Chapter 729: Rising Momentum
Run. Run!
Ginn entered a state of complete self-forgetfulness, running at his absolute maximum speed.
He could feel every joint and bone in his body slightly trembling, as if a rusty machine was trying to regain its peak condition. Every movement was so difficult.
But he didn't care at all. The chain reaction of adrenaline bursts put him in a state of self-forgetfulness. It was as if before his injury, he could create a storm on the field with just his legs.
His mind was completely focused, focused, and more focused. His feet were moving like a whirlwind, and a sharp and persistent energy burst out of his body. He sprinted forward with great determination, accelerating, and then accelerating again, as if he could feel the heat of fire under his feet.
The corner of his eye was always locked on the football's trajectory. His feet, like a tornado, rushed past the 10-yard line and into the red zone. The end zone was within reach, and then he could see the football rapidly and fiercely falling.
But it was clear that Lu Ke, in his extreme state, had lost control of the football. The rotational rhythm and passing power had almost disappeared. The oval-shaped football spun irregularly and wobbled in the wind, making it truly difficult to find a precise and clear place to catch it.
Ginn, however, didn't panic.
He quickly adjusted his steps. He was a son of the storm, soaring with the wind. He continued to sprint in a straight line along the path of the wind. He actively raised his hands, and at the last crucial moment, the football's landing position suddenly changed, veering forward by a third of a hand's length. This also disrupted Ginn's running rhythm.
So, he leaned forward forcefully, stretched out his body completely, and gave up on using his hands. He used his forearms to touch the football directly, and his palms and the base of his hands tucked inward to absorb the force. Then, he forcefully pulled his arms in, slamming the ball against his chest, trying to use his upper body to control the football.
But before he could even finish the motion, he had already lost control of his body. His feet couldn't keep up with the sprinting speed of his body—his upper body was still leaning forward, while his lower body was behind. So, his entire center of gravity was completely overturned, and he flew into the air. He could even see the green turf below him in a parallel view.
Whoosh, whoosh.
The wind roared in his ears. The sun was scorching. It was as if even gravity had completely disappeared, and he was soaring freely in the air.
Ginn gritted his teeth. His mind was clear. The sound of the wind and the shouts were just a rustling commotion. Sweat and sunlight slowly moved on the surface of his skin. Time and space seemed to have slowed down by ten or a hundred times. Protect the ball. Protect the ball. Protect the ball. This was the only thought in his mind, echoing over and over again.
He forcefully pressed the football against his chest, tucked his head in, and curled up his upper body like a hedgehog. He completed a front roll in mid-air, landing on his shoulder to protect himself, avoid injury, and avoid a collision.
"Bang!"
A fierce and powerful impact slammed into him, as if he had fallen flat into the water while diving off a cliff. His internal organs began to churn violently. He could feel the football fiercely bouncing on his chest, trying to break free, but at this moment, Ginn had completely lost control of his body.
"Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable!"
"The Green Bay Packers suddenly sent seven players to blitz the quarterback. Clay Matthews broke through the pocket on the blind side immediately for a sack! Lu Ke! Lu Ke! Lu Ke! My God, at the crucial moment, Lu Ke avoids Matthews's first tackle! Lu Ke! Lu Ke avoids another tackle!"
"Unbelievable! Lu Ke is recreating 'The Matrix's' bullet time! Unbelievable! Jesus Christ, unbelievable!"
"Lu Ke, Lu Ke is still looking for an open space! Lu Ke! Amazing, this is truly amazing! Lu Ke is losing his balance, he looks completely exhausted, but before he falls, he still completes the pass!!"
"It's a... a long pass! My dear God! It's a long pass! Ten yards, fifteen yards, twenty yards... Lu Ke's pass is aimed directly at the end zone! Insane, insane, this is absolutely insane! The target is... the target is Ted Ginn! Logan Newman successfully completes a block!"
"Ginn! Ginn is speeding up! Woodson is trying to make a tackle! My God! This is simply unbelievable! Ginn's speed forcefully gives him an edge over Woodson, breaking free before Woodson can tackle him! Ginn! Ginn! Ted Ginn! Ginn completes the catch, ladies and gentlemen, Ginn completes the catch!"
"Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown! It's a... touchdown! (Tooooooooouchdown!)"
"Unbelievable! Unbelievable! All of this is too unbelievable! Under a desperate sack, Lu Ke consecutively made two miraculous dodges and then completed a pass at the last moment! In a showdown between the best, Ginn broke free with his pure speed and then completed a diving catch to score a touchdown!"
"Ted Ginn, the Ted Ginn who was unexpectedly injured in the NFC Championship Game and was thought to have affected the outcome of the game. In the offseason this year, everyone was questioning Ginn's recovery. Even if he could return to the field, his performance would definitely be a big question mark."
"But today! In this game today! Ginn has once again shown us his pure speed! Facing Charles Woodson, a Pro Bowl safety for four consecutive years, Ginn defeated his opponent with a head-on breakthrough to score a touchdown! This Ted Ginn has created his own miracle!"
"My God! Oh, my God!"
"This is the San Francisco 49ers! They never back down at the crucial moment! They always explode when it matters! Their unyielding will has created an incredible ability to advance! In a tough confrontation, they destroyed the Green Bay Packers' determined sack and seized the opportunity of the empty secondary to score a touchdown! The San Francisco 49ers have taken the lead again!"
"My God, this young offense has brought too many surprises! Unbelievable! It's simply hard to believe! This is definitely a strong candidate for the best offensive play of the week! No, I'm announcing it here, this is the best play of the week!"
In the broadcast booth, Kirk had completely lost his mind.
Just when everyone thought this would be a successful defensive play, and just when everyone thought this drive would be a failure, the San Francisco 49ers once again showed their incredible energy, turning the tables with a spectacular long pass connection to score a fatal touchdown.
The passion of competitive sports was perfectly shown at this moment.
Kirk roared with abandon. He didn't even need to organize his words. The thoughts in his mind poured out continuously. His spittle flew, his face was red, and his voice was passionate. He successfully stirred up the emotions of every viewer in front of the TV, pushing this game to a new climax.
The atmosphere at Lambeau Field was a little subdued.
It wasn't that their defense did a bad job; it was that the opponent's offense was too good!
Even as opponents, they couldn't help but want to scream at such an offense, but they couldn't, because their own team, the home team deeply ingrained in their souls, was the one that was hit. So, the atmosphere at the stadium slowly quieted down. For the first time, the home-field advantage at Lambeau Field was at a disadvantage.
At this moment, something unexpected happened.
Although the referee had just signaled a touchdown, the referee crew discussed it, and the head referee blew his whistle, indicating that there was an uncertain factor in the previous call. They had to re-watch the replay to confirm the ruling.
The point of contention was whether Ted Ginn had successfully completed control of the ball the moment he landed. Because of the fierce collision, the football bounced and shook, and Ginn's control didn't look 100% effective.
Teddy and Kirk also immediately started watching the replay to confirm the ruling at the moment of landing and gave their own opinions and judgments. Meanwhile, everyone at Lambeau Field held their breath. They had already fallen into despair, but now hope was reignited. Everyone unconsciously clenched their fists and secretly hoped.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the head referee returned to the field. "After reviewing the replay, the original call stands. Touchdown is confirmed."
The hope that had just been lit was extinguished again. The fans at Lambeau Field experienced a short but intense emotional rollercoaster. After the excitement, their emotions were slightly relaxed. Polite and restrained applause rang out in the stadium, showing respect and admiration for the spectacular performance of the visiting team.
This was undoubtedly unique.
It was already very rare for opposing fans not to use foul language. But they also showed a great sportsmanlike attitude and gave praise, which was truly impressive.
But the applause only lasted for a moment. Then, the loyal fans at Lambeau Field perked up again and chanted in unison, "Offense! Clap! Clap! Offense! Clap! Clap!" A chant and a clap, a simple but universally applicable cheer, echoed throughout the stadium, motivating the Packers' warriors to get back in the game!
Not to mention that the game wasn't over yet, not even the first half was over. They were far from being in an apocalyptic situation. And just looking at the Packers' offense, they had never been afraid of any opponent in the league.
Today was no exception.
They would defeat their opponents fair and square!
The special teams led by Akers completed the extra point kick, taking the lead again, "14-21." Then, Aaron Rodgers came back onto the field.
Following last season's NFC Divisional Round, the shootout that fans had been waiting for was heating up again. The second-year player Lu Ke's performance was amazing, so what about Aaron Rodgers?
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