Chapter 602: The Score Rises
"Ahhh! Saints! Saints! Saints!"
"Go 49ers! Keep it up! March on to victory!"
"I'm having a heart attack! This is terrifying! The score is already '24-21' in the first half! Is the score really going to break 40 for both teams?"
"This is so exciting! An offensive battle! A true offensive battle! I can't believe it! My God, I don't even dare to go to the bathroom! These two quarterbacks are amazing! Drew Brees! And Lu Ke!"
"Best of the season! This is definitely the best first half of the season! Fumbles! Interceptions! Touchdowns! Leads and comebacks! The Saints and 49ers have teamed up to deliver an incredible first half! Can we please have more in the second half?"
"The two teams have combined for six touchdowns, and there hasn't been a single punt! Oh my god, this game is so! Awe! Some!"
"49ers will win! We are the 49ers! We are the fight! The battle never ends! Victory will eventually belong to us!"
"Drew Brees! My Brees! That last pass was so cool! You must win!"
"Lu Ke-Skywalker! After this game, I'm officially a Lu Ke fan!"
"What should I do? I'm so nervous! I don't even know who will win the game now. Both teams are playing so beautifully. This is what I call offense! @Green Bay Packers, I'll take a dozen of those offensive lines! Don't let Aaron Rodgers have to keep running out of the pocket!"
"The quality of a divisional playoff game is truly different. I'm so excited and so nervous! My bladder is about to explode! I even forgot to eat my pizza!"
Twitter was completely on fire, with an average of five thousand tweets per minute, clearly showing the charm of the playoffs. The first divisional game had already successfully ignited the passion of all the fans. The two teams had teamed up to deliver a powerful offensive first half. The two quarterbacks each dominated a quarter of the game, completely satisfying everyone's expectations for this game.
Not just the fans, not just the commentators, not even just the other players in the league, but also... In the VIP box directly above Candlestick Park, Leigh Steinberg lit a cigar. Blue smoke curled up, and a calm and confident smile was on his face. "I told you, he's a warrior, he's a fighter, and he's a winner. He's not another Jackie Robinson, but he can be the first Lu Ke."
Standing next to Leigh was none other than the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell. He held a glass of whiskey in his hand, and the smile on his face was mysterious and hard to read. He glanced at Leigh with a half-smile. "You're not a civil rights fighter, and I'm not a Wall Street elite. We both know what we're chasing. He has enough support now, so why do you keep emphasizing it?"
"Because it's not enough." Leigh turned to meet Goodell's gaze. "If I told you he could win this game, would you believe me?"
Goodell chuckled. "Then let's talk after he wins this game."
The halftime break was always long and difficult to endure. Fans were always eager to jump into the second half of the battle. But today's halftime break flew by in a flash. It seemed there wasn't enough time to vent the excitement and passion in their chests. The tension and excitement of the first half were still lingering in their minds, and the showdown in the second half had already begun again.
The San Francisco 49ers had the first possession in the second half. In the final stage of the first half, they had faced a strong comeback from the New Orleans Saints. Although the home team still had the advantage, the score difference was only three points, which instantly made the second half full of suspense.
No one could forget that in the previous wild card game, Matthew Stafford's performance was quite good, but he was still completely overpowered by Drew Brees's aggressive offense. The young player's vigor and courage were of no use. The game became more and more boring, and in the end, they lost by a large margin. So what about Lu Ke?
"A blitz! The Saints are blitzing! Pocket protection! The pocket protection is shrinking fast! Lu Ke is stepping back! Lu Ke is still stepping back! A spin! Lu Ke releases the ball! Just as two defenders are about to break through the offensive line, Lu Ke releases the ball! It's a rainbow pass!"
"Lu Ke! Facing a first-and-ten, Lu Ke unexpectedly chose a long pass! The Saints' zone defense in the secondary was out of position. Crabtree and Logan were running an intersecting route in the middle. The routes of both players had created open spaces, and it's a one-on-one now! The pass is aimed at... Crabtree!"
"The rainbow pass is aimed at the end zone! Lu Ke is aiming directly at the end zone!"
"Michael Crabtree is matched up with Malcolm Jenkins! Both players jumped high in the air! Jenkins has his back to the pass. He's trying to disrupt Crabtree's catch! Crabtree flew up in a fadeaway jump shot. This pass..."
"...He caught it! Crabtree caught Lu Ke's 39-yard pass! Touchdown! It's a touchdown! The San Francisco 49ers scored another touchdown! Facing the fierce comeback from the New Orleans Saints, after adjusting at halftime, the 49ers' offense once again showed an astonishing amount of energy! In just four minutes and nine seconds, they scored another touchdown pass!"
"After the second half began, the offense led by Lu Ke once again showed a steady and excellent performance. They balanced the pass and run, and they steadily advanced across midfield and reached the 39-yard line. Facing a first-and-ten, Lu Ke suddenly chose a long pass. Through the short pass area's pull, Crabtree and Logan both got open! In the end, Lu Ke successfully connected with Crabtree, completing his fourth touchdown pass of the game!"
"The score is a two-touchdown lead again! My God, this offensive battle is just too exciting! This is the seventh touchdown pass combined for both teams in this game! More importantly, neither team has punted yet! Now, the pressure is once again on the shoulders of the New Orleans Saints!"
"People have been looking forward to the 'Drew Brees vs. Lu Ke' showdown, and now the showdown is here! My God, this new vs. old showdown is actually happening, and it's happening right now!"
Lu Ke was not Stafford. The San Francisco 49ers were not the Detroit Lions. The battle in this game was far from over. Before they could secure a victory, no one would give up easily. Lu Ke was like that, and he believed that Brees was also like that. Since it was an offensive battle, they would go all out and see who would have the last laugh!
This intense, no-holds-barred game was still ongoing. The San Francisco 49ers' defense, which had been performing well but lacked consistency this season, finally rose to the occasion and cleanly gave the New Orleans Saints a three-and-out. And this feat was accomplished on the opponent's side of the field, which meant they couldn't attempt a field goal, so the first punt of the entire game occurred.
Unfortunately, in the following drive, the San Francisco 49ers were also unable to capitalize on the momentum. They spent six minutes and fifteen seconds advancing to the 26-yard line. Lu Ke's risky long pass was a bit too far. Ted Ginn tried his best but could only touch the football and was unable to complete the catch, which resulted in a failed third-and-six attempt. So, it was a three-and-out.
David Akers led the special teams onto the field and successfully made a 43-yard field goal, scoring three points. So, the offensive opportunity once again returned to Drew Brees's hands.
No one should forget, and no one would forget, that Brees was one of the four elite quarterbacks. Any slight mistake or opening could be turned into a scoring opportunity in his hands. With 27 seconds left in the third quarter, Brees scored a touchdown.
"Touchdown! Touchdown! It's a touchdown! Marques Colston! Colston scored a touchdown! My God, can this game get any more exciting? The New Orleans Saints scored another touchdown and once again closed the gap!"
On a first-and-ten play, Brees was sacked for the first time in the entire game, losing eight yards. On a second-and-eighteen play, the Saints' offensive line, which had been performing well this season, once again suffered a fatal blow and was completely torn apart. Brees was instantly in a tough spot with three defenders teaming up to sack him.
Before the three players could get close, Brees made a nimble step back and flicked his right hand, completing a 19-yard pass. He was aiming for Marques Colston, who was matched up with Tarell Brown, who had just come on the field.
In the defense, Tarell read the play correctly, held his position, and jumped ahead of time, trying to make an interception. But no one expected that the arc of Brees's pass would suddenly accelerate on its descent. The arc was no longer a parabola but a straight drop! It sounded incredible, but in reality, it was only a hand's length difference. Tarell missed the interception opportunity and lost his balance, falling heavily, while Colston, who was a half-beat slower in his jump, easily caught the football.
With a turn, the path in front of him was wide open. He was less than 20 yards away from the end zone. Before the other defenders could catch up, Colston had already rushed into the end zone, scoring another touchdown for the Saints!
Just when everyone thought Brees was about to be sacked again and the 49ers' defense was about to make another big play, Brees showed the heart of an elite quarterback. In this back-and-forth battle, he held on and once again closed the gap with a touchdown, never letting the suspense of the game die!
This offensive battle, where all the wins and losses would be decided in the fourth quarter, was truly a playoff game. The level and intensity were extraordinary. For the fans of both teams, it was like a seesaw battle, with the score going up and down, which was incredibly thrilling. And for neutral fans, a game like this was just too exciting and fun to watch!
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