Chapter 605: Losing Themselves In The Moment
"Offense! Clap-clap! Offense! Clap-clap! Offense! Clap-clap!"
The soul of Candlestick Park was on fire. The passion of the 49ers fans was blooming, and the energy of the Bay Area audience was being unleashed. The unified rhythm merged all the passion and belief, all the excitement and surging energy of the 70,000 fans, forming a powerful force that spread outward from Candlestick Park throughout the entire city and the Bay Area.
Not only the fans in the stadium, but also the spectators watching the game on television and the listeners tuned in on the radio, all stood up. Even those who couldn't stand up in their cars raised their hands high, clapping to the beat and chanting the slogan.
One after another, everyone in the Bay Area joined this wild celebration, losing themselves in the moment. That powerful belief shook the ground and was clearly and accurately transmitted to every player on the field. At this moment, the soul of the San Francisco 49ers truly became clear!
The home-field skill, "Tidal Wave," was only supposed to have a suppressive effect on the opposing team, but at this moment, the home team also seemed to feel the surging passion. This was their stadium, their game, their moment!
Standing on the field again, Lu Ke knelt on one knee, with all his offensive teammates gathered around him. The familiar faces all showed a hint of fatigue. The mental pressure of this game had far exceeded their physical capacity, and as the game neared its end, everyone was more or less exhausted.
"I'm tired." Lu Ke took a deep breath and said loudly. After taking off his helmet, his dark eyes were uncovered, meeting his teammates' gazes with determination and honesty. "Goddamn, my only thought right now is to lie in a bathtub and not think about anything or do anything. I'm so damn tired!"
"But there are only four minutes and two seconds left in this season. I'm not giving up. I've worked all season, from being an unknown undrafted rookie to getting here. I didn't come here to lose. I didn't come here to be the backdrop for another miracle for Drew Brees. I'm not f**king giving up!"
Lu Ke's young and innocent face was now stained with sweat, looking disheveled. His messy hair looked like a bird's nest, but his eyes held a sharp killing intent, a bloody aura that burst forth from his calm demeanor, reminding people once again of his nickname, "Bloody Bambi."
"Victory! That's my only goal! I know we can do it! Guys, I just know it!"
No one would doubt Lu Ke's conviction, and no one dared to. His sharp and fierce gaze passed over his teammates, one by one. After making sure that every person had received his signal, Lu Ke nodded and said loudly, "Let's put the bathtubs and hot springs aside for now. Let's forget about the girls and the parties for now. Now, let's show our true strength, teach those losers on the other side a good lesson, and let them know who the boss is here!"
"On three, we'll all yell 'touchdown!' One! Two! Three!"
"Touchdown!"
Standing behind the offensive line again, the cheers and shouts of Candlestick Park faded away, and the bonus from the home-field skill was temporarily forgotten. All of the scattered thoughts in Lu Ke's mind settled down. He was completely focused, with nothing else on his mind. He heard Jim Harbaugh's cursing in his ear. "Damn conservatism! Damn stability! Damn controlling the clock! Get out! Bryan, you motherf**king Hampton!"
"We didn't get here by being conservative. Look at the quarterback on the field. Look at him! Look at the quarterback who made history in the league! If we relied on being conservative, he wouldn't be on the field in the first place, that f**king Colin Kaepernick would! And now you're telling us to be conservative? Are you out of your mind?"
Head coach Jim Harbaugh and tactical director Bryan Hampton were at odds. Hampton advocated for a conservative offense, focusing on a steady and stable approach. He wanted them to control the clock and keep advancing. As long as they entered the field-goal range and used up enough time, the San Francisco 49ers could secure the win.
Harbaugh, on the other hand, advocated for a strong attack. He wanted to temporarily put the game clock aside and go all out for a touchdown, holding the initiative firmly in their hands. Even if the opponent made another comeback, they would still be on the offensive, fighting to the very last minute.
In fact, this argument had already begun at the end of the first quarter. Hampton and Harbaugh could both clearly feel that the intensity of the game was too high, and the physical exhaustion caused by the mental pressure was far beyond what they had imagined. In addition, the young players tended to be overexcited, and their control of their strength and stamina was also beyond expectations.
After some back-and-forth and discussion, Harbaugh was relatively more conservative in his play calls. A few times, when facing a fourth-down conversion in or near the red zone, he chose to go for a field goal instead of a fourth-down play. This was where Lu Ke's earlier argument came from. Furthermore, some of the passing plays were also relatively short and mid-range, abandoning the risk of long passes.
Now, with about four minutes left in the game, Hampton was once again advocating for a conservative approach, but this time, he was met with strong opposition from Harbaugh.
Harbaugh could clearly feel that since the fourth quarter began, the Saints' momentum was rising, while the 49ers' game was a bit flat. This was a gut feeling, something that was hard to put into words or could not be reflected in the stats. You could only feel it when you were in the middle of it.
As the head coach, Harbaugh once again showed his aggressive nature, and the gambler in his blood burst forth.
"I am the head coach of this team! I am the one calling the plays on the field! The victory belongs to me, and the failure also belongs to me! So, you'd better throw all that data in the trash and shut your mouth! Stand in the tactical room and watch us win this game!"
Harbaugh was yelling, spitting, and losing himself in the moment. He completely cut off Hampton's rambling and then said with conviction, "Bambi! Pass!"
Standing in the pocket, even though the stadium was incredibly noisy, Lu Ke had completely calmed down. He could even clearly hear his own breathing and the beating of his heart. The Saints' defensive formation was clearly laid out in his mind. His gaze fell on every small detail, and he made an accurate judgment before calling for the snap.
Almost at the same time as the snap, the entire San Francisco 49ers' offense erupted with a powerful force, like a cannonball leaving the barrel. Michael Crabtree and Ted Ginn on the left and Logan Newman on the right, all three receivers, went all out with their short-distance acceleration. They sprinted forward in a straight line, their momentum hitting the deep parts of the field.
This was undoubtedly the simplest but most powerful way to attack, with no fancy moves, but it made full use of the players' individual abilities. The short-distance sprinting speeds of the three receivers were all different. At full speed, they created different open spaces in the long, medium, and short-pass zones. Since there were no fancy routes and it was a pure speed competition, it made it awkward for the defenders to hold their position.
In a flash, the Saints' defenders didn't even have time to think. They could only feel a powerful force of a thousand troops breaking through, so two cornerbacks and three linebackers quickly ran with the three receivers. At the same time, two safeties in the secondary, who were defending against the long pass, also quickly began to roam, holding their defensive areas.
Four defensive linemen rushed forward, and the other seven defenders dropped back. Instantly, the short-pass zone from five to eight yards was cleared out, with no defenders in it, creating a complete no-man's land.
At this moment, Marcus Lynch on the left and Vernon Davis on the right, came out and both ran toward the inner central area. With a simple gate route, the two players successfully met in the middle. With a turn, Lu Ke's six-yard short pass had already flown near his chest, and Marcus easily caught it.
The entire catch was completed while he was speeding up. Lu Ke's pass was very accurate and on point, and Marcus didn't need to make any adjustments to control the football, so his accelerating steps were not affected at all. After completing the catch, he continued to accelerate, and he could see the surprised defenders, who were a half-beat late, trying to get back and make a tackle.
Vernon, who was running alongside him, made a false step and blocked a defender. Marcus, on the other hand, made a sudden stop, missed a defender, and then sprinted toward the open space on the right. The remaining defender's path was blocked, and he had to go around, which gave Marcus a narrow window to push forward.
In the end, Marcus advanced a full 20 yards, going from the 20-yard line to the 40-yard line in one go, before he was tackled by two defenders.
First down achieved!
Then, Marcus Lynch left the field, and Kendall Hunter came on! The San Francisco 49ers lined up in a "two-by-two" basic receiving formation. On the left were Crabtree and Vernon, and on the right were Ginn and Logan. Their formation was nothing special, just a standard basic formation. Lu Ke stood behind the center, lining up in an "I" formation.
It was a basic running formation through and through, and the New Orleans Saints' defense had lined up in a powerful run-stopping formation. But was this a clever trick? Or was it an improvisation? Furthermore, were the San Francisco 49ers going to run or pass?
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