Chapter 613: Trapped in a Predicament
"Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
The overwhelming shouts cascaded down in perfect unison. Even the roar and awe of Niagara Falls were not enough to describe a fraction of this moment. The stirring excitement caused blood to boil, and muscles to tighten and tremble uncontrollably.
This was the true moment of the spotlight. Even the viewers at home couldn't help but stand up. From "Joe's Pub" to the St. Francis Hotel, from San Francisco to San Diego, from the West Coast to the East Coast, whether they were 49ers fans or not, they could no longer suppress their emotions and stood up involuntarily. They were moved by this moment and went crazy because of it.
Then, they raised their right hands, and one by one, they began to shout, scream, and roar, joining in this national carnival. At this moment, they all became 49ers, they all stood behind Lu Ke, and they all held on to their belief, anticipating a victory. Never before had they been able to hear the beating and pounding of Candlestick Park's heart!
"Bambi!"
In a daze, the Saints felt isolated and helpless. It seemed that besides New Orleans, everyone had sided against them, hoping for a comeback, a game-winning play, a brilliant debut from a rookie quarterback who would make history, and a finish to this offensive battle with an offensive play. Every fan who loved football became so pure and focused in this moment.
"Bambi!"
One shout, but it seemed to have a magical power, causing passion to surge, little by little, until it became one, overwhelming and shaking the whole world.
The sound was so great that the ground began to tremble, but Lu Ke was lost in the moment, as if he had peeled away all the influences of the world. He only had the football and the offense in his eyes, and only the touchdown and victory in his mind. So, he kept waving and shouting, "Hurry! Hurry!"
Although Vernon had successfully gone out of bounds, stopping the clock, what Lu Ke needed now was not time to huddle, but to keep up the pace, to continue the momentum of the drive, and to accumulate an advantage little by little. The Saints' defense was not the Steelers' defense. If they could accumulate enough of an advantage, they could destroy them.
He lined up quickly. Lu Ke immediately noticed a subtle change: the Saints had completely given up on blitzing the quarterback. Their blitzes had been terrible in this game, and the pressure had been unsatisfactory. At this critical moment, they took out a defensive lineman and added a linebacker. This meant that only three defensive linemen would rush the offensive line's pocket. The other eight players were all scattered in the backfield, completely focused on pass coverage.
This was not a surprise. Since the 49ers were already in field-goal range, it meant that after Akers came on, it was highly likely they would tie the game. So the Saints' defense's most important task now was no longer to stop the drive but to prevent a touchdown: a field goal meant a tie and overtime; a touchdown meant a loss and losing the game.
So, the Saints' defense's task became simple. They gave up the pressure from the front line and put all their energy into pass coverage. With eight defensive players against five receivers, they could completely overwhelm their opponents with a numerical advantage. Now that they had loosened up, the defense had a slight edge.
But for Lu Ke, a numerical advantage could be a strength, but it could also be a weakness. If they could perfectly execute a two-man zone defense, the defense could create a seamless net, trapping the offense. But the problem was that the linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties all had different defensive styles, tasks, and routes. Now everyone was crowded in the same area. The zone coverage and man-to-man coverage would inevitably crisscross and overlap. If the receivers' routes were arranged cleverly, the numerical advantage could be completely wasted. Not only would it fail to create a match-up, but it would also create large open spaces or imbalances for one or more defenders.
The key was how the receivers ran their routes, how the tight ends blocked, how the running back was used, and how the quarterback called the plays.
In his mind, the three-dimensional image of the entire field was incredibly clear. Lu Ke suddenly came up with a bold offensive plan. He quickly walked up to the line and used a series of numbers to represent the routes, rearranging the tactical formation of the drive. It was like a master of Go, showing the wisdom of the game to the fullest.
But in the midst of the thunderous cheers and support, his voice was a little weak. This forced Lu Ke to yell hoarsely, commanding his players. The hundreds of routes in the playbook were incredibly clear at this moment, like a hot knife through butter, deconstructing the entire offensive structure.
This feeling was both subtle and wonderful. In the shotgun formation, with the multiple-route offensive set, the entire field became dazzling after the snap.
On the left, Crabtree quickly took off, running a precise diagonal line at a 45-degree angle to the right, sweeping across the entire field with a powerful momentum. Whether someone was in tight coverage or following in a zone, his feet never hesitated. He just kept running diagonally forward regardless.
On the left, Marcus, in the slot, made a five-yard short sprint and then quickly advanced along a straight line to the right. His lightning-fast run kept stopping, as if he was always ready to catch the ball. Every position was a gap, and the only regret was that this was a lateral pull, not a vertical push.
On the right, Vernon and Logan both ran in a straight line, but with a slight difference. Vernon was running a little closer to the middle, while Logan was running in a straight line for a deep strike. The two tight ends' running styles were like a stampede of horses, hitting the Saints' defense like a heavy punch.
In other words, the entire offense's powerful momentum was crashing toward the right side. That unreasonable momentum created a huge wave of air, so the defenders instinctively followed the movement and quickly shifted to the right. No matter who it was, their first reaction was to lean to the right.
The only exception was Ginn. Ginn was on the right. After the snap, he made a straight sprint, staying in line with Vernon and Logan. But after running for six or seven yards, he quickly moved diagonally to the left. In just three big steps, he had crossed the middle and was sprinting toward the red zone on the left.
After the snap, Lu Ke stood in the pocket, observing, observing, and still observing. The three defensive linemen's pressure couldn't cause any real damage to the offensive line. The pocket protection seemed solid and steady, a calm sea. But the price was a storm in the backfield. He couldn't find a clear target to pass to. To be more accurate, it was a total mess.
The clear target was Ginn. According to the plan, the entire route would be tilted to the right, forcing the defenders to shift their weight. It didn't need to be a complete loss of position, just a slight time difference. A short pass would complete the connection, avoiding the deep defenders. Then, with Ginn's speed advantage, they would forcefully make a pass and continue the drive. Even if they couldn't score a touchdown, Ginn could avoid the congested area and, with his momentum and speed, run out of bounds to stop the clock.
But something unexpected happened at the critical moment: Ginn got greedy. He started to run into the middle passing zone, getting within three steps of the defenders. After their weight shifted, they forcefully made a second move at the crucial moment and rushed toward Ginn. Three players surrounded him like hungry tigers.
The passing window vanished in an instant, and the perfect opportunity was lost in the surging waves. There was no doubt that a numerical advantage was a barrier that could not be overcome in a football game.
And then Lu Ke was in a predicament. This was a cleverly designed and incredibly bold tactic, too risky and too exciting. Once the window was missed, Lu Ke would be in a very passive situation. The reward and the punishment were proportionalโjust like now.
No target! After missing Ginn, Lu Ke couldn't find a target. One second! Two seconds! Three seconds! Four seconds! The clock was slowly ticking away the 49ers' advantage, and they were gradually falling into a passive state. Not only did this affect this drive, but it also affected the subsequent field-goal attempt.
Just then, Marcus noticed Lu Ke's predicament. He stopped and ran back from the right side to the middle. With a quick step and a raised hand, Lu Ke and Marcus instantly communicated with their eyes. The ball was quickly passed with a flick of the wrist. It was only a four-yard short pass, but it easily passed over the offensive and defensive lines and landed in Marcus's arms.
But they had wasted too much time. The offense had lost its mobility and flexibility, and the defense was slowly getting the upper hand. After Marcus caught the ball, the defenders had already adjusted their weight. Four players came at him from different directions, tightly surrounding him. After turning around and scanning, Marcus made an accurate judgment. It would be difficult to break through even if he pushed forward, and it would definitely waste a lot of time, which was what they couldn't afford to lose. So, Marcus willingly fell to the ground, stopping the drive, and immediately gave the ball to the referee, signaling that they would snap the ball right away. It was a wise decision.
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