With a quick motion, the touchdown was completed as if it were nothing. Immediately afterward, the San Francisco 49ers' special teams took the field and successfully kicked the extra point, bringing the score to 7:17.
Although it was only one touchdown, the seemingly insurmountable score difference from halftime now felt much more manageable. With less than two minutes passed in the second half, and only a 10-point deficit, anything was possible.
However, the Dallas Cowboys didn't panic, at least not their offense.
Led by Tony Romo, they maintained the same offensive efficiency as in the first half, pushing forward steadily with a balanced run-pass game. They consumed a little over four minutes and entered the San Francisco 49ers' red zone, their momentum seemingly unstoppable.
If the Dallas Cowboys were to score a touchdown now, the gap would widen again, and they would continue to pressure the San Francisco 49ers.
At a crucial moment, the 49ers' defense, which had been struggling all day, finally showed some backbone. Their red-zone defense was airtight, stopping one run and even forcing a loss of yards. They also forced two incomplete passes, one of which almost resulted in an interception.
They managed to completely halt the Dallas Cowboys' offense in the red zone. In the end, the Cowboys had no choice but to settle for a field goal. After scoring three points, the score became 7:20.
Although it wasn't a touchdown, the Cowboys had managed to steady themselves and respond with a strong play, solidifying their lead once again with the field goal.
With less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Lu Ke led the San Francisco 49ers' offense back onto the field.
However, the previous kickoff was terrible. The 49ers' returner tried to run it back but was immediately tackled on the 8-yard line by the Cowboys' special teams.
Starting from their own 8-yard line was a very awkward and dangerous position.
This was because in football, if the offensive team's ball ends up in their own end zone, it results in a safety, giving the opponent two points.
For example, if Lu Ke is tackled with the football in his own end zone, that's a safety. Or, if Lu Ke is sacked and fumbles the ball into the end zone, and a Cowboys player recovers it, that's also a safety.
In other words, from just eight yards away from their own end zone, and with the quarterback having to drop back from the offensive line, he gets even closer to their end zone. A small mistake could lead to a safety. This also tied the offense's hands, limiting their playbook and strategy.
Standing on the 8-yard line, Lu Ke noticed a change in the Dallas Cowboys' defensive formation: they had stacked six players on the offensive line, with two linebackers and one cornerback moving to the front. Behind them were two more linebackers, ready to move, and two safeties and a cornerback were scattered near the 20-yard line.
With a 6-2-3 defensive formation, the Cowboys were showing a strong blitz, determined to get a safety. As a result, the defense in the backfield was relatively weak.
This meant that the backfield pass coverage would definitely be zone defense. The three players would each be responsible for a zone and would provide support for each other based on the quarterback's strategy. However, the main focus of the defense was still the blitz on the quarterback.
Following Jim Harbaugh's instructions, Lu Ke quickly set up the play, but as he read the defense, he noticed the change in their formation. A new idea flashed through his mind, and he gave the new instructions.
It was a pistol formation, with Marcus standing behind Lu Ke. On the offensive line, in addition to the five players, there was a wide receiver and a tight end on the left, and two wide receivers on the right.
After changing the play, Logan, who was on the left, staggered across the field. After passing behind Lu Ke, he stood behind Kyle Williams, the outermost player in the formation, with the two of them overlapping.
Before the Cowboys could react, Lu Ke shouted, "Hut!"
After receiving the snap, Lu Ke quickly dropped back, taking three big steps to create distance between himself and the offensive line—and the defensive line.
There was no fake handoff. On his left, he could see Marcus charging forward at an angle. At the same time, Michael Crabtree, on the left side of the offensive line, also charged toward the left sideline. The entire offensive line also moved slightly to the left, with the entire 49ers' offense crowding to one side.
Consequently, the Dallas Cowboys' players also started running quickly to their right to defend. The horizontal movement pulled all the players on the field to the same side.
Lu Ke raised his arm, drew it back, and aimed to the left. The motion seemed to indicate a pass to the left to Crabtree. The Dallas Cowboys' front-line defensive players immediately started to charge hard, trying to blitz and break up the pass. But the next second, DeMarcus Ware noticed something was wrong:
Marcus was not running a receiving route; he was joining the offensive line to help block the blitz.
It was six against six.
The Dallas Cowboys' blitz was like a flood meeting a dam, stopped for a moment. Crabtree's run to the left had pulled at least two Cowboys defenders, which meant... the other side was completely empty.
On the field, a moment's blink was enough to change the entire game.
The information in Ware's mind could only be processed, not converted. He could only follow his instincts, tearing a gap in the offensive line and charging forward. But he was a half-step too slow, and he saw Lu Ke drop back again. Two consecutive steps back gave him just enough distance, but it also meant Lu Ke was now on the end zone's edge.
Ware was unfazed. He stared intently at Lu Ke, raising his hands like a bear, and pounced, trying to complete the sack. But just as he took his first step, he watched as Lu Ke threw the football.
The ball was released.
Ware was forced to twist his body and brake hard to avoid a penalty. After the quarterback releases the ball, any contact from a player is considered a penalty, even if a defensive player accidentally falls on the quarterback due to gravity or losing their balance.
Ware fell hard to the ground, his mouth full of grass. It was only after he realized what had happened that he started cursing. Almost at the same time, the San Francisco 49ers' fans erupted in a deafening cheer. Ware knew the pass was complete. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Frustration and anger came pouring out.
"Snap, the entire 49ers' offense moves to the left. Lu Ke passes, Crabtree, no, it's not. That was a fake! After a pump fake, Lu Ke turns around, and it's a pass to the right, to the right!"
Troy Balu's voice was a little hoarse, but that didn't stop him. Instead, it made him even more excited. He waved the roster in his hand, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Just as the entire offense was moving to the left, Williams and Newman ran a route to the right. Williams made a cut to the inside, and Cowboys' number 21 cornerback Mike Jenkins was very focused. He was originally moving to the Cowboys' right but now makes a hard stop, turns around to cover Williams, and sticks to him, just enough to stick with him! Oh, Newman! The uncovered Newman is cutting diagonally toward the right sideline, wide open! Wide open!"
Troy felt like he was about to have a brain hemorrhage. He kept repeating "wide open" over and over again, as if the tape was stuck, because the gap was huge. There were no defensive players in at least a 15-yard area.
A movement to the left had left the right side of the defense empty. Another inward cut on the left had drawn away the last defensive player in the short-pass area. That left one receiver running a diagonal route to the right, with a wide-open field ahead.
The Dallas Cowboys were using a triple-zone coverage with two safeties and a cornerback. Now, one cornerback was on the other side, and a safety had been drawn away, leaving only one safety in the entire Cowboys' backfield. The door was wide open!
After the Cowboys committed so many players to the blitz, the 49ers' timely change in strategy had stopped their initial push, and the entire defensive gap was completely torn open. This was a fatal blow to the Cowboys, who had almost perfect pass defense in the first half!
"30 yards! It's a 30-yard pass! Newman catches the football near the right side of the 30-yard line, no defense! No defense! God, that pass was so beautiful, clean and accurate, as precise as a surgeon's knife, perfectly delivered."
Troy's eloquent commentary showed the unstoppable momentum of the San Francisco 49ers' offense.
"Newman turns and runs, keeps running! The Cowboys' entire backfield only has one safety left, number 40 Danny McCray. McCray is chasing! The moment Lu Ke released the ball, McCray noticed the open space. Even if he runs to cover it, the distance is too great. He can't get there in time. Jenkins is also running back to cover."
"35 yards, 40 yards, 45 yards, midfield! McCray comes through! The Cowboys' number 40 safety comes through! He makes the tackle, bringing Newman down to the ground and ending the drive. Incredible! Absolutely incredible! The San Francisco 49ers' offense has completely come back to life in the second half, showing fluid offensive plays again. Starting from their own 8-yard line, they used one strategic play to get all the way to midfield!"
At the end of his commentary, Troy simply threw his roster into the air, clenched his fists, and raised them high, shouting excitedly, "Brilliant! Truly brilliant!"
The entire Candlestick Park had erupted in a frenzy!
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