Chapter 609: The Strongest Opponent
On the field, the referees were carefully reviewing the video to ensure the legality of the recent touchdown. In the broadcast booth, Kirk and Teddy couldn't wait to rewatch the game film.
In that last play, the Saints tricked the 49ers, and the 49ers tricked the Saints. But in the clash between offense and defense, Jim Harbaugh had the slight advantage. No one expected Lu Ke to be the one to deliver the final blow! Just when everyone thought the game couldn't get any more exciting, this divisional matchup shattered people's expectations. It was a duel of offenses, a scoring frenzy, with comebacks and counter-combacks, and last-minute plays and counter-plays! It was a game that fulfilled every fan's fantasy.
But was there more to come? With two minutes and eleven seconds left, a moment all neutral fans had been waiting for arrived: The referees confirmed that the 49ers' touchdown was legal; Lu Ke's feet had remained in bounds, so the touchdown stood. Then, the 49ers went for a two-point conversion, but Lu Ke's quick short pass to Vernon Davis was anticipated by the Saints' defense, who knocked the ball down.
The two-point conversion failed. The score was 43-38 in favor of the home team, the San Francisco 49ers, with two minutes and eleven seconds remaining. This meant that when Brees came back on the field, a comeback was still possible, and the most exciting moment was about to begin. The neutral fans' party had truly reached its climax!
The 49ers kicked off, and the Saints returned the ball from the end zone. But the 49ers' special teams unit was highly focused and made a tackle immediately, taking the returner down at the 12-yard line. In this divisional showdown, the momentum seemed to be back in the home team's hands.
The deafening cheers at Candlestick Park continued to heat up. Just when everyone thought the fans had reached their physical limit, a quarterback rushing touchdown and a special teams tackle that gave the offense a bad starting position made their passion break through its limits again, reaching a new height. It seemed to have no end. The incomparable roar of support seemed capable of melting the sun.
The immense momentum caused a chain reaction of adrenaline, like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Lu Ke couldn't help but look up in astonishment, feeling the shock of the overwhelming red ocean. A half-beat later, he realized that the "Tidal Wave" skill timer had expired, but the aftershocks were still getting stronger, even more so than before.
Lu Ke began to wonder which one was the true effect of the home-field skill: was it the Saints' defense being affected in the previous drive, which allowed him, a "crippled" pocket quarterback, to run 29 yards for a touchdown? Or was it the continuous burst of support from the home fans, with 70,000 people united as one, truly becoming the guardians of the home field?
But one thing was for sure: the power and effect of the home-field skill far exceeded his imagination. At least, he hadn't felt such a wave of heat during the entire regular season, even to the point where his skin felt hot—and it was January, the coldest month in San Francisco.
It was amidst this momentum that Drew Brees took the field again!
"The San Francisco 49ers' defense has shown incredible toughness. After Brees came back on, all three of his passes were made under pressure. The second pass was even tackled the moment it was thrown. Brees's calf got folded, but luckily, he wasn't injured."
"But you can feel it: the Saints' offensive line has completely lost its ability to compete. The 49ers' defensive line only needs four players to rush to easily apply pressure! Now, all of the Saints' hope rests on Brees alone!"
"In such a difficult situation, Drew Brees, the quarterback who made history this season, completed two out of three passes, getting two first downs! At the same time, he used the official two-minute warning and another pass out of bounds to stop the clock. He has controlled the clock with precision. Now, with one minute and forty-eight seconds left, the Saints are already at the 34-yard line."
"The 49ers' defense played wonderfully, but Drew Brees was even better!"
First-and-ten. Brees was reading the defense and quickly moving his players around, trying to set up a slightly more solid offensive line. But after the snap, the pocket was broken for the fourth time in a row. The offensive line, which had performed so well during the regular season, was a complete disaster today.
With just two steps back, before Brees could even get his footing, the sides of the offensive line were breached at the same time. Brees was instantly sandwiched like a piece of meat in a sandwich. But before he could be completely flattened, Brees made a small adjustment with his feet, pushing off the ground almost in place. With a flick of his right hand, the football drew a rainbow arc, unbelievably soaring high above the pile of people and crossing the sky.
35 yards, 40 yards, 45 yards, midfield. After the football quickly crossed midfield, it began to drop sharply, but it was still advancing with a wind-breaking momentum. It passed the 35-yard line on the other side of the field, the 40-yard line, and finally began to descend quickly. At the landing spot, a white figure and two red figures appeared: Jimmy Graham was in a one-on-one with Patrick Willis. Willis was in tight coverage on the unstoppable Graham, and in front of them, C.J. Spillman was moving up, constantly adjusting his steps, trying to help with the coverage.
Graham made a sudden burst of speed. With just one step, he created distance between himself and Willis. At the same time, he used his right hand to shove Willis's shoulder, causing Willis to lose his balance. Then, Graham made a small leap and, at the last moment, he secured the catch. The next moment, Spillman flew in, trying to knock the ball away, but Graham didn't budge. Willis crashed into him, trying to knock Graham off his center of gravity, but number 80 still didn't move.
Graham held on to the football tightly, clutching it close to his chest. In the midst of the collisions and shoves, he started to retreat, taking small steps back to adjust his center of gravity. After two or three steps, he suddenly realized that there were no defenders on him. Willis and Spillman had both lost their positions and fallen to the ground. Then, Graham turned and started to accelerate. He dodged Donté Whitner's tackle and began to sprint freely. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Carlos Rogers coming up to help with the coverage, but Graham's speed was still increasing. He turned and started pushing with his right hand. Whenever they got close, Graham would use his solid arm to push Carlos away. Once, twice... there was no third time. Because Graham had already entered the end zone.
At this point, there was one minute and thirty-seven seconds left in the game. In other words, Drew Brees had only used 34 seconds to score a touchdown, dealing a direct blow to the 49ers' defense. The home team had just taken the lead, and a mere 34 seconds later, the away team had taken the lead again.
"Oh my God!"
"What's happening?"
"I can't breathe."
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God."
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
The 70,000 fans at Candlestick Park grabbed their heads, pounding their chests in frustration and regret. Just like in the previous drive, they were so close to ending the game. They were so close to stopping the Saints' offense. But it was that small gap, that one moment, that allowed Brees, one of the league's top quarterbacks, to turn the tide in a desperate situation. He destroyed the home team's hopes of winning again and again, and he was making a statement: "The Saints are coming for the Super Bowl this season!"
Jimmy Graham pounded his chest like King Kong and began to roar wildly. Then he pushed away his celebrating teammates and ran back to the goalpost, leaping up high and making another dunking motion. He then pounded the goalpost furiously, roaring and cursing again and again, provoking the home team and the home crowd with his simple yet clear celebration. The entire game had never been so exhilarating!
The leader of the 49ers' defense, Patrick Willis, stood in place with his hands on his hips, a blank look on his face. Just one step, just one step, and he had lost his defensive position, leading to this touchdown. He couldn't shake off the responsibility. But Willis had no time to grieve, because the Saints had also chosen to go for a two-point conversion, and the defense had to get their heads back in the game and get back to work.
Unfortunately, Brees used a fake run and pass play to connect with running back Darren Sproles in the end zone, converting the two-point conversion and pushing the home team deeper into the abyss of despair. The score was now 43-46, with the 49ers in front and the Saints behind.
Willis left the field in frustration, and he saw Lu Ke coming toward him, holding his right hand up high. He didn't say a word, just stood there quietly, waiting. Willis hesitated, but in the end, he didn't give him a high-five. But Lu Ke just stood there stubbornly, as if he wouldn't give up until he got one. Willis walked up to Lu Ke, speechless. But Lu Ke still didn't say anything. Willis finally raised his right hand and lightly slapped Lu Ke's right hand. Then he heard Lu Ke say, "The game isn't over yet. We still have 97 seconds. Trust me, 97 seconds is more than enough."
His words seemed light, but they were filled with an incredible sense of belief. Willis slightly opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say. He just saw that Lu Ke's eyes were shining. "Do you remember our divisional game motto? We're facing the strongest opponent of the entire season. Now, let's see who can grit their teeth and last until the end! I think I'm confident I can be the last man standing. So, now, just watch us perform!"
Keep fighting! Keep fighting! Keep fighting!
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