Reading the defense is one of the most fundamental and crucial tasks for a quarterback. It's not just about in-the-moment reactions on the field, but also about the extensive preparation done before the game.
For the past ten days, the team had repeatedly analyzed game footage from the Seattle Seahawks' four preseason games. On top of that, Lu Ke spent extra time with Kip analyzing last year's Seahawks game tapes.
All of this work was complex, tedious, and heavy, but now, with a single look, he realized...
...the Seattle Seahawks were in a passing defense formation!
This was the first offensive play of the entire season, and every team was still feeling things out. At the same time, every player was both hyped and trying to find their rhythm. The surge of adrenaline could make a player get into the zone immediately, but it could also make them nervous. This was true for the offense, defense, and special teams, and even the coaching staff.
So, the Seahawks chose a very standard and conservative defensive formation.
On the defensive line, there were three players in the front and four in the back. This meant that three players would rush to break through the offensive line and pressure the quarterback. The other four players would be waiting for an opportunity to either help defend against the run, defend against short passes, or even loop around the offensive line to sack the quarterback.
In the secondary, there were two safeties and two cornerbacks, but their positions were clearly defined. The safeties were positioned past the midfield line, while the cornerbacks were at the 49ers' thirty-five-yard line. This meant they were wary of a deep pass, but the main focus of their defense was shifted forward, emphasizing the medium pass.
In short: This was a passing defense focused on defending against short and medium passes. They had fewer players rushing, so they weren't in a hurry to pressure the quarterback. Instead, they were wary of a run and were stacking their players in the front of the field.
Pete Carroll's cautiousness wasn't because he was afraid of Lu Ke. On the contrary, it was because he looked down on him.
Even after the rookie training camp, they still didn't think Lu Ke could be a professional quarterback.
Lu Ke didn't know why the Seahawks chose to talk to him. Maybe they were just trying to test their luck. But what was certain was that when their quarterback coach, Carl Smith, was being disrespectful, no one else stopped him. This meant that deep down, they had always doubted Lu Ke's abilities.
But whether the doubt was about his ability or his race, only they knew for sure.
Now, this doubt was also on display in their first defensive play. They were concentrating all their firepower on defending against the run and the pass, not even bothering to rush, and leaving a large portion of the back of the field open, as if to say:
Do you dare to throw?
A figure caught his eye: Richard Sherman.
As a cornerback, he was wandering around the midfield line, running with cheerful and light steps. His flippant movements were like a clown—not funny, but provocative. Noticing Lu Ke's gaze, he raised his right thumb, slowly and deliberately slid it across his neck, making a throat-slitting motion, and then exaggeratedly let his head droop and stuck out his tongue.
The clown's arrogant demeanor showed that he didn't take Lu Ke seriously at all.
But then, Richard focused all his attention, and his eyes became sharp. In the rookie training camp, Lu Ke had completed three passes over his head, stealing all the glory. He considered this a great humiliation that even affected his draft round and position.
Now, it was finally time for him to prove himself. He would not let his guard down, and he would not give that guy a single chance!
Lu Ke licked his lips as if he could taste blood. Instead of backing down or being afraid, he became even more excited. A lifeless opponent wouldn't give him any satisfaction, even if he won. It was like taming a horse; only by taming the wildest and most untamed horse on the prairie could he feel a sense of accomplishment.
A gentle breeze blew by. He had only been on the field for less than thirty seconds, but a faint sweat was already forming on Lu Ke's forehead. His eyes, however, showed no signs of shaking or hesitation. They were like a radar, scanning and probing inch by inch.
His height advantage allowed him to have a bird's-eye view of the defensive formation. The tedious hours of watching game tapes allowed him to more keenly and intuitively catch the details, as well as the position and habits of every player. His fingertips were a little damp, and he, who had never felt nervous, was a little tense now.
But this was only a fleeting moment.
On this first offensive play, Jim Harbaugh was also in a phase of exploring, probing, and being conservative. The play Jim called was a shotgun formation, which allowed for either a run or a short pass. The possibilities were different, but it also left room for adjustment. As the game went on, the plays in his head would become clearer.
But now, Lu Ke saw a perfect opportunity for a deep pass. This was the time to be tested. Was he a hero or a coward? Was it a wise decision or an impulsive one?
In one breath, he made a quick decision. Lu Ke took two big steps forward and shouted, "Hawaii! Hawaii! Hawaii!" He said it three times, but those three times were meaningless. It was just to tell his teammates: Pay attention, the play is changing!
On the sidelines, Jim looked surprised and quickly discussed it with Craig and Kip. What was going on? What was happening?
But the situation on the field was changing in an instant. Even though the coaches were on the sidelines, they still couldn't see what the quarterback saw. The coach was responsible for calling the plays, but the quarterback made the final decision.
Lu Ke, however, was focused and completely unaffected.
"Aloha! Aloha!" Lu Ke immediately gave another command. This command was to warn the offensive line: Go forward, push hard. Don't worry about the rush. Then he mixed in the word "Cherry," and then another string of "Aloha!"
After repeating this twice and confirming that all the receivers had heard the "Cherry" call, Lu Ke shouted "Hawaii" again. At this point, the command had a deeper meaning. After that, Lu Ke confirmed the final command with his eyes.
He made eye contact with the three wide receivers and the one tight end. But what it meant, only they understood.
It was clear that the play calls in the professional game were much more complex.
No one questioned Lu Ke's decision. On the field, they had to trust their quarterback. Otherwise, the only outcome would be a loss.
After changing the play, Lu Ke quickly went back to his original position. It was still a shotgun formation, with a distance of four yards from center Jonathan Goodwin. Running back Anthony Dixon was standing three yards behind Lu Ke, ready to start, sprint, and break through at any moment.
He glanced at the countdown clock at the end of the opposing team's end zone. "Five, four..." It was only the first play, and they were already almost out of time, but Lu Ke wasn't nervous at all. He raised his right leg, bent down, extended his hands, and got ready to receive the ball. Then, he made a quick decision and gave the command:
"Hike, hike, hike. Attack!"
Jonathan snapped the ball, and it landed steadily in Lu Ke's hands. Lu Ke quickly took a step back and ran behind him. He could see Anthony sprinting up in the corner of his eye, but Lu Ke had no intention of faking a handoff. He just ran past Anthony, letting Anthony cut into the space between him and the offensive line to block any defenders who might break through the line.
He turned around, and the vast and open field was in front of him. His vision was incredibly clear.
The Seahawks indeed only had three players rushing. The three of them were completely blocked by the offensive line. The four defensive linemen at the front keenly sensed the opportunity. One of them ran around the offensive line and tried to sack Lu Ke, while the other three players began to wander around, on high alert.
They weren't rushing but were in a zone defense. All the short-pass areas were tightly guarded, like a minefield full of landmines.
Lu Ke quickly backpedaled, increasing the distance from the offensive line to about eight or nine yards. There was enough space. Almost half of the defenders were defending the medium and short-pass zones. This not only gave Lu Ke enough time to observe but also opened up the offensive space in the back of the field.
"Bang! Bang, bang!" The sound of impacts kept ringing out. The tension on the field was at its peak. Adrenaline was bursting like a firework show. Lu Ke, on the other hand, became calmer and calmer. He keenly sensed a perfect opportunity, his steps steady, his arm firm, and his vision sharp.
Among all the players, he saw Logan Newman.
Logan was running, running fast. His number eighty-eight jersey was far ahead of everyone else.
One of the safeties on the defense was following him closely, but he didn't dare to speed up completely. He kept looking back, watching for the quarterback's potential passing routes. Another cornerback was also moving around in the open space. As soon as Lu Ke threw the ball, he would come to help. The distance between him and Logan was about six or seven yards.
But the focused and single-minded Logan was not affected at all. He ran faster and faster and didn't even have the intention to look back.
"The opportunity is here!" Lu Ke pinpointed Logan's position and the surrounding defensive situation. He calculated the time and distance and also saw the linebacker charging toward him in the corner of his eye. He knew he couldn't wait and observe any longer.
So, he adjusted with small steps and moved slightly to the left. Running back Anthony, who had switched positions, was now tasked with blocking. He charged toward the incoming linebacker, giving Lu Ke more space to throw the ball.
This momentary block was all he needed.
He took two big steps forward, his arm fully pulled back. The power from his biceps, forearm, and wrist went all the way to the ball, like a powerful force that was all poured into the football. He twisted his waist and pushed forward, raising his hand, drawing his bow, and shooting his arrow!
With a whoosh, the football flew out in an arc.
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