A quarterback not only needs to organize the offense, but also to read the defense's positioning and formation. This is a tall order, which is why in an actual game, the coaching staff and head coach are in charge of play calls.
Why is Peyton Manning hailed as a tactical genius? It's because his understanding and control of the on-field strategy are on par with a head coach. He can't call defensive plays in the middle of a game, but his analysis of both the opposing defense and his own offense is flawless.
Manning has always been Lu Ke's role model and goal. That's why he consistently insists on studying the playbook and analyzing game film more comprehensively, meticulously, and deeply. Fortunately, he has his beginner-level cheat. Unfortunately, the four hours of the cheat are still not enough.
Lu Ke's conversation with Kip just now was a casual chat, but it gave Kip an idea. The quarterback's and the coaching staff's perspectives are different, and a quarterback can often offer new insights. Kip thought he might be able to talk to Vic Fangio about it. After the brief chat, Lu Ke put the matter out of his mind and stood on the sidelines, waiting for his special teams teammates to finish their task. Then, he led his offensive teammates onto the field.
The entire University of Phoenix Stadium was like a hellscape, with a raging fire that seemed to want to roast the San Francisco 49ers' offense and burn them to ashes. The monstrous dark-red waves seemed to turn into tangible flames, rushing toward them. The endless roars were everywhere: "Interception! Interception! Interception!" The deafening noise buzzed in his ears. The constant sound waves were truly annoying, and for a moment, he was reminded of the away game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, after experiencing it once, even just one time, he wasn't as flustered dealing with it again. Lu Ke calmly used hand signals and audibles to set up the play, and the offense quickly lined up in an orderly fashion. Standing in the pocket, Lu Ke didn't rush the snap. Instead, he carefully observed the Cardinals' defensive formation. He saw safety Adrian Wilson, defensive end Calais Campbell, and outside linebacker O'Brien Schofield. These were the key players who were crucial to their victory in the last game and were the main focus of his game film analysis.
He also saw Darnell Dockett. After recovering from his injury, Dockett was back in the starting lineup for the defense, staring at Lu Ke with fiery eyes, like a hyena sizing up its prey. But for Lu Ke, he didn't give him any special attention. His gaze just glanced over him, as he didn't care whether Dockett was unhappy or not. He didn't see Patrick Peterson. He didn't know why, but maybe Peterson's skills hadn't impressed the coaching staff enough yet. Or maybe Peterson, as a rookie, was too impulsive and would mess up the defensive formation. Or maybe it was for some other reason, but the result was that Lu Ke's pre-game taunt was right. Was this a good thing for the 49ers? Lu Ke's eyebrows slightly rose, and his mind was racing.
Compared to the Ravens' defense, the Cardinals' was not on the same level. They had an average of 21.75 points allowed per game so far this season, which meant they were giving up more than three touchdowns per game. The overall intensity and density of their defense weren't great, but their overall strength was relatively more balanced. They had key players with good skills on every defensive line: Campbell and Dockett on the defensive line, Schofield at linebacker, and Adrian Wilson at safety. In crucial moments, these players could often step up and make key defensive plays.
If you look at the Cardinals' five-game winning streak, their home wins against the Rams and Cowboys were both narrow victories in overtime. Their away wins against the Rams and the 49ers were both by only a field goal. Their away win against the Philadelphia Eagles was by four points. From this, we can see that their game mode is a back-and-forth, and in crucial moments, they rely on the brilliance of their key players, dancing on a tightrope to secure the victory. But as the saying goes, once is a coincidence, twice is luck, and three times is skill. The fact that the Cardinals were able to achieve a five-game winning streak shows that in addition to their key players, the overall level of their defense could also become tough in crucial moments, which is a necessary element.
There is no doubt that football is a team sport. The team is a whole, and only when all the parts come together can you win the game. But just like in soccer and basketball, the debate in the league about how to win a game has never stopped: How much do star players really affect the team? The New England Patriots were able to win three championships in four years in the new century because of Bill Belichick's coaching philosophy that the team is more important than the individual. Even Tom Brady had to be a cog in the team's tactics. So, their overall strength was the most balanced and stable, and they only missed the playoffs twice after 2000, in 2002 and 2008.
However, in their perfect 2007 season, the Patriots fell short in the Super Bowl, losing to Eli Manning's incredible performance in the clutch. This is the biggest counterexample, showing that the power of a star player in a crucial moment should never be underestimated. So, whether it's the team or the individual, the coaches and experts in the league all have their own opinions.
At least, judging from the Arizona Cardinals' past five wins, they won by relying on individuals. The Ravens' victory over the 49ers also relied heavily on Ray Lewis's individual performance. This is one way to win a game, and whether it's reliable or not is a matter of personal opinion.
In the Cardinals' defensive lineup, the weakest position is undoubtedly the cornerback. Peterson, who was a key player in the last game against the 49ers, is just a rookie and spends more time on special teams. The two starting cornerbacks on the field now, Richard Marshall and A.J. Jefferson, can only be described as average. At the same time, there are three rotational players at the cornerback position, and they are not to be trusted either, performing below the league average. In the past few weeks, they have been rotating different cornerback combinations, and the starters have been different almost every game, but they still haven't found the best combination. Jefferson was an undrafted rookie last year and is now a starting cornerback in this game, which shows the Cardinals' predicament.
On the field, the cornerback and wide receiver are opposing defensive positions. They are face-to-face, and their defensive range should cover the entire field, relatively closer to the medium and short-pass areas, but their main focus is still on covering the wide receiver. For teams with big wide receivers or teams that use two tight ends, they love to use the matchup advantage, pitting their big wide receiver or tight end against the cornerback to create a physical advantage and then complete the catch and continue running. This was exactly what the Cardinals' offense did earlier, where Fitzgerald was almost unstoppable.
Lu Ke noticed a small detail. Today, the Cardinals' defensive line and linebacker positions were slightly spread out and a little further up. At the same time, the cornerbacks and safeties were also slightly further up, heavily defending the short and medium-pass areas. This formation could be seen as successfully absorbing the essence of the Ravens' defense and turning it into their own style, specifically increasing the pressure on a quarterback scramble. The problem is that the average level of the Cardinals' front seven is not as good as the Ravens', and they don't have a Ray Lewis.
All of the above happened in just a quick scan of the field. The analysis and judgments flashed through his mind, taking only a second or two. The precise matchups and strict judgments were all clearly displayed in his mind like a computer, a realistic 3D blueprint. To others, this would be incredible, but for Lu Ke, hard work and dedication were the best ways to achieve his goals.
Reading the defense, in Lu Ke's dictionary, was never a hollow concept but the cornerstone of the entire offensive strategy. Then, based on the pre-game play calls, Lu Ke made a quick decision and judgment. Taking a deep breath, Lu Ke took a step forward and quickly changed the play. Based on the opponent's specific changes, the 49ers' tactics were also subtly adjusted. Then, Lu Ke took two big steps back and stood in a shotgun formation, a standard 2x2 base offensive formation, and began to call the snap count, but... It was all a deception.
Lu Ke knew that this was the 49ers' first offensive series of the game, and both the offense and the opposing defense would be highly focused. No one would jump the snap, but the fake snap count wasn't for jumping the snap. It was to create the illusion of a very complex offense. He could feel that the defensive players, led by Dockett, were itching to sack Lu Ke on the first play. Lu Ke had no problem with that, but he had no intention of just giving in. As expected, with a series of dazzling snap counts, neither side jumped the snap or was distracted. Their focus was high, and then Lu Ke officially announced the snap.
"Set, hut!"
The moment the football was in his hands, Lu Ke took a step back, a lateral step to the left, and moved his feet quickly. His eyes looked at the running route of the receiver on the left, and he raised his right hand to make a passing motion. In an instant, the Cardinals' entire defense was startled. It was fast, way too fast!
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