Crowds, crowds, and more crowds.
Lining up on the two-yard line in front of the end zone, the view was completely filled with people. It was an illusion of being in a sea of people, as if even a single step would be difficult to take. But for Vernon Davis, in this vast ocean, he could fully utilize his size and strength. Like a lighthouse, he stood in the end zone and instantly attracted all the offensive and defensive attention.
After the snap, Vernon didn't hesitate or pause. He started to run at a 45-degree angle to the right. The entire San Francisco 49ers' offense moved to the right, like a small hill, rumbling and pushing, their earth-shattering power slamming into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense with a fierce posture.
In the dense defense, Vernon was like a shark that had entered a school of sardines. He whooshed past, dodging left and right, and charging into the crowd, destroying the obstacles on his path. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Williams, Ginn, Crabtree, and others all charging to the right, forming a group advantage, scattered in all corners of the right side of the end zone.
Suddenly, Vernon paused, turned, and cut into the middle area in the opposite direction. Without stopping, he was carried by momentum to the end zone line. He turned, raised his hand, and then saw the football rushing toward him like a cannonball.
It was a little too high, a little too far.
His pupils suddenly contracted. The two's cooperation was still not perfect. The entire passing route and the control of the force were not a perfect match. But Vernon didn't care. He was going to catch this pass! Even if it was pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth, he would not back down!
He stomped his feet hard, leaped high into the air, and got a step ahead of the surrounding defenders. He stretched his arms like an ape and fiercely and powerfully grabbed the football in the storm. Then, he used his hands to pull the ball back, holding it tightly against his chest before his body began to fall.
The pull of gravity made every cell in his body scream. But then, he felt a powerful collision, like a high-speed train, hitting his back hard. His internal organs began to churn. The surging force made every bone creak, making you almost feel like you were lying under a steamroller.
The pain erupted instantly, but Vernon's mind was completely blank. There was no time to think or hesitate. He just relied on his instinctive reflexes, gritted his teeth, and fell heavily, his feet firmly planting on the grass. His muscles were tensed to the maximum, and all ten fingers tightened, holding the football firmly. Then he straightened his back, trying to stabilize his center of gravity.
A little steadier, a little steadier. A little longer, a little longer.
He had to make sure his feet landed in bounds. He had to control his feet and muscles, even for a thousandth of a millisecond, he had to use all his strength to maintain control.
For a split second, time seemed to stop. All the explosive force and collision force stopped at a certain moment, and even the pain disappeared. The control of his reflexes and body muscles was at its peak. Then, the world entered fast-forward mode at ten times the speed, and his whole body flew out heavily, accompanied by a muffled "thud."
Vernon had only one thought in his mind: "Why is the speed of sound so slow? I'm already in so much pain, but I'm just hearing the sound now? What's going on?"
Then, Vernon, like a discarded trash bag, flew out and slid for a short distance on the ground before crashing into the fence at the end of the field, finally coming to a stop. Every muscle in his body was protesting, and every figure in his line of sight was blurry, but Vernon's first reaction was, "Did I complete the catch?"
"Unbelievable! Unbelievable! The San Francisco 49ers' tight end, number 85, Vernon Davis, made an incredible catch! With his body out of control, he completed the catch by fighting against the defense and gravity, and he controlled his body, trying to score a touchdown! Once again, Vernon replicated his miraculous catch on the sideline just now!"
After witnessing such a catch, they still couldn't believe their eyes. Kirk and Teddy exchanged glances, and smiles appeared on their faces. It wasn't because of a win or a loss, but simply because of the brilliant performance of this pass and catch. The charm of competitive sports was at its peak!
"Wow, a second time. In this one drive, Vernon made a second catch in a very dangerous situation. Our naked eyes can't judge whether this is a legal catch. The referees also have to confirm it through a video replay. But there's no doubt that Lu Ke threw it beautifully, and Vernon caught it even more beautifully! This performance once again shows us his highlight-worthy performance from when he was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2009."
Objectively speaking, in this drive, both of Lu Ke's passes had some deviations. While there was a lack of coordination, it was more a matter of Lu Ke's subtle control. But in the end, Vernon successfully caught the football, relying entirely on his individual strength. A tight end like this is an important offensive weapon for any team.
After Teddy's sigh, the broadcast booth immediately began to play the replay. The two commentators' eyes both turned to it, confirming whether the pass was completed successfully.
"First, he had control of the ball with both hands, there's no doubt about that. There was no shaking or gap, and there was no problem with him securing the ball. Second, his feet, the questionable feet... And then we see, from this angle, it's not very clear, it's a bit ambiguous. It seems to have been on the end line, it's hard to say. We need to look at it from another angle. Director, do we have another camera angle?"
On the football field, there were cameras at every angle, and the NFL officials could see all the footage. But the number of cameras for the live broadcast was relatively small, and it also took some time to retrieve the footage.
So, Teddy and Kirk could only review the same video over and over again, but this angle was indeed a bit blurry, making it impossible to make an accurate judgment. The suspense could only be revealed by the referee.
"It's difficult to judge. It's really too difficult to judge. The referee also needs to watch the replay repeatedly." Kirk took the opportunity to start a new topic. "Vernon's two thrilling catches at critical moments remind me of the Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie wide receiver from last year, Antonio Brown, what do you think?"
"Last year, who would have thought that this sixth-round, 195th-overall pick wide receiver would perform so well in his rookie season, showing the absolute dominance of a big receiver? In those two catches just now, Vernon's feel for the ball and body control really reminded me of Brown. He doesn't look like a tight end at all. He's completely a big-bodied wide receiver," Kirk shared his thoughts and opinions.
Teddy didn't agree or disagree, but he smiled and said, "Does this once again prove that in every annual draft, the 32 teams make a lot of mistakes?"
As he spoke, the referee finally finished reviewing the play and confirmed the result.
The waiting time was really too long. Jeff, Chris, and the others in the stands all stood up. After the explosive pass and catch, and the potential touchdown with a dance on the edge of a knife, after all the adrenaline had been released, they now had to endure more torment. Their hearts were about to burst. All eyes were on the head referee, watching him walk onto the field.
On the NFL field, all of the referee's calls are announced to the entire stadium publicly and fairly with a microphone. Under everyone's watchful eyes, the head referee turned on his microphone and announced the result to the entire stadium.
"After the review, the player, number 85, successfully completed the catch, and both of his feet were in bounds. Therefore, the San Francisco 49ers, touchdown!" After speaking, the head referee raised both of his hands, making a touchdown gesture, confirming the touchdown.
"Aaaah! Touchdown!" Jeff jumped three feet high. He leaped into the air, jumped onto Danny, and waved his right hand vigorously, roaring wildly, "Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown!"
Candlestick Park erupted again. They had asked for another touchdown, and although it took some effort and time, the San Francisco 49ers' offense had actually scored another touchdown. The first half was not even over, and they had already taken a three-touchdown lead. This game was truly too dreamlike and too beautiful.
All the fans in the stadium yelled in unison, "Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown!" At this moment, Candlestick Park had completely entered a state of ecstasy, erupting with an unstoppable and powerful momentum.
With the first half not yet over, the team had already scored three touchdowns. With such a performance, even the offensive players on the field were in a state of ecstasy.
Vernon charged forward recklessly, took off his helmet, threw it backward, and then rushed to Lu Ke. He roared and yelled, "We are!"
"Warriors!" Lu Ke shouted back with an absolutely fierce posture without any hesitation. The two of them jumped up and performed a chest bump celebration. Then Vernon laughed wildly with joy, "Awesome, awesome, this is just too awesome!"
"Hey, hey, you tramp, where's your helmet? Don't you want your helmet?" Crabtree's taunt came from behind. Vernon turned his head in a daze and realized that he had thrown his helmet into the stands. He quickly lowered his head, bent down, and jogged over. Amidst a burst of laughter, he got his helmet back.
For the San Francisco 49ers, this was indeed a magnificent game. The second quarter had just passed the halfway point, and they had already scored three touchdowns, while their opponents still hadn't managed to score. But for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this was a complete disaster.
And the disaster was not over yet.
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!