Chapter 1031: A Battle of Wits
In the 2012 season, any team talking about the Seattle Seahawks' defense would sigh and shake their heads.
Even though the Seahawks' defense had only just emerged this season, it had already shown its strength, posing a difficult challenge for any quarterback:
The running game was unable to get going, forcing teams to rely on their passing game. The Legion of Boom's individual skills were exceptional, leaving very few openings. If a quarterback wasn't careful, they would also face an unexpected blitz. It was a complete disaster.
The reason Lu Ke was able to win was precisely because he focused on the passing game.
Since the opponent had strengthened their running defense and given up on their blitz strategy, it was obvious that they wanted the quarterback to pass. Lu Ke took the invitation and used his play-calling and on-the-spot adjustments to disrupt the entire passing plan. He repeatedly used his pump fakes to deceive the opponent, creating more space for his receivers and more advantages in one-on-one matchups.
Simply put, on every play and every pass, Lu Ke was constantly calculating. His brain was always working, nonstop, looking for openings. If it didn't work once, he would try again. If it didn't work twice, he would try a third time. Even if he couldn't find an opening, he would use his ability to force the opposing defensive line to rush out and try to sack him. This was the only way to disrupt the opponent's defensive rhythm.
For Lu Ke, playing against the Seattle Seahawks was like solving a math problem. It was always a game of calculation and counter-calculation, and the mental exhaustion was much greater than the physical exhaustion.
In addition, in Lu Ke's opinion, the Seattle Seahawks' defense was not flawless.
On the defensive front, they relied more on teamwork. The individual abilities of each player were relatively not that outstanding, which was why rookie linebacker Bobby Wagner was able to shine.
In the last week of the regular season, defensive end Chris Clemons suffered a season-ending injury and would miss the playoffs. He was replaced by this year's 15th overall pick, rookie Bruce Irvin, who had been a rotational player in the regular season. His size was similar to Clemons', so he was a like-for-like replacement.
But Irvin's impact was far less than Clemons'. He still needed time to grow.
In the secondary, Brandon Browner had been struggling with injuries and was still not as consistent as Richard Sherman. The defensive positioning between Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas was also not perfect. A slight lapse in concentration could be exploited by Lu Ke. Not to mention a genius like Randy Moss, who could break a zone defense. Even a player like Chad Hall, who ran his routes mechanically, could create a miracle.
In other words, Lu Ke was well aware that the Seattle Seahawks were the top-ranked defense in the league for a reason. He had to keep calculating to find an opening and seize the opportunity to win.
In Week 16 of the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks' defense came out and blitzed on the very first play, catching Lu Ke off guard. It was clear that they had been studying the San Francisco 49ers' offensive plays and Lu Ke's passing habits. In this game, Pete Carroll was obviously not going to sit back and do nothing.
So, after stepping onto the field, the first thing Lu Ke did was check out the opposing team's starting lineup. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Richard Sherman making a gesture.
Sherman deliberately made a fist with his right hand and moved it back and forth horizontally next to his right cheek. At the same time, he used his tongue to push out his right cheek, imitating a very vulgar action. He also said with his mouth, "You come blow..." He didn't finish his sentence and just gestured to his lower body.
After he was done, Sherman turned around triumphantly, with his butt facing Lu Ke, and wiggled it. He went to great lengths to anger and mock Lu Ke.
The problem was that Lu Ke didn't care about Sherman at all. His eyes only paused for a moment before moving on to other players. His mind remained calm, and he quickly verified the data from all the game footage from this period. Then he communicated with Harbaugh and immediately turned around to prepare to call the play.
As for Sherman... A clown is always lonely. Without an audience, he would amuse himself.
Lu Ke knelt down in the middle of his teammates and called the play—or rather, a change in the play! After all the changes were made, Lu Ke held out his right hand and said, "This is the first game, and we're here to fight!"
The first game meant the first game of the playoffs, but the real implication was that they had to start over. They had to get rid of the baggage from their undefeated season.
To "fight" and not "win" was to imply that they had to stay focused.
The simple motivational slogan was an art form in itself. This was also a necessary skill for every team's spiritual leader. Lu Ke was growing step by step. He finished with a decisive "I'm ready!" His resolute and determined gaze fell on each of his teammates.
One after another, everyone put their hands on top of each other. "On three, I'll say 'Keep,' and you say 'Fighting.' One! Two! Three!"
"Fighting!"
"Forever!"
The San Francisco 49ers' offense quickly lined up.
The offensive line was still the same one that had risen to prominence this season. After two seasons of relentless practice, under Lu Ke's guidance and command, he finally had a solid and stable pocket. At the same time, Lu Ke's mobility and throwing on the run were also growing at a fast rate. At the end of the season, the San Francisco 49ers had the lowest number of quarterback sacks allowed in the league.
The center was Jonathan Goodwin. On the left were Joe Staley and Mike Iupati, and on the right were Anthony Davis and Alex Boone.
The receiving group was also the same as at the beginning of the season, with Ted Ginn Jr. and Randy Moss pairing up, and Vernon Davis and Logan Newnam pairing up.
Because Michael Crabtree had just come on as a returner, he was currently resting. A.J. Jenkins's abilities were not enough to shoulder the responsibility of starting, so Harbaugh put this lineup on the field, which was clearly what the Seattle Seahawks had expected.
The running back was Marcus Lynch.
In a trance, it seemed as if they were back at the beginning of the season. Nothing had changed. But after a whole season of training, could things still be the same?
"I" formation, two-by-two formation.
The San Francisco 49ers' offense lined up in a traditional running formation. Lu Ke stood behind Goodwin, and as was his habit, he began to read the defense. His unhurried and calm demeanor seemed to be waiting for something. Then, the cheers from Candlestick Park gradually subsided. All of a sudden, it fell into complete silence, and Lu Ke's snap count was clearly heard.
"Attack!"
With both hands on the ball, he took a step back and turned. Without any hesitation, Lu Ke handed the ball to Marcus.
Without any fakes or tricks, Lu Ke acted as if he hadn't even considered the Seahawks' defense's movements and state. He immediately handed the ball off to Marcus. It was a running play!
But as Lu Ke turned, the entire offense separated. The offensive line quickly moved to the right, and Marcus moved to the left. Only Lu Ke stayed in place, looking down. It was as if two trains were crossing paths, pulling the entire field to the left and right.
The Seattle Seahawks' defensive line instinctively followed the offensive line and moved to their left. The linebackers' first reaction was the same, but before they could move, Hill and Wagner both sprinted to their right, following Marcus's movements step by step.
The Seahawks' running defense was still impenetrable.
Hill and Wagner had already cut off Marcus's forward path. But before they could move forward, while they were still moving sideways, Marcus stopped and made a throwing motion.
A trick play!
The Seattle Seahawks' defense immediately became alert. Over the past two seasons, the San Francisco 49ers had used this kind of trick play to make successful plays many times. All eyes immediately focused on Lu Ke. It was clear that the Seahawks' front-line defenders were moving forward, and the Legion of Boom in the secondary were also adjusting their positions.
Then, Marcus threw the ball!
It was a forward pass, not a backward pass.
Just like a real quarterback, he threw the ball forward to complete the play!
In that brief moment, the Seahawks' defense couldn't adjust their center of gravity and were out of position. Even if the Legion of Boom were excellent, they weren't superheroes. What's more, Marcus chose the 49ers' left side, which was the Seahawks' right side, the relatively weaker side, with Browner as the cornerback and Chancellor as the safety.
Then they saw the football gently arc over the heads of the rushing Hill and Wagner and fall toward the inner area, about eight or nine yards away.
Of course, Marcus's passing accuracy couldn't compare to Lu Ke's. It was just a simple pass, but it was enough for the intended target.
Everyone thought Marcus would definitely choose Moss as his target because Moss had already run fifteen yards and was still moving, completely shaking off Chancellor's tight coverage. But Marcus chose a safe and conservative option. With success as his top priority, he found Logan!
Logan stopped and turned, and his raised hands caught the football.
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