In the final game of the regular season, a road matchup against the St. Louis Rams, the San Francisco 49ers had a massive "0-28" lead at halftime. The coaching staff, led by Jim Harbaugh, made a bold decision to rest the starters and have the backups finish the game.
It wasn't just the quarterback position.
On the offensive line, three starters were paired with two backups, Alex Boone and Chilo Rachal, the latter of whom had officially been replaced by Adam Snyder as a starter and was now a backup.
Among the receivers, Kyle Williams, who had been getting fewer chances to catch, came on to play wide receiver with Michael Crabtree. Vernon Davis and Justin Peelle formed the tight end lineup.
At running back, Anthony Dixon got more opportunities, and Kendall Hunter and another rookie running back, Bruce Miller, rotated.
Almost half of the starting offense was replaced. Not only that, but the defense also replaced four starters, though the defense didn't make all the changes at once. Instead, they rotated, allowing several starters to get more rest without affecting the game's rhythm.
Undoubtedly, the coaching staff's plan was very clear.
The players needed rest to save energy for the playoffs. With a solid lead in the first half, they would control the game in the second half. But to avoid a surprising loss, the defensive rotations were more cautious. Similar situations are not uncommon in the league.
Nevertheless, replacing almost half of the starting lineup at once was a very bold and shocking move!
But when you think about it, many of Jim Harbaugh's decisions this season seem like the crazy gambles of a high roller. It was these unbelievable decisions that led the 49ers to where they are now, writing a brilliant chapter in the league's history.
So, who's to say that Harbaugh's decision here isn't a gamble that will affect the outcome of the playoffs?
We don't know what will happen in the playoffs, but this game has just gotten a lot more interesting.
Alex Smith led the half-new offense onto the field, and the style of play changed completely. The flexible passing routes and play designs instantly became solid and methodical, relying on short passes, occasional deep throws, and a consistent running game. They weren't greedy for big yardage but advanced little by little, like a ground battle.
They were controlling the game while running down the clock.
Although the 49ers' offense became slow and sluggish, completely lacking the creativity and fluidity it had with Lu Ke as quarterback, they still managed to get three first downs in a row, two of which were on third-down conversions. This showed Jim Harbaugh's coaching ability:
He teaches and coaches according to the player's talent and the situation.
He creates different systems and offensive styles for different quarterbacks, using the quarterback's abilities as the core. The end goal is always the same: to advance, advance, and advance.
This skill alone is enough to prove Harbaugh's talent and ability!
It was no accident or stroke of luck that Harbaugh was able to build his own mini-dynasty at Stanford. This season, the San Francisco 49ers have been completely transformed in his hands. By fully utilizing Lu Ke's strategic abilities, the offense has also burst forth with an unstoppable brilliance.
However, against the solid and methodical offensive style, the St. Louis Rams' defense gradually found its rhythm.
When Lu Ke was on the field, the offensive pace changed constantly, and the plays were unpredictable, which was a huge challenge for the defense. But with Alex on the field, the offensive pace was relatively simple. Without the threat of a deep pass, the defense's rhythm became more compact.
After they crossed midfield, an incomplete pass, a running play that hit a wall, and a four-yard short pass led to the 49ers' first three-and-out of the game.
This wasn't the end of the world, nor was it a turning point, but at the very least, the St. Louis Rams finally got a little breathing room, and the one-sided situation slowed down slightly.
Sitting in the broadcast booth, Kirk vaguely sensed something was off but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He shook his head and set his intuition aside for a moment, refocusing on the game, watching the Rams' drive.
Four minutes and forty-eight seconds later.
"Touchdown! The St. Louis Rams have a touchdown! This is the Rams' first score in two games against the 49ers this season! This touchdown comes from running back Steven Jackson, a nineteen-yard rushing touchdown! This was an amazing run. It's truly not easy!"
After Teddy's excited exclamation, Kirk finally understood what was nagging him: that flash of intuition!
"Momentum!" Kirk blurted out, then chuckled to himself. "Yes, yes! I know it sounds a little absurd, but the fact is..."
Kirk took a deep breath and said with certainty, "When Lu Ke is on the field, he's a one-of-a-kind presence. For the 49ers' players, they believe they can win the game. And for their opponents, they feel immense pressure and have to be on their toes every time they face the 49ers' offense."
Kirk could feel Teddy's intrigued look, which only strengthened his conviction. "I know it sounds unbelievable. How can a rookie player have such a powerful presence? He's not Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers, where when they step onto the field, the outcome is always unknown, and they have the potential to turn the game around."
"But I have to say. Because he's an undrafted rookie, because he's a Chinese player, and because he has a 12-3 record this season, all these factors have created this incredible presence." Kirk's smile faded as he refocused. "After the second half started, the 49ers' offense had its first three-and-out, and the Rams' offense scored its first touchdown."
A simple yet clear piece of evidence was all that was needed.
Then Kirk added, "Of course, this is just a theory. The rest of the game will prove whether I'm right or wrong."
It turned out that Kirk was right.
In the third quarter, the Rams' offense finally came alive. After their first rushing touchdown, their first passing touchdown soon followed. Sam Bradford successfully connected with wide receiver Brandon Lloyd on a twenty-two-yard pass.
But despite this strong comeback, the 49ers' offense couldn't manage a successful drive.
Alex's drives were still steady, but the offense lacked a certain chemistry. It was like a machine without oil; it could run, but it wasn't smooth. This caused the 49ers' drives to fall short at key moments. They crossed midfield twice in the third quarter but went three-and-out both times just as they were nearing field goal range.
Just as Kirk said, all parts of the St. Louis Rams' game came to life. The defense made many great plays, forcing three-and-outs. The offense got back on track, with two three-and-outs and two touchdowns on four drives. The special teams also performed well, successfully making their extra points and kickoffs.
Of course, no one could directly prove Kirk's theory.
But the fact remains that after Lu Ke left the field, the momentum of the game was quietly shifting. At the end of the third quarter, the score was "14-28."
The entire Edward Jones Dome finally came back to life. The home team saw a glimmer of hope for a comeback, and the home fans started cheering them on fiercely. The stadium finally had some energy.
All eyes were on the 49ers' coaching staff. Would Harbaugh make a change? Would he put more starters back in the game? Would he even put Lu Ke back in? Or would he let the situation continue to unfold?
When the fourth quarter began, the answer was revealed: Jim Harbaugh chose to stick to his plan, refusing to compromise or give up. The starters continued to rotate and rest, and Alex continued to lead the offense.
Alex did not disappoint Harbaugh's trust. Soon after the fourth quarter started, he successfully crossed midfield and then charged into the red zone. Although they couldn't get a touchdown, David Akers turned the offense's effort into three points.
"14-31."
The score change wasn't just about widening the gap; more importantly, it stabilized the game.
For the rest of the game, the matchup between the 49ers and the Rams became more intense. The Rams didn't give up and continued to fight, but the 49ers held their ground with their superior overall strength.
Especially in the final minutes of the game, Alex's steady play was on full display. After running down more than five minutes of clock, he successfully drove into field goal range. Akers once again converted, scoring three points and leaving the opponents with just two minutes on the clock and a ten-point deficit.
At that point, the score was "24-34."
This meant that the Rams' unyielding spirit in the second half wasn't enough to complete a comeback. All their efforts were in vain. For Sam Bradford to become a savior, he would have to score a touchdown and get into field goal range within one hundred and twenty seconds. Was that even possible?
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