Chapter 611: College Tactics
Reading the defense! At the most tense moment, Lu Ke was completely calm, and the defensive formation was clear to him.
The New Orleans Saints' defense, as expected, had a very clear focus: The four defensive linemen on the front line would blitz, not with the intention of sacking the quarterback, but of applying pressure. If a sack could be made, that would be even better.
The three linebackers had completely retreated, spreading out in the area five to ten yards behind the defensive line. They didn't mind a running play or a short pass. Their only task was to stop the offensive player as soon as they caught the ball. They could allow some yardage to be gained to burn time, but they couldn't allow a big gain.
The two cornerbacks were positioned on each sideline, tightly defending the boundaries against the receivers on the outside.
The two safeties stood 20 to 25 yards back in the secondary, covering both the left and right sides to prevent a long-pass surprise attack. Their weight was also slightly shifted toward the outside, to prevent the out-of-bounds play that would stop the clock.
The defensive formation was clear and obvious, with no surprises. This was a common tactic used by most teams in the league at the end of the game. They would leave the middle open and shut down the boundaries and the deep-pass zones, trapping the offense in the middle like a turtle in a jar, waiting for the clock to run out.
Lu Ke calmly took in the entire layout of the field and then, without hesitation, called for the snap.
He took a quick step back and adjusted his feet with the ball in both hands. But after just two big steps, he could already see the chaos in the offensive line. Although the offensive line had the numerical advantage, the defensive line, by misaligning their positions, had broken the offensive line's defensive chain. He could see the white wave of defenders about to break through the red blockade, but Lu Ke had no time to look at his blind side or his right side. Even if there was a risk of a sack, he had to get the ball out.
He looked past the thick wall in front of him and took in the entire field's layout. After the snap, the four receivers all ran straight ahead and, after gaining ten yards, began to crisscross their routes. The area between 25 and 35 yards suddenly became tense. The two cornerbacks and three linebackers of the defense also quickly started to move, watching Lu Ke's throwing motion while keeping an eye on the receivers' positions.
Just then, Lu Ke took a lateral step and left the pocket. Out of nowhere, he saw a player in a white jersey coming at him. This was his blind side. Lu Ke hadn't seen this defender at all, but his lateral move was so sudden that the 91st defensive end, Will Smith, was also startled. He instinctively lunged forward, trying to sack Lu Ke.
In the nick of time, Lu Ke took a timely step forward, and a gust of wind whistled past his ear, like a slap on his helmet. But in the end, Lu Ke narrowly avoided the tackle. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he could see Adam Snyder running behind Lu Ke and hitting Will Smith. This small amount of space gave Lu Ke the opportunity to throw. He didn't adjust his feet or put much power into his arm. With a light flick of his wrist, the football was already on its way.
This was not a long pass, but a short pass! The target was... Marcus Lynch!
In this game, the Saints' running back, Darren Sproles, was the best receiver besides Jimmy Graham, completely out of his usual role. And the equally capable Marcus had not been able to really show his ability until this moment.
With a light and nimble stride, he moved quickly through the defenders who were moving up. Marcus's burst of acceleration had him gaining about six yards. He turned, adjusted his feet, and his hands were up. The football was there. It was a lob pass, and it felt a little awkward when he caught it because it wasn't spinning. His hands didn't seem to be used to controlling it. But Marcus had no time to think. He tightly gripped the football with his fingertips, and with the momentum of his run, he continued to advance like a wild bull.
The problem was that Marcus was not running toward the sideline but continued to push forward in the middle, so the cornerback who was waiting patiently on the sideline missed the chance to make an immediate tackle. When he reacted, the two linebackers also noticed Lu Ke's pass, hit the brakes, and ran back to close in.
With that little bit of space, Marcus got the chance to collide and, after the three players formed a circle, he continued to push forward for two more yards before falling to the ground. He had advanced a total of eight yards.
Everyone's eyes were on the 49ers' coaching staff, wondering if Harbaugh would call a timeout, but Harbaugh didn't react at all. It was a logical choice, but the problem was that Harbaugh seemed too calm, as if he never intended to use a timeout and was confident in this situation. So, everyone's attention once again fell on the 49ers' offense.
With everyone watching, Lu Ke was quickly lining up. There was no huddle, no pause. He was ready to snap the ball in a flash. The Saints' defense was a little flustered. They hadn't even had a chance to catch their breath when the opponents had already lined up. But these battle-hardened players wouldn't panic. They quickly adjusted with small steps. The defense was only a beat behind and was able to get ready for the next wave of defense. The formation remained unchanged.
"Hut!"
Lu Ke didn't hesitate to call the snap, which made Troy Aikman exclaim on the radio broadcast, "Quick snap! The San Francisco 49ers have lined up in the same offensive formation again. The four receivers are running deep quickly. Ginn's sprint is very fierce!"
"Lu Ke! Lu Ke is stepping back and pulling his arm back, making a motion for a deep pass. Ginn is still accelerating. The Saints' secondary is quickly tightening their defensive formation. Ginn has already crossed midfield, and Logan has also reached midfield. They are running at high speed, and there's a gap! There's a gap!"
"Pass! Lu Ke has completed the pass! It's a short pass! My God, it's a short pass aimed at the middle of the field! Marcus Lynch! For the second time in a row, Lynch has caught a three-yard pass! The Saints' defense has completely cleared the middle, creating a wide-open area. Lynch is advancing quickly!"
"25-yard line! 30-yard line! Lynch is running with the ball steadily and powerfully. The circle! Three Saints defenders have formed a circle again. Lynch slides to the ground, not wasting any more time. He has successfully advanced seven yards. Not only did he get a first down, but he is now on their own 30-yard line."
"Wow, wow, wait, Lu Ke has already quickly run to the 30-yard line again. The offensive players haven't even gotten their footing yet, and Lu Ke has already started calling the play. 32 seconds, only 32 seconds, and the San Francisco 49ers have already completed two plays. The pace of the drive is very fast. Even without an out-of-bounds play to stop the clock, you can see that Lu Ke is increasing the pace of the offense."
"On the sideline, David Akers is practicing field goals. The veteran has been in great form this season, only missing one field goal. His longest attempt was 55 yards. For the San Francisco 49ers, they still need to advance about 32 more yards."
"Snap again! Lu Ke snaps the ball quickly again! There's almost no time to breathe. The third consecutive drive has begun!"
"My God, with one step back, Lu Ke fully extended his arm and completed the pass! Without hesitation, it's a deep pass! Facing a first-and-ten, Lu Ke once again unexpectedly chose a deep pass! This is undoubtedly his strongest weapon. It's a pass to the right side, about... a 33-yard deep pass! 33 yards! The target is..."
Ted Ginn and Logan Newman on the right side of the field were running at top speed. Both of them had their speed at the maximum. There were no crisscross routes or blocking. Ginn and Logan were both focused on sprinting in a straight line, but their different speeds created different levels.
This was the third time in a row that they had lined up to sprint 40 yards. The previous two times were fakeouts. Lu Ke chose to throw a short pass. With the no-huddle's quick snap, he created a conditioned response, breaking the Saints' defensive awareness. The no-huddle offense, which seemed to have no technical skill, showed Lu Ke's tactical intelligence in the details.
This was a real deep pass, a surprise. At the same time, it still avoided the sideline and was aimed at the empty area in the middle. The quick sprints of Ginn and Logan created a fake "blocking run." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Saints' defenders hesitating.
That momentary hesitation was enough for Ginn and Logan. Both of them accelerated, crossed the 40-yard line, crossed midfield, and their speed was still increasing after they entered the other side of the field. But when they crossed the 35-yard line, they both stopped at the same time and adjusted their footing one in front of the other, getting ready to catch the ball.
Was it Ginn or Logan?
Ted Ginn!
The rainbow pass arrived right on time above his head. Ginn made a few small steps to adjust, and then he leaped high, grabbing the football firmly with both hands. He didn't even have time to put power into his arms when a white figure viciously crashed into him from the side. There was no obstruction or screen. He was brutally knocked to the ground, and the football fell to the ground before he could even control it.
The pass was incomplete.
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