The King of Bay Area

Chapter 363: Neck and Neck


"Hello, and welcome, television viewers, to this live broadcast on Fox of the Week 6 NFL regular season game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. These two teams have shown great form over the past five weeks and are becoming strong contenders for the playoffs this year.

The progression of this game has proven that point, as both teams have delivered a brilliant matchup. Now, with just three minutes and twenty-six seconds left in the game, the score is '20-20.' The two teams are still tied, with no winner decided. The tension of the game is rising with every passing moment. No one can predict what will happen in these last three and a half minutes."

On Ford Field, the Detroit Lions once again had a three-and-out and had to send out their special teams to punt. In the broadcast booth, using this brief lull, Teddy was giving a brief summary and then turned to his partner, seeking a different perspective.

Kirk nodded in agreement. "This is definitely the most exciting game of the week so far. The game has been a rollercoaster of emotions, with sparks flying everywhere. It's impossible to predict what will happen."

In the second half, the Detroit Lions' offense, led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, successfully scored three points to tie the game. After that, the game entered a defensive phase.

Both teams' defenses showed great form. First, Lu Ke was forced into a three-and-out, and then Stafford also had a three-and-out, having experienced a fiery first half, both quarterbacks had cooled down, and they both had a wry smile on their faces.

Both defensive units collectively raised their level of play, as if they were unwilling to be supporting roles in this game. They were dominant in all aspects, including blitzing, run defense, and pass defense. They hit the opposing offense like a tidal wave, fiercely and brutally stopping their offensive momentum.

This also reminds people that while these two teams have won their past few games with their offenses, their defenses' ability to "step up" at crucial moments was also critical, laying the foundation for the offense's comebacks.

Whether it was the San Francisco 49ers or the Detroit Lions, both offenses began to stumble, and the stalemate gradually deepened.

"In the second half, the San Francisco 49ers, relying on a thirty-seven-yard pass connection between Lu Ke and Logan Newman, advanced into field goal range. David Akers then made a thirty-eight-yard field goal, scoring three points.

As for the Detroit Lions, it was again Calvin Johnson. Stafford threw a seven-yard short pass to Johnson, who then used his personal ability to advance twenty yards into field goal range. Jason Hanson then kicked a thirty-three-yard field goal, scoring three points and once again tying the score.

But besides that, the two offenses, which were red-hot in the first half, seemed to have gone cold, becoming a foil for the defense's performance. Neither side was able to increase their score.

Now, with just three minutes and twenty-six seconds left in the game, if neither offense can find its rhythm again and score, the game will go into overtime.

Judging from the performance in the second half so far, this possibility is very high. Both teams' defenses have put on a spectacular performance, which has made this great matchup even more exciting and truly a game worth watching this week."

After Kirk finished his analysis, he turned to Teddy. "What do you think? Which team's defense is playing better, or rather, which team's offense will be able to find its rhythm in time?"

Teddy shrugged his shoulders, revealing a helpless smile. "In the last five weeks, both of these teams have shown incredible energy in the final moments of their games. They both have the ability to deliver a fatal blow at a crucial moment. The score on the field is now tied, and there are three minutes and twenty-six seconds left on the clock. My goodness, anything is possible, anything is possible."

It was precisely because their strength and form were so close that this game was so entertaining. The actual game progression also proved this point. The small difference, the sparks flying, gradually created an atmosphere of extreme tension that spread throughout the stadium.

At this moment, the spectators watching the game on television couldn't help but hold their breath, their palms sweating. The sound of their hearts beating wildly was suffocating, and the lactic-acid-filled muscles felt like they were about to explode. Not to mention the fans at Ford Field, who were on the verge of a heart attack. Even if they didn't have heart problems before, they were about to now.

Both the home and away fans were cheering wildly for their teams, but their throats were starting to feel hot. The sounds they were making were as if they had been soaked in magma, bubbling and smoking. The burning words almost melted every fan into ashes, but they still didn't stop, shouting uncontrollably, draining the last bit of energy from their bodies and letting it all out.

The more tense they were, the more they shouted. The more they shouted, the more they panicked. The more they panicked, the more excited they became. So, the entire Ford Field erupted like a volcano.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sound of their hearts beating became so clear, as if you could touch the core of the earth. The whole world began to shake.

At this moment, whether they were home or away fans, the tension was similar. You could even see some fans who couldn't bear to watch anymore. They tightly closed their eyes and covered their faces with their hands, but their mouths were still relentlessly cheering. They wanted to watch but were too afraid to, a self-contradictory mindset that was almost like a split personality.

The air began to boil.

Standing on the field, Lu Ke could clearly feel the tension that was almost burning. The hot, scorching heat was relentlessly rolling over the surface of his skin. Even the air in his line of sight began to blur and haze. Subconsciously, Lu Ke clenched his fingertips, which were a little slippery with sweat.

He took a deep breath, and then another, suppressing the excitement and thrill in his blood. He wiped his fingertips on the sweat towel at his waist, and his emotions slowly settled down. His mind was fully focused on the game.

He was focused. All he needed to do now was to clear all the distractions from his mind.

In the past two quarters, there were no problems with the play calls or the execution. It was mainly because the opposing defense had made a brilliant play, in addition to the yellow-flag penalties and unexpected mistakes. These small errors accumulated, and they fell into a strange loop where they couldn't score.

But for Lu Ke, who lacked game experience, he couldn't help but think about the reasons from a tactical perspective, trying to find a solution.

Kip Cleaster and Craig Roman had both been advising Lu Ke, trying to explain that this was not feasible and was pointless. In a football game, there are countless factors that affect the outcome of the game, and there's no need to overthink it. If the coaching staff and the head coach didn't notice any problems, then the quarterback shouldn't think too much either—otherwise, a quarterback with a cluttered mind could negatively affect his performance on the field.

Lu Ke listened to them, but whenever he sat down, he couldn't help but start thinking about "why." The thoughts in his mind were not something he could control just by wanting to.

Surprisingly, Alex Smith took the initiative to sit next to Lu Ke. Without any pleasantries, he started talking. When Lu Ke was discussing with the coaching staff just now, as a backup quarterback, Alex and Scott had also been listening, so he knew the whole story. Therefore, Alex went straight to the point.

"A quarterback is the brain of the team, an incredibly important existence. A rookie quarterback may just be an executor of the coach's plays, but you are clearly more than that. This means that your style will give the entire offense its style."

Although this seemed incredible, not only because Lu Ke was still a rookie, but also because Lu Ke had only played six games with the offense, a period too short to build chemistry. But the fact was, this youthful team was gradually forming its own style, and even though it was still in its infancy, the quarterback's style was enough to influence the state of the other players on the offense.

For the coaching staff, they could never truly empathize. But as a fellow quarterback, Alex knew exactly how he felt. After much deliberation, Alex chose to come to Lu Ke's side and give his opinion. Whether Lu Ke adopted it was not something Alex could control.

"If a quarterback starts to have self-doubt, that doubt will show in his throwing motion and play calls. The offense will also start to have self-doubt, and the entire offense will naturally be unable to flow smoothly."

Alex's eyes were full of sincerity. Even if he wasn't a top-tier quarterback and had never been to the playoffs in his career, he was definitely an experienced veteran on the field, with his own understanding of the game and the team. What Lu Ke lacked was exactly what he had.

"Bambi, you have to believe in yourself. Truly invest yourself completely. Only then can the offense be under your control and the plays be executed. Now, calm down and think carefully. How did we score the touchdown in the first half? In the second half, were there any errors or deviations in the plays? Were there any loopholes in the play calls and execution?"

For the first time, the team's starting quarterback and first backup quarterback had a sincere conversation while the game was in full swing. Their shared way of thinking successfully helped Lu Ke gradually calm down, and his thoughts once again began to become clear.

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