Chapter 755: Complete Focus
"We are the Niners!"
"We are warriors!"
Only by being there can you truly understand what it means to be overwhelmed, what it means to be in a massive wave, and what it means to be a drop in the ocean. Words and vocabulary are pale and powerless, not enough to describe even a thousandth of the live scene.
But even if you've been there in person, it's still hard to describe it accurately with words. You can only close your eyes, as if you're back at the scene, hearing those shouts again in your mind, and feeling the excitement and surging heat of that wave with every pore of your body.
That memory, deeply etched in your soul, is so vivid, so unique, and so profound that it will never disappear.
Frozen in place.
Emma couldn't help but part her lips slightly. She stood there stunned, her pupils filled with a vast red ocean that stretched endlessly, as if it had filled the entire world, erupting with a breathtaking brilliance and shock. It passed through her mask and her skin, acting directly on the depths of her soul, leaving her helpless and unable to resist.
In the face of this vast ocean, an individual is so insignificant, and even the spotlights and cheers of the Hollywood red carpet pale in comparison.
What in the world is going on?
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the two teams walked onto the field. All the cheers and jumps of all the spectators were raised a notch higher. One after another, red waves of energy surged in the air, rolling and billowing endlessly, dyeing the entire blue sky a brilliant rose color. Even the golden sunlight was dimmed. It was a truly magnificent sight.
Number 14.
Emma saw the number 14 in the center of the field.
Looking down from the VIP suite, that number 14 was like a stick figure, not even as tall as a palm. It was surrounded by a large group of players, a dense crowd of red and blue. Even so, the figure of number 14 still jumped into her sight without any obstruction, attracting all the attention.
Incredibly, amidst the deafening shouts from the crowd, the figure of number 14 didn't seem to be affected at all. He was still preparing for the game in an orderly manner. His calm and composed demeanor showed a presence that was inconsistent with his youth. This made Emma feel deeply embarrassed.
Although she knew that guy couldn't see her current predicament, she could see it and feel it. Her nervousness and loss of composure were like that of someone who had never seen the world. It was truly embarrassing! Even without turning her head, she could imagine the looks of the other people in the suite, like arrows, piercing her back.
Damn it!
"Hello, viewers, the game is about to officially begin."
The voice from the Fox live broadcast on TV came on, cleverly matching the live situation of the game, as if she were sitting next to the two commentators, listening to the commentary. It was an interesting experience.
"After the coin toss, the San Francisco 49ers' offensive team captain, Lu Ke, called heads and won. He chose to take the offense first. The Detroit Lions chose the left side of the field, which is the shady side, giving them a slight advantage for receiving the kickoff. This was also the 49ers' strategy throughout the 2011 season. They are the team with the highest scoring rate on the opening drive in the league."
"However, the season opener last week gave us a huge scare. Lu Ke started the new season with an interception, and he seemed to be a little slow to start. Fortunately, after that, Lu Ke gradually found his rhythm and got back on track, ultimately winning the game. So, what about this week? What kind of performance will Lu Ke deliver in the first drive?"
"Last season, the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions played each other once..."
In the studio, Kirk and Teddy were chattering, introducing the background of the game and relevant historical data. On the field, Lu Ke was focused and didn't look sideways.
After the slow start and distraction in the opening moments of the last game, Lu Ke also realized that his sophomore season was different.
Although he had the experience of a rookie season, the experience was still not rich enough to bring him a sense of stability. Instead, it bred a mental burden of being afraid of losing, which would more or less affect his performance. In addition, opponents had studied the 49ers' offense inside and out, so the pressure and difficulty would naturally increase, and the game would naturally be different.
Now, all Lu Ke had to do was clear his mind, put his whole heart into the game, temporarily set aside the success of the last season, and temporarily hide his ultimate goal for this season in his heart. He needed to focus on every game in front of him, make steady progress step by step, and move toward victory. Otherwise, the "sophomore slump" was not just a rumor.
Standing in the pocket, Lu Ke still began to read the defense carefully.
Similar to the San Francisco 49ers, the Detroit Lions' player composition was also relatively young. After their success last season, there were no earth-shattering changes in the offseason. Both the offense and defense were relatively stable, and the changes in the main members were not too drastic.
The Detroit Lions' defense was still using the "4-3" formation, increasing the proportion of ground defense and quarterback blitzes to put more pressure on the front line and give the backfield more time and space for defense. However, the defense was still their relative weakness. Last season, no players from the defense were selected for the Pro Bowl.
According to the pregame arrangement and on-the-spot instructions, Lu Ke had already completed the tactical plan, but he keenly caught a little movement during the defensive read.
Ndamukong Suh, number 90, a defensive end.
He was a third-year player, the second overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
He was an excellent, top-tier defensive player. His strength, awareness, and technique were all top-notch. He could even quickly read offensive tactics by looking at the opponent's offensive line's movements and make a defensive play in advance. He was one of the best defensive players in the league. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in his rookie season and was highly praised.
But he had serious emotional control issues and played very dirty. In a moment of impulse, he would often make moves to intentionally injure someone. In intense games, he repeatedly committed very nasty and rough fouls. The purpose of those fouls was not to make a defensive play or intimidate the opponent but to truly injure them.
He once deliberately aimed his knee at the groin of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Last year, in a Thursday night game broadcast nationwide, he maliciously stomped on the arm of Green Bay Packers center Evan Dietrich-Smith and hit his helmet three times after he was already on the ground.
In just two seasons in the league, Ndamukong had already made enemies with half of the players in the league and most of the audience.
Last year, Ndamukong was voted the dirtiest player in the league with the most votes. And in the league's vote for the most disliked player, Ndamukong was also in the top five.
At this moment, Ndamukong was ready to move.
Last year, Ndamukong experienced a "sophomore slump," and his performance dropped significantly. He didn't have much of a performance in the game against the San Francisco 49ers. Coupled with his foul plays and off-field controversies, this put him in a difficult position. This year, he hoped to return to his peak and deliver a dominant performance again.
He knew that Lu Ke was a traditional pocket quarterback and that his pocket footwork was clumsy and stupid. He needed to keep putting pressure on the pocket, just like what the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers did last year. This was the key to killing the game.
Lu Ke thought for a moment, then straightened his body and changed the tactics.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't a change in tactics, but a slight change based on the original tactics.
Originally, this was a quick-throw short pass strategy. Now, it had changed to a screen pass.
It was still a short pass, but the difference was the speed of the throw and the area of progression.
If it were a quick short pass, the target would be in the short pass area within ten yards. But if it were a screen pass, after completing the pass, the receiver was expected to continue to advance a longer distance under the cover of their teammates. Of course, the choice of the receiver could also be different.
The fundamental reason was that Lu Ke wanted to lure the snake out of its hole and use Ndamukong's urgency and impulsiveness to gain more space.
After the tactics were modified, all the members of the offense did not change their positions. Only Lu Ke's stance changed, from a shotgun formation to a pistol formation, completely clearing the backfield and setting up a strong passing posture.
The Detroit Lions' defensive players were unmoved, as if they had long been accustomed to the San Francisco 49ers' bluffs.
Lu Ke bent down again and took his offensive stance—
"Hut!"
After holding the ball with both hands, Lu Ke quickly took a step back, gently raised his chin, and looked as if he was observing the receiver, but in reality, all his attention was on his feet. He kept moving, like a hunter, starting to kite.
As expected, at the same time the ball was snapped, Ndamukong, like a beast coming down from a mountain, broke out. Like a high-speed train, he fiercely hit Alex Boone, knocking Boone off balance with his absolute strength. Then, with a light step, there was no longer any obstruction in front of him. The entire pocket was fully exposed.
But Ndamukong was within Lu Ke's expectations.
So, Lu Ke was not flustered at all. He quickly moved sideways to the left, widening the distance between them again and leaving enough space for a pass.
The problem was: the other defensive players didn't fall for it!
The defensive line was still holding its ground! The linebackers and cornerbacks were still in position! In other words, the screen pass tactic didn't gain enough space, and the receiver couldn't get open!
Were the tactics exposed?
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