Chapter 865: Pressure and Motivation
"Ladies and gentlemen... ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this week's FOX broadcast. We are live from San Francisco's Candlestick Park. There's still some time before the game starts, but Candlestick Park is already a sea of gold, and it's spreading out from the stadium to the entire city."
"It's said that this golden ocean is a campaign for a fan named Ryan Baldwin. This fan is suffering from ALS, an incurable disease. The San Francisco 49ers' number fourteen quarterback found out about the situation and called on every Niners fan to stand up and show their support for Ryan."
"And so, this scene appeared."
"I can't imagine what Ryan is feeling right now, but I can imagine what it feels like to be a Niners fan at this moment. God, this is a team to be admired and yearned for. After nearly ten years of setbacks and ups and downs, and countless failures, they are now transforming into an incredible light, showing a brand new vitality."
At the repeated urging of the director, Kirk finally spoke.
Kirk's voice was filled with emotion. His stuffy nose revealed his feelings. The mixed emotions that had been building up in his chest couldn't be released. He could only marvel, quietly marvel.
Those who knew Kirk knew that he was a die-hard Niners fan.
It wasn't because of his job or because of Lu Ke. Kirk was already a Niner. He had been a die-hard San Francisco 49ers fan since his grandfather's generation. His family had deep roots with the team, and he had been a firm supporter of the 49ers since he was a child.
But after he started working, to maintain neutrality and objectivity, Kirk rarely mentioned his preference. He was a dutiful game analyst. It was only when he unintentionally commented on San Francisco 49ers games that he revealed his fanaticism and passion as a die-hard fan.
Today, Kirk had a sense of pride like never before. He could confidently and firmly tell everyone: He was a Niner, and he was proud of it. Not because the team had returned to the championship race, but because of this brilliant and dazzling golden ocean in front of him.
Compared to Kirk's many emotions, Teddy, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, was much calmer, but he couldn't help but sigh, because the scene in front of him had no boundaries or limitations. Every fan who truly loved football could deeply feel that sense of happiness.
Teddy said in a relaxed tone, "Can someone tell me why this game wasn't scheduled for prime time?"
The joke hid a clear deeper meaning.
For the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams, playing in front of such a loud crowd would definitely not be easy. The balance between pressure and motivation was equal for both sides. Perhaps the Rams, playing on the road, would have a slight advantage—after all, a man with nothing to lose fears nothing. Now, it was up to the players on both sides to adjust their mindset.
In fact, even without the off-field factors, this game was highly anticipated.
It was week nine of the regular season, and both the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams were on their bye week, but the two teams had a completely different situation.
The San Francisco 49ers ended the first half of the season with an eight-game winning streak. They were still undefeated and went into their bye week with high spirits. For them, it was more like a time to relax and decompress.
The St. Louis Rams, on the other hand, went into their bye week with a three-game losing streak.
During the offseason, the Rams, who held the second overall pick, were in the spotlight because their 2010 first overall pick, Sam Bradford, was still not performing consistently. Although he won Offensive Rookie of the Year in his rookie season, he was plagued by injuries in 2011, and his performance dropped significantly, which was a huge disappointment.
After the 2011 season, the Rams changed their head coach. The experienced and well-credentialed Jeff Fisher returned to the NFL as a head coach after a one-year hiatus. So, many people speculated that Fisher might give up on Bradford and choose the Heisman Trophy winner, Robert Griffin III.
But surprisingly, Fisher chose to trust Bradford.
As we all know, the Rams traded their second overall pick to the Washington Redskins in a shady deal. The Redskins didn't hesitate to pick Robert Griffin III, which caused a sensation throughout the league.
After the new season began, the Rams' performance was remarkable, showing a strong comeback.
They narrowly lost to the Detroit Lions on the road, narrowly defeated the Washington Redskins at home, and lost to the Chicago Bears on the road. Then, in their divisional rivalry, they defeated the powerful Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks, achieving an excellent record of three wins and two losses in the first five weeks of the regular season.
Everyone was talking about the NFC West becoming a "Group of Death," with three teams showing their postseason potential. The St. Louis Rams, who were best at playing divisional games, were on fire. They were especially dominant when facing their divisional rivals. The divisional matchups became crucial.
But after that, the Rams were hit hard, losing consecutively to the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots. Their record before the bye week had dropped to three wins and five losses.
In a trance, the title of "Group of Death" seemed to have disappeared.
But in reality, no one could underestimate the Rams.
Of their five losses, the Lions were a playoff team last year, the Bears were a top-three defensive team this season, and the Packers and Patriots need no introduction. Even the Dolphins, who seemed a little weaker, had also risen this season and were now bravely challenging the Patriots' dominance in the AFC East with a record of four wins and three losses.
In other words, the Rams lost to strong teams. It could only be said that they were a little short on strength. But in divisional games, when they were fired up, they would become a killing machine. Even if they couldn't beat their opponents, they would surely tear them apart.
When facing the current NFC West champion, who was also undefeated this season, the San Francisco 49ers, the St. Louis Rams didn't need any motivation. The entire team was full of fighting spirit, eager to hand their divisional rival their first loss of the season.
Last season, the Arizona Cardinals did it, and this season, the upgraded St. Louis Rams would naturally not miss the opportunity.
This game was played against this backdrop.
For the Rams, they naturally didn't want to be a backdrop, especially during a historic moment when their opponents were united. They felt sympathy for Ryan's situation, but that was it. They were more than happy to be spoilers and ruin their opponents' historic moment, truly fulfilling their role as a divisional rival.
What could be more satisfying than personally breaking your opponent's undefeated streak? And with the golden ocean watching?
So, the entire St. Louis Rams team was full of fighting spirit. Their motivation was even stronger than that of the San Francisco 49ers. After all, their opponents were now under immense pressure to win and not lose.
The dynamic between the two teams' mindsets was subtly shifting.
The first touchdown of the game came early, just as expected, because San Francisco 49ers games seemed to always go that way. It had become a normal occurrence. But surprisingly, it wasn't the San Francisco 49ers who scored the first touchdown; it was the St. Louis Rams.
"There was a miscommunication on the San Francisco 49ers' defense. Cornerback Chris Culliver tried to get into position in time to stop the run by St. Louis Rams' running back Steven Jackson, but outside linebacker Aldon Smith was also trying to fill his defensive gap."
"In this situation, Jackson made a timely cut and got out of the way. Smith and Culliver tried to change direction to defend again, but they got in each other's way, failing to close the gap and leaving an opening. Jackson seized the opportunity and ran into the open field."
"Touchdown! It's an eight-yard rushing touchdown!"
"It's worth noting that this is the St. Louis Rams' first rushing touchdown in the last three games! It's also their second touchdown in the last two games! They are truly the kings of the division. Every time they face a divisional opponent, the Rams are able to step up their game, exploit their opponent's weaknesses, and fight for victory."
"Facing the San Francisco 49ers, who are undefeated this season, the visiting Rams have taken the initiative! They broke through the 49ers' defense, which is the best at stopping the run this season, with a running play! Amazing! Truly amazing!"
Before the game, Bradford won the coin toss and chose to receive the ball first without hesitation. This action showed the St. Louis Rams' strong confidence. They completely ignored the comparison of records, form, and strength and showed their determination to win today's game.
On the other hand, the San Francisco 49ers' defense seemed a little timid on their first defensive drive. They missed at least two important tackles and had one defensive miscommunication. The last failed tackle was a perfect example of this. The Rams' quarterback, Sam Bradford, used a combination of passing and running to easily score a touchdown.
The conversion of pressure and motivation created different game states. It was clear that the St. Louis Rams had no intention of being a supporting role in this game.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!