Chapter 727: Attack Instinct
Clay Matthews quickly shifted his weight and sprinted toward Michael Crabtree. But out of professional habit, his body didn't completely change direction. The corner of his eye was still catching the angle and arc of the quarterback's pass, and then he noticed the change in Lu Ke's wrist at the moment he threw the ball.
Just when everyone thought Lu Ke's target was Crabtree, he pulled his arm back at the last second, adjusted his feet, and moved sideways with a step forward. This time, there was no hesitation. Before the defenders could adjust their weight, he quickly threw the ball. With a flick of his wrist, the football seemed to carry no force and began to climb sharply.
Miraculously, even with a distance of about seven or eight yards, Lu Ke's every move was perfectly and clearly reflected in Matthews's eyes. His football instincts were roaring in his mind.
But his body couldn't keep up with the speed of his thoughts. He tried to force a change in his center of gravity, but the back-and-forth and side-to-side twisting left him frozen in place. His muscles felt like they were being torn, and all he could do was watch the football draw a light and skillful arc in the air.
It went over the heads of the offensive line, over the heads of the defensive line, and over the heads of the linebackers, making a magnificent arch toward Matthews's left side. It fell steadily and quickly, and then he saw Logan appearing perfectly on the receiving route.
Catch, control, pause, and misdirection.
The entire sequence was fluid. Before he even caught the ball, he had already controlled his body, avoiding the immediate tackle from the Packers' cornerback Tramon Williams. This forced Tramon into a weak tackle. The two of them just collided. Logan used the momentum to turn around, planted his foot, and rushed forward with his head down.
What did this mean?
It meant that the 49ers' offense had complete control of the Packers' defense's tempo. Even before the pass was thrown, they had already aimed for the matchup advantage and positioning. In other words, Lu Ke, the mastermind of the offense, had a firm grasp of everything, and his use and understanding of the playbook were truly astonishing.
The Packers' defensive weakness was further magnified in this game: other than the first interception, they simply couldn't stop the opponent's offense!
Matthews stared at Logan, who was running with the ball. He noticed that Woodson was still focused. He did his best to chase Logan after he caught the ball, pushing him out of bounds 12 yards later. This finally ended the disastrous defensive play. Matthews's muscles then relaxed, and he completely lost his balance, falling to the ground.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
Matthews couldn't help but curse fiercely. The constant awkwardness and sluggishness in this head-to-head matchup completely ruined his game rhythm. The feeling of frustration and being stifled was suffocating in his chest with no way to vent.
In the blink of an eye, the San Francisco 49ers had powerfully advanced to the Green Bay Packers' 33-yard line. Their unstoppable drive had brought them to the edge of field goal range in less than four minutes and thirty seconds. This was already within David Akers's range.
The problem was that the 49ers' offense was still in a high-tempo mode, not giving them any time to catch their breath. They immediately hurried to the line of scrimmage to set up for the next play.
Matthews bit the dead skin on the inside of his lip, and a bloody taste slowly spread. He swallowed the blood and immediately stood up, jogging back to his position, and locked his eyes on Lu Ke, who was standing in the pocket.
Since the war had already begun, let this war go all out!
Turning his head, Matthews quickly shouted signals to his teammates. The opponent's offense was pressing hard, leaving the defense with limited time and space to adjust. But in a professional game, they could still make tactical adjustments in a small area through skillful teamwork and various plays, trying to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible and make an effective stop.
As the on-field captain of the defense, Matthews received instructions from the defensive coach and relayed them in the shortest and fastest way possible.
The moment the signals were relayed, the snap count came from the other side. The high-tempo offense's suffocating pressure was truly at its peak, but Matthews remained highly focused. He didn't lose his concentration because of the change in play, and his body's reflexes started immediately.
He charged forward with the ferocity and speed of an agile cheetah.
This time, Matthews changed his tactics. He gave up the direct entanglement with number 74, Joe Staley. After a quick sprint, he pushed Staley's shoulders with both hands. His entire body's strength exploded, and he pushed Staley aside. He tore open a gap with a perfect combination of skill and brute force, and in the next step, he had already entered the pocket.
Number 77, Mike Iupati, was trying to cover.
But the Green Bay Packers' defense suddenly put on the pressure. The three defensive linemen and four linebackers blitzed together, a total of seven players pressing forward. With an absolute numerical advantage, they created a crushing effect. The pocket was shattered almost at the same time as the snap.
Clearly, the San Francisco 49ers' offensive line couldn't keep up with the tempo.
This was a new offensive line, with huge changes in personnel and positioning. They had just finished adjusting and cooperating in the offseason. What's more, pocket protection wasn't their strong suit last season. In this defensive play, the offensive line was completely caught off guard by the opponent's sudden attack.
Continuous high-tempo confrontation was a test for the defense, and it was also a test for the offense. It was a double-edged sword. The mental strain, physical exhaustion, and in-game tactical execution were the same for both sides. Now, the Packers' defense suddenly exploded with speed and power, catching the 49ers' offensive line completely off guard.
Iupati noticed Matthews's quick breakthrough and subconsciously raised his left hand to block, but his feet weren't stable. He was immediately pushed off balance by the combined hit from the inside linebacker and the nose tackle. A clear gap appeared in the offensive line, and the entire line was full of holes.
One second? Or two seconds? Less than two seconds!
Matthews's eyes immediately locked onto Lu Ke in the pocket. This was his! This was his prey. This sack could not be missed. He was determined to get it.
His explosive power reached its peak. Matthews skillfully adjusted his steps and body, aiming accurately at Lu Ke's waist. He made a second burst of power, and his whole body charged forward with an even fiercer and more brutal momentum. His mind was blank, with only the smell of blood lingering in his nostrils.
I got him!
Matthews's fingertips could already feel the texture of the jersey, but at that moment, a gust of wind hit him, and the feeling on his fingertips started to fade. What was happening?
"Absolute Footwork!"
Every cell in Lu Ke's body sounded an alarm. A surging sense of danger was coming.
Almost at the same time as the snap, the defensive line charged like a dark cloud. The dense forest green color was all over the place, and he couldn't even accurately tell how many players were blitzing.
Lu Ke's footwork followed the results of thousands of training sessions. He retreated quickly and methodically. Even when he felt the danger, he didn't panic. But this time was different. Just as he took a step back, he could clearly feel the cracks and gaps in the offensive line. It was like seeing the Hoover Dam starting to crack rapidly.
Everyone knew how terrible the situation would be after the dam broke.
One step back, two steps back. Lu Ke's feet hadn't had time to adjust, and Matthews's demonic face had already appeared in his eyes. The danger was right in his face. He could even feel Matthews's hot breath on his skin, ready to tear through his flesh and devour him.
The blind side! The blind side, which had been stable and outstanding throughout the game, had a problem for the first time!
But to be fair, this was not a surprise. At least in theory, it shouldn't have been a surprise. On one hand, they were facing one of the best pass rushers in the league. On the other hand, their offensive line was still in the adjustment period. After a simple addition and subtraction, Lu Ke had long been mentally prepared for the pocket to be broken.
Without hesitation, Lu Ke immediately activated his special skill.
First second.
Matthews's fingertips had already touched the jersey, as if he was about to light a fire and completely devour Lu Ke. But at that moment, Lu Ke's foot gently moved to the right, skillfully avoiding Matthews's tackle as if he were walking on air.
However, everything happened too fast.
Lu Ke's feet were still a half-step slow. Matthews's arm slammed into Lu Ke's abdomen, not the right side of his waist. His shoulder also came crashing in, completely breaking Lu Ke's balance. After a series of stumbles, Lu Ke's calves suddenly tightened. He moved sideways with several small steps, seemingly effortlessly but dangerously, and absorbed the force.
Lu Ke could clearly feel his knees weakening. It seemed that if the slightest bit of air escaped from his mouth, even his special skill couldn't save him from the mess and losing control. So, Lu Ke clenched his teeth, held his breath with all his might, and used all his strength to straighten his knees.
Before the move was even completed, two defenders charged toward him from the right!
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