard line, but unfortunately, they couldn't get a touchdown. Now, they might need a shot of adrenaline to continue playing at a high intensity and efficiency. Otherwise, the domino effect caused by the shift in momentum would be incalculable.
Adrenaline?
A thought flashed in Lu Ke's mind. He looked up and saw the endless red ocean of Candlestick Park, surging and boiling. He suddenly realized that this was their home field, and he had never truly valued or used its biggest advantage.
Perhaps for others, they didn't know how to convert the energy of the home field, but Lu Ke now had a skill that could do it: Home Field Skill, "Tidal Wave." When used, the home team's support has a 5% increased suppressive effect on the away team for five minutes.
Lu Ke had already confirmed that the five minutes were game time, not real time. In other words, with seven minutes and twenty-nine seconds left in the game, once he used the skill, it would last until there were two minutes and twenty-nine seconds left. During this process, if the game clock was stopped due to a yellow flag, red flag, or other reasons, the skill's timer would also stop automatically.
Lu Ke knew this wasn't the most perfect time to use it because it wouldn't cover the final two minutes and twenty-nine seconds. But it was the most appropriate time to use it. He needed to temporarily curb the Saints' momentum and give the 49ers' offense a chance to catch their breath.
Without hesitation, Lu Ke used his home field skill for the first time: Tidal Wave!
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