Chapter 14: Dazzling the Crowd
Lu Ke knew he was taking a risk, making a gamble, being crazy.
In a football game, a long pass can be a deadly strike that turns the tide at a critical moment, but no one would choose to do it on the opening play. It's like in basketball: if they have a choice, no one wants to shoot from half-court because the risk is too high. A missed shot hands the advantage to the other team. A three-pointer is a heavy weapon; a half-court shot is a complete gamble.
More importantly, the receiving player and the defensive line start from the same line. This means the longer the pass, the further the receiver or tight end has to run. They need more time to get to the receiving position, which means the quarterback has to hold the ball longer, and the offensive line has to block the defensive players for a longer period.
If a defensive player breaks through the offensive line and tackles the quarterback or deflects the pass before the receiver gets into position, that play is over.
A long pass is a double-edged sword, and unlike in soccer or basketball, the risks and difficulty are much greater in football.
And now, Lu Ke was choosing to throw a long pass.
The problem was that the practice squad was a bunch of inexperienced players. Their skills were not solid, their abilities were not outstanding, their understanding of tactics was mediocre, and most importantly, they had little to no chemistry. There was a reason they were on the practice squad. So, Lu Ke had to take a huge gamble.
If he failed, the worst that could happen was they would turn the ball over to the third-string team. But what if they succeeded? The practice squad needed confidence, belief, cohesion, and team spirit. If the long pass worked, all of these things would be within reach!
Taking a deep breath, Lu Ke cleared his mind of all distracting thoughts. He needed to stay calm and not think about the outcome, how long it had been since he last threw a pass, or any positive or negative possibilities. He just needed to focus on the play. He stood up straight and began to observe the opposing defense.
For a quarterback, situational awareness is crucial. A truly elite quarterback observes the opposing defense, understands their tactics and intentions, reads their formation, makes accurate judgments, and can even adjust their own play based on the defense.
Peyton Manning was a master of this among active players. Before a snap, the offense has 40 seconds to prepare. Peyton would often change the play in the last 10 seconds, either because he identified a hole in the defense or because he had to adjust to their alignment. If the opposing defense couldn't react in time, the play would often be successful.
Lu Ke's physical talent was his weakness, but his tactical mind was his strength. At 193 cm tall, he had a high vantage point, and his eyes, like a hawk's, sharply surveyed the opposing defense. It was clear the third-string team was underestimating them, and it was hard to blame them.
Lu Ke? A practice squad player among practice players? A guy who had never played quarterback in college? Let alone run an offense? No matter how hard they tried to stay alert, a sense of complacency was bound to creep in.
Lu Ke went behind the center, Tevin McDonald, but his eyes were still scanning the opponents' defensive formation. The third-string players were lining up, their smiles gone, their eyes focused and fixed on Lu Ke. Their taunting and mocking stares were an attack without words.
One voice rang out, "Hey, kid, be careful not to get so scared you drop the ball after the snap." Before anyone could figure out who said it, a burst of laughter erupted, and the source of the sound was lost in the commotion.
But the practice squad was surprisingly quiet. The offensive line lined up, and Lu Ke pretended to look flustered, turning his head to Derek. Derek and Lu Ke exchanged glances, then Derek spread his feet, put his hands on his knees, and got into an offensive stance. When Lu Ke turned back, he felt a sense of calm.
He patted Tevin's shoulder. "Ready, man."
Lu Ke stood behind Tevin. Everyone was ready, waiting for the snap count. Lu Ke thought he would be nervous, but he wasn't at all. His mind was as calm as still water, as if he had been waiting for this moment for years and had never forgotten how to play. Then he shouted, "Hike!"
Without any warning, the snap count came.
Tevin snapped the ball between his legs. Lu Ke caught it, took a quick, quick drop-back, and faked a throw. Out of the corner of his eye, he was looking for Derek. At the same time, the entire offensive line began to move quickly to the left. The "bang! bang bang!" of collisions was endless as defensive players charged forward, slamming into the offensive line. The powerful impact shattered the offensive line's formation.
The practice squad players seemed no match for the third-string defenders.
Lu Ke's focus was absolute. He knew he had to trust his offensive line. Any hesitation would lead to failure.
He turned and faked a handoff to Derek, who used a running back's ball-carrying stance, crouched low, and started to run forward. Lu Ke tucked the ball under his right arm, concealing it against his waist and thigh. At the same time, he straightened up, using his height advantage to look for John.
The defensive players took the bait. They never expected Lu Ke to abandon the run on the first play, let alone run a play-action pass. More accurately, they hadn't analyzed Lu Ke's tactics—or rather, they didn't think Lu Ke would have any tactics. They simply reacted instinctively.
So, they followed the offensive line, moving to block Derek. They could see Derek sprinting to the left, trying to find a path and break through the line. The offensive and defensive players on the field swarmed to the left like a beehive.
Lu Ke quickly shuffled his feet, looked to his right, and saw John sprinting at top speed.
In football, the 40-yard dash is a classic and well-known event. The current NFL record was set by Chris Johnson in 2008 with a time of 4.24 seconds, and no one had broken it in the past two years.
Right now, John was like a wild horse, his frantic sprint a living embodiment of Chris Johnson. He was running as fast as he could. But Lu Ke noticed that he still wasn't in the ideal position to receive the ball.
The clash between the offense and defense had lasted less than three seconds. If Lu Ke were to throw now, the best outcome would be an incomplete pass. The worst would be an interception by a defender.
Lu Ke needed more time. Without hesitation, he left the pocket—the area protected by the offensive line—and, risking his tactics being exposed, sprinted out of the left side and to the right.
Sure enough, the opposing defenders noticed Lu Ke's move. One of them charged toward him with a fierce look on his face. The chaotic field was filled with the sounds of collisions and pain.
Lu Ke was hyper-focused, his eyes locked on John's sprinting feet. His stance was firm and calm, without a hint of panic. He stepped forward, and his right arm traced a perfect arc. The football whooshed out of his hand, flying high in the air in a beautiful rainbow arc.
"Bang!" The defender was already there, tackling Lu Ke hard. The powerful impact sent Lu Ke crashing to the ground like a rag doll. A sharp pain shot through his shoulder and arm, but he didn't care. His eyes were glued to the football soaring through the air.
Not just Lu Ke, but the offensive players, the defensive players, and even the coaches and other players on the sidelines all looked up at the ball. No one expected the practice squad's first play to be a deep pass.
The defensive players responsible for covering the wide receivers finally reacted and quickly sprinted toward John, but their defensive strategy was based on a run play. They hadn't expected a long pass, leaving the secondary wide open. They could only watch John's back as he ran at full speed.
John felt as if he had wings. He looked up and saw the football flying above him. In his peripheral vision, he caught sight of the 40-yard line not far away. Faster, he needed to be faster. He was reaching his limit, yet he felt like he was soaring, filled with strength. He had no other thoughts, just his eyes fixed on the ball. He stretched out his hands, reaching as far as he could.
His flat palms extended his catching radius. The football, like a weightless feather, landed perfectly in his hands. The force wasn't too much, and it wasn't wobbly. He simply folded his arms in a reflexive motion, tucking the ball securely into his embrace. It felt solid, firm.
But the play wasn't over. Ahead, the field was wide open. Run, John, run as fast as you can!
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