The entire locker room fell silent, with only Lu Ke's voice echoing. It was powerful, sharp, and decisive. His presence completely overpowered the chaotic atmosphere, and the disorder was brought under control.
Lu Ke scanned the room. In his eyes, there was no distinction between veterans and rookies. Everyone was a part of the team, and without every single one of them, they could not win the game. This was something Lu Ke would absolutely not allow.
"If you want to win, then shut your mouths and focus on the game! When you catch the damn football, hold on to it! Don't fumble it again! If you can't run your routes, then memorize the damned playbook and stop making stupid mistakes! Shut up, all of you, and go review your playbooks!"
Lu Ke didn't look directly at Vernon, but his sharp words were like a slap across Vernon's face. Even the other receivers, including Logan, involuntarily avoided Lu Ke's gaze.
When Vernon realized he was being intimidated by Lu Ke, he was furious. Standing beside him, Vernon also seemed unable to stand up straight. He took a quick step forward and yelled, "You take care of yourself first! Your passes in the first half were all over the place, a complete mess!"
"That's my responsibility. After the game, I'll disappear on my own without you telling me to. I believe the team can find a replacement quarterback." A hint of a mocking smile flashed in Lu Ke's eyes as he spoke, shutting Vernon up. "As for now, you do your job, and I'll do mine."
After a brief pause, Lu Ke raised an eyebrow. "Deal?"
Without avoiding or dodging his responsibilities, Lu Ke stood tall and took ownership, his strong presence rising once again. The locker room's morale slowly began to warm up.
Vernon ground his teeth uncomfortably and lifted his chin, looking up at the taller Lu Ke. He didn't say a word but muttered under his breath, "An arrogant rookie who doesn't know his place." He then spat on the ground to show his disdain and walked to a corner.
But in the end, the argument was over.
Lu Ke took a breath, looked up at the defensive captain, Patrick Willis, and Willis looked back at him, a clear understanding passing between them. It was as if they were both saying:
"I'll handle the offense/defense; the offense/defense is up to you."
Generally, the quarterback is the captain of the offense, and the linebacker is the captain of the defense.
On the San Francisco 49ers, the situation was a little different. The defensive captain was outside linebacker Willis, but the offensive captain was center Jonathan Goodwin.
Lu Ke's role was still that of a temporary substitute player, not the core leader of the offense. But today, faced with such a difficult situation, Lu Ke bravely stepped forward and took on the responsibility of the offense. Willis felt it, and so did Jonathan.
The next moment, Lu Ke called out, "Offensive guys, come over here."
All the offensive players gathered around him, forming a circle. Once they were in place, the veteran players realized how "obedient" they were. They looked up at Jonathan, who nodded in approval, and the stirrings of a new conflict subsided before they could begin.
Lu Ke ignored the questioning looks and began to speak. "In the first half, our whole offensive rhythm was off. The pass-to-run ratio was wrong, the running tempo after the snap was wrong, and of course, my passing rhythm was also a problem. We need to change the rhythm in the second half."
He looked up and scanned the room, making sure everyone was focused on him. Lu Ke felt no nervousness. At this moment, he forgot that he was a rookie and that there was a conflict between the veterans and rookies. He was just a quarterback, a quarterback trying to lead his team to victory.
In his complete focus, Lu Ke exuded a powerful presence that commanded the entire room.
"We need to focus on finding breakthroughs in the short and deep passing game." This was the conclusion Lu Ke had come to. The Cowboys were playing a strong defense in the short and deep passing zones but were constantly setting traps in the mid-range. While taking advantage of strengths and avoiding weaknesses might not be effective, a head-on battle could give them an advantage.
"We'll try to use horizontal, screen, and slant passes in the short-pass area as much as possible to break their defensive line. Then we'll look for an opportunity to go for a deep pass. Whether it's successful or not, we need to create a threat and disrupt the Cowboys' defensive rhythm." Lu Ke continued fluently, "Among their defensive players, DeMarcus Ware and Sean Lee are the main focus of our attention..."
Lu Ke hadn't been completely disconnected from analyzing the defense in the first half. The Dallas Cowboys' secondary players were decent but not outstanding. Their truly strong players were the linebackers on the front line. Ware and Lee were particularly good at breaking through, tackling, and sacking. They were also quite good at defending against runs and short passes.
However, in the first half, the Cowboys completely gave up on blitzing the quarterback. In a way, this prevented Ware and Lee from using their abilities, but it also effectively shut down the 49ers' offensive schemes.
Now, Lu Ke was preparing to use himself as bait to force the two star players to blitz, which would disrupt the Cowboys' defensive rhythm. Lu Ke knew this was a very risky and crazy approach, but if they didn't change, they would be stuck in a dead end. Only by breaking the stalemate could all possibilities be put back on the table.
As a quarterback, Lu Ke's grasp and analysis of the game were unmatched by any other player on offense. Now, Lu Ke was summarizing his gains and losses and sharing them with his teammates. He then began to set up the offensive strategy for the second half.
Logan looked surprised, and as Lu Ke explained the new strategy, his surprise only grew more and more pronounced. His jaw almost dropped. "...Bambi, are you sure? Isn't this a little... too bold?"
If Logan was this surprised, the other players were even more stunned. This Chinese rookie's style and wild ideas always came out of nowhere, bringing one surprise after another, or even a scare.
"What, are you scared?" Lu Ke's question immediately made Logan close his mouth. He laughed awkwardly, "No way! If you're willing to throw it, I'll be willing to run!"
The other offensive players, not wanting to lose face, raised their chins, masking their surprise and refusing to say anything. After all, they had just been arguing, so things were still a little awkward.
Just then, the locker room door opened, and Jim Harbaugh walked in. The stiff, distant, and awkward atmosphere had not yet dissipated, and it was obvious that something was wrong.
Jim looked around in confusion but ultimately didn't ask any questions, speaking directly, "Ready? We need to seriously discuss the strategy for the second half. I'm not ready to lose this game." At Jim's command, all the players gathered around to listen to the second-half strategy.
After all the tactics were laid out, there wasn't much time left before the second half began.
Lu Ke stopped Jim, who was about to leave. "Coach." He and Jim walked side-by-side out of the locker room and toward the field.
Lu Ke quickly and quietly went over his analysis, ideas, and tactical arrangements. He met Jim's questioning gaze and asked, "What do you think?"
Jim frowned slightly. "Are you sure?" His reaction was exactly like Logan's just moments before. But then he saw Lu Ke's eyes, which were not timid, hesitant, or wavering. Jim replayed the entire tactical plan in his mind and then nodded. "Let's give it a try. We still have two fifteen-minute quarters left in the second half. I hope you don't make me regret this decision."
Bold, arrogant, and aggressive. This was the impression many had of Jim.
But for Lu Ke, if it weren't for Jim Harbaugh, he probably still wouldn't have had a chance to play. During the tryout, a different coach might have prioritized Scott Tolzien or Matt Hasselbeck.
The same was true now. The young and assertive Jim had agreed to Lu Ke's crazy strategy, and this also kicked off the second half of the game.
The Dallas Cowboys had kicked off first in the first half; it was now the San Francisco 49ers' turn. The special teams players took the field to kick off, and the commentators' booth became lively again.
"How Jim Harbaugh will adjust is the focus of the second half."
"The San Francisco 49ers still chose to trust Lu Ke and did not send in Scott Tolzien. It's unclear what the consequences of this decision will be."
"Lu Ke's performance in the first half was truly unsatisfying. Who knows when this nightmare will end."
"If they can't get back into rhythm with the first offensive possession, the second half will probably just continue the slump from the first."
...
The chattering and analysis of the commentators were broadcast over the airwaves. In the stands, the audience was getting restless, and many were screaming at the top of their lungs, "Victory! We need a victory!"
And the more passionate and emotional fans were already shouting curses. "This is so embarrassing, what the hell, it's a total disgrace!"
"To be humiliated by the Dallas Cowboys like this, this is definitely the most disgusting game in the history of the 49ers!"
"Respect? If you keep playing like this, you should just go home and drink milk!"
"Are you sleepwalking? This is horrible! Absolutely unbearable!"
"F**k! You..." The rest was a long string of expletives, but the surrounding fans not only didn't stop him but also joined in the chorus of curses.
With a performance like the first half, winning the respect of the fans was a pipe dream.
Amidst the torrent of curses, the second half of the game officially began.
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