Ted Ginn Jr. ran at full speed without distractions, a straight-line sprint. After just ten yards, he adjusted his footing, intentionally cutting toward the middle to create space. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two safeties positioned deep, who were now starting to rush up to cover.
Without any panic, Ginn paused his steps again and then accelerated a second time, continuing his straight-line sprint. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the safety on the right side change his footing and move forward to cover Kyle Williams—the situation had changed, and Ginn's mind immediately made a judgment.
He adjusted his footsteps slightly, turned as he moved forward, and faced his back to the safety guarding him. He looked toward the team's offensive pocket and saw large patches of open space. The area of over twenty yards between his position and the line of scrimmage was a complete no man's land.
There were no Buccaneers players, and also no 49ers players.
Ginn couldn't help but be shocked. He could see the situation behind him clearly. The entire pocket was already shattered, and the man-to-man coverage was still tight, but Lu Ke was completely exposed. He was moving through the storm, his nimble footwork like a dance on the edge of a knife, every step was heart-stopping.
But Ginn didn't have time to think further. He adjusted his steps, retreated, and retreated again. Suddenly, he used his back to push against the safety guarding him, putting a lot of pressure on him. He slammed into him, but his legs were ready. With his descending center of gravity, his knees bounced up like springs, and he accelerated instantly, running sideways. The whooshing wind roared in his ears, and then he raised his hands high, making a gesture to prepare for a catch.
Ginn knew that Lu Ke would never give up easily, nor would he surrender easily. He was sure to find an open lane for him to pass.
And sure enough.
The next moment, Ginn saw the football, like the most gorgeous rainbow in the world, slide across the sky, outlining a breathtaking arc under the clear blue sky.
At the peak of his nervousness, his mind went completely blank, becoming calm and steady. Ginn adjusted his hands, and the football, like a swallow returning to its nest, lightly and nimbly flew into his hands. The crisp sound made his entire body adjust to its best state, flexible and relaxed.
Following the momentum of the catch, Ginn's body involuntarily leaned back, and his core muscles curved into a beautiful arch. After his feet landed, his left foot, and his right foot, he constantly adjusted his steps with his toes. At the same time, he turned his head to look for the safety's position, but before he could adjust further, a dark figure slammed into him like a train, hitting him hard in the waist. The violent impact made his hands tremble violently.
Protect the ball, protect the ball, protect the ball. Ginn had only one thought in his mind. He waved his hands like lightning, curling them in front of his chest in a motion to protect the ball. Then his whole body, like a sack of potatoes, slammed heavily onto the ground, kicking up a large cloud of grass.
"Danger! The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive line suddenly sped up and applied immense pressure. The San Francisco 49ers' pocket is collapsing quickly. With no passing options, Lu Ke took the initiative to spin out and run out of the pocket in a moment of crisis. Then he adjusted his footing to prepare to pass again, but Bennett immediately lunged at him!"
Troy held onto the commentary desk with both hands, involuntarily standing up slightly. The emotions of shock and fear erupted in the tense and exciting moment. "Lu Ke broke free from the tackle! Lu Ke broke free from Bennett's certain tackle! Lu Ke, with the pressure coming, my God, again! Lu Ke barely escaped Miller's tackle again! Lu Ke, Lu Ke is trying to find a receiver! Jesus Christ, a third time! After dodging three consecutive tackles, Lu Ke makes a passing gesture. This is... this is a long pass!"
"Thirty yards, forty yards, fifty yards! My God, the target is Ted Ginn Jr.! Ginn is only being guarded by one player, and Ginn instantly created space from his defender! Forty yards, thirty yards! Ginn made the catch! Ginn made a very difficult catch while moving backward! This is a catch! This is a perfect catch!"
"Ginn is moving backward! Ginn is moving backward quickly! Number 26, safety Sean Jones comes up big! Sean Jones, after losing his balance, takes off again and tackles Ginn, stopping this powerful pass! Ginn is tackled at the 33-yard line!"
This drive finally ended, but Troy's passionate shouting still hadn't. "Amazing, this is truly amazing! Lu Ke has once again recreated the footwork he used in the second week against the Dallas Cowboys, dodging... one, two, three! A total of three tackles! In a chaotic pocket, he found a glimmer of hope and completed a 53-yard pass! Ted Ginn's first catch of the game has led the San Francisco 49ers across the midfield!"
"This is just amazing!" Troy couldn't help but be impressed.
Facing a second-and-twelve, the Buccaneers suddenly attacked, and the 49ers were struggling to cope. In the crucial moment, Lu Ke, with a relentless will, gritted his teeth and tore open a path, not only successfully completing the pass but also delivering a fatal blow to his opponent. In one fell swoop, he led his team across the midfield. It was a clever yet heavy punch that left the Buccaneers' defense dazed and at a loss.
Standing there, Bennett was breathing heavily. His furrowed brows showed a hint of confusion and bewilderment. Looking at the back of the number 14 jersey in red not far away, he felt both frustrated and angry. An indescribable annoyance rose in his heart. The entire Candlestick Park was like boiling water, with the continuous sound of cheers and shouts echoing, like a series of heavy punches hitting Bennett's stomach.
The entire stadium was a frenzy. All the fans had lost their minds, just shouting, screaming, and roaring wildly. Everyone was caught in a state of madness and couldn't get out of it.
But for Lu Ke, it was far from time to be happy. He didn't even have time to catch his breath. He kept gesturing, taking the lead and running forward, signaling for his teammates to follow quickly. They had to speed up their rhythm and attack continuously while their opponents were still off balance. They had to finish this drive in one go.
The offensive linemen, who had used up all their energy in the standoff, looked at each other. Goodwin repeatedly beckoned, calling for his teammates to keep moving forward. Iupati gritted his teeth and reached out to pull Rachal up, then he quickly followed, sprinting past the midfield and stopping at the opponent's 33-yard line.
It was the 33-yard line again. They seemed to have a special connection with this spot today. They had successfully scored touchdowns twice from this position, so what about this time?
Lu Ke quickly turned and gestured to Logan, then kept waving his hands, like a small penguin, signaling for Logan to hurry up and be subbed out.
Logan didn't protest and left the field with a smile. Then Vernon Davis subbed in for him. The two tight ends swapped places.
Lu Ke spent less than five seconds relaying and setting up the coach's play call. The team then immediately lined up, leaving no time for the Buccaneers' defense to react. But it also didn't leave any time for the 49ers' offense to rest. Lu Ke then called the snap again.
"The San Francisco 49ers' offense has completely sped up, once again showing the same level of offense as in the first week of the regular season against the Seattle Seahawks. They are leaving almost no time to breathe, lining up quickly and snapping the ball quickly."
Troy was about to take a sip of water to soothe his throat, but before he could even pick up the cup, the ball was snapped again. He had no choice but to focus on every move on the field again.
"The San Francisco 49ers are in a shotgun formation. Lu Ke is in the pocket, and all four receivers are lined up. Even Gore is on the right side, ready to catch the ball. Snap! The Buccaneers' defensive front of seven players completely abandons short pass coverage and collectively blitzes. With a numerical advantage, two linebackers quickly break through the pocket and charge toward Lu Ke, who is preparing to pass!"
"Lu Ke, the San Francisco 49ers' rookie quarterback, is once again facing immense pressure. In a flash, he completes a pass. The entire passing motion is very small and very subtle, making it impossible to determine the passing direction. This reminds me of Aaron Rodgers. The passing motion looks very effortless, but the power is enough to make people shiver. Lu Ke's target is... Vernon Davis! It's actually Vernon Davis!"
Troy couldn't help but be impressed. They had a last-minute substitution of Vernon Davis, and then they chose Vernon as the target. It was a brazenly obvious play call, inviting the opponent to attack. But the problem was, the Buccaneers still missed it!
"Vernon, with his absolute physical advantage, pushes past the cornerback guarding him and gets ready to catch the ball. Wait, the pass seems to be slightly off target. Lu Ke's pass had a slight deviation at a crucial moment. Vernon stretched his body and smoothly completed the catch. His body was stretched to the maximum. He firmly pulled in the football, but then he completely lost his balance and flew out of bounds. My God, my God, that catch was so dramatic!"
"Now, we have to watch the replay. During the game, we couldn't be sure if the catch was made in bounds or out of bounds, and if Vernon had full control. If the catch is confirmed, it will be a 13-yard gain, and the San Francisco 49ers will go straight into the Buccaneers' red zone! This call will have a crucial impact on the game."
"Personally, I think Vernon made the catch."
NOTE:
New chapters drop Three times a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 30 chapters in advance!