The entire University of Phoenix Stadium was a boiling cauldron of noise and cheers that never stopped. A continuous cascade of shouts poured down like lava, burning everything in its path, and it felt like the very air was on fire. It was hard to believe it was already December; the fierce Arizona wind seemed to be completely blocked out of the stadium.
The home fans were using every means possible to disrupt the away team's game. The problem was that the home team's offense was currently on the field, and the noise was so insane that quarterback John Skelton's voice was completely drowned out. He couldn't even give out the play calls. The home fans were trying to help, but they were actually getting in the way. Enthusiasm is a good thing, but too much of it can make things tricky.
In fact, it wasn't just the fans; the home players also seemed to be on fire. Every player was incredibly active and motivated, eager to perform well at home, eager to crush their opponent's momentum again, and eager to prove themselves in this high-stakes battle. But they were a bit too excited. Being overly excited and not excited enough lead to the same result. The principles and processes might be different, but the outcome is the same.
On the first play, Cardinals' third-year running back, Beanie Wells, ran headfirst into a wall of people. He not only fell but also fumbled the ball. If quarterback Skelton hadn't reacted quickly and recovered the ball, they would have turned it over as soon as they stepped on the field. People thought it was just a small accident, but the rest of the game left them speechless. The Arizona Cardinals' offense was so over-excited that it made people wonder if they had taken some kind of performance-enhancing drugs. There were at least four times when the running routes for catches were overshot. One time, a player barely caught the football but lost his balance and couldn't continue running, which made it easy for the defense to tackle him. The other three times all resulted in incomplete passes.
Another time, wide receiver Stephen Williams created an open space with some agile footwork and completed a catch for about 14 yards. But the football wasn't even secure in his hands before he started to run, which resulted in the football slipping from his fingertips and bouncing around. He had started to run, creating a cartoon-like scene of his body and the football being in two different places. He slammed on the brakes to try and control the football, but because his balance and touch were unstable, he juggled the ball like a circus clown and ultimately didn't catch it. It was an incomplete pass.
It wasn't because the quarterback's pass was off or because of tight defense or even because the contact was too intense. The Arizona Cardinals' offense kept making mistakes. The only saving grace was that they hadn't turned the ball over yet. The biggest hero for the Cardinals still being on the field without going three-and-out was their number 11 wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald.
In 2011, the debate over the league's best wide receiver was between Larry Fitzgerald and the Detroit Lions' "Megatron," Calvin Johnson. Fitzgerald was a veteran, and Johnson was an up-and-coming star, and they were the strongest contenders for the season's receiving yards leader. 2004 was a highly anticipated draft year. The number one pick was Eli Manning, the number two pick was offensive tackle Robert Gallery, the number three pick was Larry Fitzgerald, the number four pick was Philip Rivers, and the number eleven pick was Ben Roethlisberger. Among the high-drafted players, Robert Gallery's career didn't meet expectations and was just average, while the other quarterbacks each made their mark in the league and wrote their own history.
As for Larry Fitzgerald, the Arizona Cardinals took a huge risk by picking him. The wide receiver position changes too quickly, and it takes a lot of courage to pick a wide receiver with the third overall pick. But Fitzgerald proved his worth. After a tough rookie season in 2004, Fitzgerald quickly found his footing in the league and became the league's leading receiver in 2005, making his first Pro Bowl. After that, with the exception of some fluctuations in the 2006 season, Fitzgerald has been the team's undisputed cornerstone every year and has been selected to the Pro Bowl every year. In 2008 and 2009, he was the league's leader in receiving touchdowns for two consecutive years, reaching the peak of his career. When people think of the Arizona Cardinals, the first name that comes to mind is not the quarterback but wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. He is becoming the face of the team.
He is what's known as a top-tier wide receiver. Even with an average quarterback, he can create his own path, gap, and window, and after catching the ball, he can continue to run. As long as he is on the field, he is the biggest problem for the offense. This year, Fitzgerald is still on fire and in great shape. It's no surprise that the league's receiving yards leader this season will be either him or Calvin Johnson. For reference, the quarterback who throws to Calvin is the number one pick, Matthew Stafford, while the quarterbacks who throw to Fitzgerald are Kevin Kolb, who has been a backup for his entire career, and a second-year player, John Skelton.
In today's game, Fitzgerald was still the calmest killer on the field, a constant source of firepower for the team. Skelton found Fitzgerald on three consecutive third-down conversions with short passes. It was Fitzgerald's personal ability that allowed the team to keep the drive alive, and it was the only reason the Cardinals' offense was still on the field.
…
Standing on the sidelines, Lu Ke was closely watching every move on the field. The first offensive series was unfolding as planned before the game, so he didn't need to hold the playbook all the time. This gave Lu Ke time to study the Cardinals' offensive changes and see what adjustments their defense had made for the 49ers. The San Francisco 49ers' defense isn't top-tier in the league, but it is ranked in the top eight in the NFC and can be in the top fifteen in the entire league. Their defense has its own characteristics. The front seven is incredibly tough, especially with Navarro Bowman and Patrick Willis in the linebacker lineup, who are both Pro Bowl-level players. The rotational players, like Ahmad Brooks and Blake Costanzo, also have their own strengths. This year's first-round pick, Aldon Smith, has also been performing well in a rotational role as he's matured.
In contrast, the secondary has never been tough enough. Missed tackles and defensive misalignments have always plagued them. So, in the 49ers' games, their run defense and short-pass defense will determine the team's baseline. Against the Cardinals, Fitzgerald making catches is not a problem. For a wide receiver like him, using his position advantage against the cornerbacks to make a tough catch is a weapon every quarterback must learn to use. The problem is that after Fitzgerald makes a catch, the short-pass defense must be tough and not let him break into the medium- or long-pass areas. The weak secondary defense will then be exposed.
That was exactly what happened in the last game. After Fitzgerald caught the ball, he was unstoppable, and four of the Cardinals' scores were directly related to him. So, the goal of this game was to stop Fitzgerald in the short-pass area. It was clear that the Cardinals were prepared for this. While thinking, Lu Ke noticed that the Cardinals' number 84 tight end, rookie Rob Housler, made a cross-running motion. "Watch out for the block!" Before Lu Ke could shout it out, Housler had already completed a block and knocked away 49ers' cornerback Reggie Smith, who was about to tackle Fitzgerald. Then, a five-yard gap appeared in front of Fitzgerald. Lu Ke knew that the situation was bad, very bad. This meant that Fitzgerald was already starting to run.
As expected, in just a few breaths, Fitzgerald had already broken two tackles and ran into the end zone. It was only an eight-yard short pass, but Fitzgerald used his own ability to run for 35 yards and score a touchdown. The entire stadium erupted in cheers. The Arizona Cardinals used their tight end's blocking ability to add an extra player to the offensive line. By sacrificing the tight end's ability to catch the ball, they created a distraction for Fitzgerald, making up for the offensive line's disadvantage in numbers. The effectiveness of the offense was clear. Lu Ke couldn't help but grimace. In today's game, the Cardinals had delivered a warning shot, once again declaring to the entire league that their last victory was no fluke!
Lu Ke shook his head slightly, turned to Kip Christ and complained, "Can't we bring a safety up? The Cardinals' offense doesn't have a good deep-threat ability. On one hand, Skelton's arm strength isn't good enough, so he doesn't really dare to try. On the other hand, Fitzgerald's running area is still in the short-pass area, and the other receivers' speed and ability to break tackles are not strong. We can bring our defense up a little, and it might have a good effect."
Then, Lu Ke saw Kip's stunned expression. He raised his hands and made a gesture of surrender. "I know, I'm an outsider. I'm just giving my opinion. Never mind, I need to get ready to go on the field."
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