Chapter 1069: The Surprise Deep Pass
The San Francisco 49ers set up a multi-receiver formation. Randy Moss was alone on the left side, while the other three receivers were all stacked on the right. This created a one-on-one matchup between Moss and cornerback Asante Samuel.
Because the entire Atlanta Falcons' defensive front chose to apply pressure, the secondary defenders' positions were slightly further back to provide a more comprehensive coverage of Lu Ke's potential passing lanes. This also made Asante not move forward but instead drop back with Moss's forward momentum to cover the potential deep routes.
But what they didn't expect was that Moss only made a move to continue running forward. After running less than ten yards, he made a quick adjustment with small steps, turned around, and securely caught the incoming football. Asante's footwork adjustment was half a beat too slow, but it was already too late.
...
Moss swore under his breath. The pass control was terrible!
This was definitely not Lu Ke's usual passing level. His back was to Lu Ke, so he couldn't see the confrontation between Lu Ke and John Abraham. At this moment, his attention was focused on the football. He could only vaguely see a mess behind the offensive line and still couldn't make an accurate judgment. But Moss knew that this pass was not normal.
Moss didn't dare to be careless. He constantly adjusted his position with small steps, staring at the wobbly arc of the football. He caught the football near his shoulder, but the distraction of his focus caused him to be hesitant to use his legs. When he turned around, he saw Asante rushing toward him.
Just as Asante was about to collide with him, Moss's muscles tensed up. He used an emergency brake-like body control to avoid Asante's first tackle and hit. Asante still came forward, but his power and rhythm had already lost their most precise timing. This gave Moss some space to stabilize his center of gravity.
Moss couldn't accelerate again, but he held his ground against Asante, using his back to hold him off. His feet constantly pushed off the ground, and he shuffled forward little by little, crossing the ten-yard line. After successfully getting the first down, he fell to the ground, shedding the rest of Asante's momentum.
With two run plays and two pass plays, they successfully got three consecutive first downs. It was clear that the 49ers' offensive efficiency and momentum had significantly improved. After their focus was regained, their rhythm gradually warmed up, and the speed and momentum of their drive began to climb. In the blink of an eye, the 49ers had crossed midfield and reached the opponent's 47-yard line.
The Falcons also clearly noticed the change. On the next play, they increased the pressure on the defensive front, committing a total of four defensive linemen and two linebackers. They were not in a hurry to sack Lu Ke but instead continuously squeezed the pocket, compressing Lu Ke's space and observation field.
In the midst of the tension, Lu Ke's footwork and passing did not have any problems, but the dual threat of Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree had a penalty. Lu Ke threw a seven-yard short pass to Vernon, who was in the middle of the field on the left side. Crabtree tried to create space for Vernon to catch the ball, and in the process of his block, he was called for holding. A yellow flag was thrown, and the referee stopped the game.
This was an inevitable part of the shift in momentum in the offensive and defensive confrontation.
A first-and-10 play turned into a first-and-15, and the 49ers retreated to their own 48-yard line.
Lu Ke re-drew the play, and the team re-lined up. This play started over.
The Falcons' defense used the same tactic. Four defensive linemen and one linebacker were on the front line, and two linebackers were in the middle, but their stances were slightly staggered, one in front and one behind. They could move forward or backward at any time, which seemed to send a signal: "The tactic of a frontal pass rush will not change."
The two cornerbacks were responsible for covering the wide receivers, and their positions were basically parallel to the linebackers. The two safeties were about five to six yards behind the cornerbacks' parallel line, with one roaming in front and one covering in the back.
The entire defensive formation had a similar feel to the Seattle Seahawks, but the players' roles and the defensive tactics were a different story.
Lu Ke methodically read the defense. He could vaguely notice that the defensive responsibilities of the front and secondary were a bit disconnected. He wasn't talking about the eight-yard empty space in the middle. He was talking about the situation where the front-line defenders were trying to push forward, and the secondary defenders were dropping back. If they continued with this momentum, the empty space in the middle would continue to widen, creating a no man's land.
The question was, was this a trap?
Lu Ke decided to test it out. He stood up straight and changed the play. He changed from a two-by-two formation. The two tight ends, Vernon and Logan Newman, who were on the inside, moved even further in, standing side-by-side with left offensive tackle Joe Staley and right offensive tackle Alex Boone. This resulted in seven players on the offensive line.
From a visual standpoint, this was a direct response to the Falcons' increase in defensive front personnel. They were matching numbers with numbers to strengthen the pocket's resistance.
But upon further thought, if they chose a run play, the offensive line would have an advantage in creating a path. But if they chose a pass play, they would be missing two tight ends and would only be able to rely on two wide receivers. Wouldn't that be like cutting off their own wings? So, was the 49ers' formation also a trap?
A trap against a trap!
A guess against a guess!
In terms of tactical games and strategy, Lu Ke was not afraid of any opponent. At the same time, Lu Ke continued to shout loudly to both sides, and you could see that Crabtree on the left and Moss on the right both moved a few steps toward their respective outsides. If they chose a pass play, Lu Ke could use a quick-release tactic to find these two wide receivers, who could then make the catch and quickly run out of bounds.
Finally, with Lu Ke's new play call, Marcus, who was originally standing behind him, moved forward and stood parallel to Lu Ke.
After the entire play was changed, it was still difficult to determine whether it was a run or a pass.
"Set hut!"
As Lu Ke gave the snap count, all four receivers ran out at the same time. Not two, but four.
Crabtree and Moss on the outside both continued to run deep along the sideline. Both of them pushed their speed to the limit, instantly running out about seven to eight yards, directly confronting the cornerbacks covering them. But neither of them stopped their feet and continued to run forward.
Neither of the two cornerbacks gave up their position easily. They were constantly adjusting their footwork, following the receivers they were covering deep. But neither of the two cornerbacks completely sealed off their positions. Their eyes were constantly watching the quarterback's every move, ready to react on the fly, instead of giving up their advantage early.
Vernon and Logan on the inside both ran along the slot, like antennas extending from the sides of a helmet. They ran in a straight line, but neither of them fully accelerated. Instead, they maintained the stability of their running rhythm, which was much slower than their teammates on the outside. After crossing the five-yard line, they were still observing.
The two tight ends, who were originally seamlessly connected to the offensive line, suddenly chose to run into the slot. The two linebackers had not yet had time to cover the running back's position when they saw the tight ends rushing toward them from the left and right. They reacted instinctively, started to backpedal to cover the tight ends' positions. The two sides then slowly got tangled up in the middle.
All eyes were on Lu Ke, waiting for Lu Ke's pass.
So what was Lu Ke doing?
...
Lu Ke was observing.
After the snap, Lu Ke held the ball with both hands and quickly dropped back, quickly creating distance between himself and the offensive line. The five offensive linemen and four defensive linemen plus one outside linebacker confronted each other, and Marcus did not run out. His feet remained near Lu Ke, ready to tackle any potential runner.
The defensive front found no opportunities. After a head-on collision, they were firmly stuck in place, creating a stalemate, which gave Lu Ke time and space to observe.
Lu Ke was waiting, waiting for Vernon and Logan's advancement and confrontation:
If the two linebackers retreated in a man-to-man coverage style, then the empty space in the middle would be a trap, and the possibility of the two safeties coming forward to cover would also increase, which meant that more passing lanes could be created on the sides. If the two linebackers both rushed forward, or if one of them rushed forward to blitz the quarterback or cover the run, then the empty space in the middle would not be an issue, and they could at least gain eight to 15 yards.
The entire offensive system was incredibly clear in Lu Ke's mind, like a high-speed computer calculating all the logic and rules.
One second.
In fact, it was only one second. The two tight ends had a confrontation with the two linebackers. Lu Ke quickly made a judgment, and his peripheral vision quickly scanned both sidelines, and he saw that the two cornerbacks had both given up their positions.
This was because they were still waiting for the quarterback's tactical choice and did not dare to act rashly. Even if they had given up their defensive positions, it wasn't a serious problem. The two safeties in the back of the field had already quickly moved in to cover.
This was an unexpected discovery!
If the two safeties both moved to cover the outsides, it meant that... the empty space in the middle did not exist, but the path to the end zone was wide open!
So, Lu Ke's eyes swept across the field, landing on Vernon and Logan in the middle. He captured their positions and immediately raised his hand and completed the pass.
Only two seconds.
The football he released drew a rainbow arc without any warning! A surprise deep pass!
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