Chapter 726: A Close Contest
"Third-and-10! The play starts at their own 10-yard line!"
"Facing a difficult situation, the Green Bay Packers' offensive line is hit hard again. Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, and Justin Smith of the San Francisco 49ers all break into the pocket to surround Aaron Rodgers."
"But in this critical situation, Rodgers uses his legs to get out of the pocket, dodges two tackles, and completes a 33-yard pass! He successfully finds Randall Cobb, a second-year wide receiver who created an open space, and they connect!"
"They not only convert on third down, but they also get to the midfield in one go! My God, this drive is truly spectacular! The 49ers played great defense, but the Packers' offense was even better!"
"If it weren't for the two safeties, Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner, staying highly focused and working together to cover, tackling Cobb to the ground, this would have been a touchdown! Because the entire secondary was wide open. The San Francisco 49ers clearly didn't expect Rodgers's boldness and decisiveness at a crucial moment!"
"But they forgot that Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league at throwing long passes."
"Now, this game has finally entered the rhythm we've been waiting for. It's not just a shootout, but also a quarterback duel! The showdown between two young and outstanding quarterbacks has just begun. I hope this successful pass will be a signal for Rodgers to get back in form!"
For neutral fans, the more exciting the game, the more thrilled they are. In a trance, people couldn't help but remember the NFC Divisional Round game at the beginning of this year between the San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints.
In that shootout, both quarterbacks, Lu Ke and Drew Brees, delivered a top-level performance. Both sides gave it their all, and sparks flew. The final score was as high as 50-46, which caused a chain reaction throughout the league. The discussion continued even when the preseason began.
At that time, everyone was hoping that the winner of the "San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints" game would eventually meet the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game for a showdown between the peak of offensive battles, providing the most thrilling game of the entire season.
Unfortunately, that wish did not come true.
Now, although it was eight months late, this highly anticipated showdown was finally happening!
After nearly five minutes, all the fans at Lambeau Field were in an uproar. The cheers and roars poured down. Because they had scored a touchdown.
It was another third down.
Another difficult third-and-12 situation.
Another brutal tear in the offensive line's pocket.
Another crucial moment where Rodgers kept moving relentlessly with his feet.
Under the pursuit of Aldon Smith and Justin Smith, Rodgers kept taking steps back, moving far away from his offensive line's protected area. He retreated nearly 12 or 13 yards, then unexpectedly moved sideways to the right, taking big strides forward with his long legs, and got the ball out before Aldon could tackle and sack him.
Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, who were at the front of the red zone, formed a double threat, but they had to face a double team of three defenders because the drive had already entered the red zone.
The San Francisco 49ers' defense layered up, surrounding the entire end zone and not letting anyone through. They not only forced Rodgers to run all over the field but also tightly surrounded the receivers.
In a "three-on-two" situation, among the chaotic scramble of five players, Jordy Nelson showed incredible energy, holding back safety Carlos Rogers's shoulder and snatching the football a half-beat earlier. He then controlled the ball tightly with his chin, chest, and hands, and finally, all the players fell into a pile.
Snatching the ball from the tiger's mouth!
The Green Bay Packers provided a textbook example of snatching the ball from the tiger's mouth, scoring a touchdown with absolute dominance. It wasn't that the San Francisco 49ers' defense had a mistake; it was that the Green Bay Packers' offense had an amazing performance.
Especially Jordy Nelson.
On a side note, as mentioned before, the wide receiver position in the league was gradually being dominated by black players, which was also the reason why Logan Newman switched to playing tight end. Jordy Nelson was one of the increasingly rare white wide receivers in the entire league, and he was hailed as a top-tier talent that only comes along once in a decade.
Nelson's vertical attack ability was even more terrifying than that of black players, which was built on his excellent explosiveness and strong physicality. This kind of talent was indeed rare among white players. But somewhat ironically, the best white wide receiver in the league right now played with a completely black style.
As a second-round pick in 2008, Nelson had his first breakout season last year, with his first 1,000-yard receiving season, and his touchdown count was second only to Calvin Johnson, ranking second among wide receivers in the league.
In that last drive, Nelson used his physicality and explosiveness to complete that "snatching the ball from the tiger's mouth" catch, scoring a touchdown and dealing a heavy blow to the opponent's morale. This was definitely a crucial touchdown. Even Rodgers clenched his fists and roared with passion.
Facing the increasingly strong San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers' defense was still not good enough, but their offense showed some fire and successfully brought the game back to a tie. With the extra point kick, the score came to 14-14, and before the special teams could get on the field to kick off, the first quarter came to an end.
Lu Ke could hear the sound of blood bubbling, and his emotions were high, and his fighting spirit was soaring.
Obviously, a great win is always delightful. But in comparison, the clash and duel with a master are always exhilarating. The confrontation, the competition, the danger, and the thrill—the pleasure of a sudden adrenaline rush—are captivating and unforgettable.
He couldn't think of a better way to start the 2012 season than to face Aaron Rodgers and his Green Bay Packers in the first game of the regular season.
"Phew, what's going on? Why do I feel like 'Bloody Bambi' is online now?" Alex Boone accidentally caught Lu Ke's eyes and couldn't help but shiver. He was still not very familiar with number 14 on the field.
Jonathan Goodwin was already used to it and just shrugged his shoulders. "For the rest of the game, stay focused. Bambi is speeding up, too. He's clearly getting into the zone."
The second quarter officially began.
First-and-10.
Lu Ke, in the shotgun formation, snapped the ball quickly and threw it fast. He passed the ball after barely adjusting his feet. The entire release time was only 1.33 seconds. He quickly found Vernon Davis three yards to his left.
Before Matthews could get into position to defend, Vernon successfully caught the ball and continued to push for two yards before stopping in the crowd of players.
Second-and-5.
Still in the shotgun formation, Lu Ke chose to hand the ball to Marcus Lynch.
The offensive line's blocking was excellent. Marcus successfully broke through the gap between Lupati and Goodwin and pushed forward with force under the double-team of the two opposing inside linebackers. After successfully advancing four yards, he was tackled to the ground, ending the drive.
Third-and-1.
Just when everyone thought the 49ers would run the ball—Frank Gore came in to sub, but Lu Ke used a fake handoff to fool the defensive line and the linebacker group. He moved horizontally and tossed the ball to the right, finding Kyle Williams, who had just come in.
Logan made a crucial block, pushing away the cornerback who was trying to cover, and gave Williams time and space. He not only converted on third down but also continued to push. With the help of Logan and Ginn's blocking, he advanced a total of seven yards before being surrounded and forced to the ground.
And then, it was another first-and-10.
For the audience and fans, they didn't feel a special change, but for the Packers' defense, they could clearly feel the increase in the game's tempo.
The time of each of Lu Ke's throws was getting shorter, and the time between plays was also shortening. His pass choices were almost all short passes. The three drives only took about 78 seconds. Moreover, judging from the 49ers' lineup speed, they were steadily increasing their offensive pace, and they never wavered even when the offensive results were not satisfactory.
In the subsequent drives, two of four passes were successful, gaining 14 yards, and two runs gained seven yards. It was clear that the 49ers' offensive tempo was under Lu Ke's control, and they were getting better.
It was another second-and-8 drive.
After the snap, Lu Ke stood in place. He didn't take a step back or move sideways. He just adjusted his feet with small steps, raised his right hand, and prepared to throw. The pass to the left seemed to be aimed at Crabtree. Using the matchup between Crabtree and Shields, they had already advanced several times. Shields seemed to be struggling a bit.
In a critical situation, Matthews had to give up his plan to sack the quarterback. He quickly turned around and ran toward Crabtree.
Not just Matthews, the other defensive players also immediately changed their focus and swarmed toward the 49ers' left side. Even the defensive linemen's rush seemed a little distracted. The collision was not focused enough or powerful enough, which kept the 49ers' pocket solid.
Of course, each of Lu Ke's throws was very fast, so he didn't give the defensive linemen much time anyway.
Everyone thought that Lu Ke's target was Crabtree and his play was a short pass, but in the next moment, they realized that there was no football in the air at all!
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