An unexpected injury slightly disrupted the rhythm of the game, but for competitive sports, it's an indispensable component. After a brief adjustment, the game returned to normal. When the special teams came onto the field, all eyes were on David Akers. The biggest negative impact of the unexpected event fell on Akers's shoulders, but the veteran, who had been on the battlefield for many years, was unfazed. Under great pressure, he calmly kicked the extra point.
So, the score on the field changed again to 10:21. The San Francisco 49ers, playing away, further widened the score, firmly taking control of the game.
The Arizona Cardinals' offense, which came on after, was still struggling. In contrast, the San Francisco 49ers' defense was gaining momentum and getting into a rhythm. As a result, the rest of the first half ended in a dull way. In just a few minutes, there were a total of four yellow flags. The game was constantly interrupted, and the tension was getting thicker. The movements of both teams' players were noticeably more aggressive, but the Cardinals still couldn't get past midfield and regrettably failed to close the score before the end of the first half.
After the initial head-to-head battle, the two teams' performances began to go to different extremes, which was all reflected in the final score of the first half. The outcome of this highly anticipated game was a bit unusual, but it wasn't completely unexpected. So, after halftime, would the Cardinals bounce back, or would they continue to decline? Would the 49ers maintain their momentum, or would they become overconfident?
When the whistle for the second half blew, Kirk immediately noticed a change on the field. "Patrick Peterson is on the field. The Arizona Cardinals have finally put in the biggest contributor to their victory over the San Francisco 49ers in their last matchup!" The Arizona Cardinals had the first possession in the first half, so the San Francisco 49ers' offense had the first possession in the second half. Correspondingly, the Cardinals' defense came onto the field. During halftime, the coaching staff made a personnel change, and the most obvious and notable change was undoubtedly Peterson.
"In the first half, Peterson was mainly a special teams player, responsible for kick returns. He also had one play on offense, probably as a wide receiver. But he had almost no chance to perform and was completely lost on the field. Now, Peterson is finally back in his most familiar and best position: cornerback."
"Peterson is replacing Jefferson."
"In the first half, Jefferson's defensive performance was a concern. At least two touchdowns were scored directly on his side. The issues of defensive misalignment and missed tackles were very obvious, and the San Francisco 49ers made many breakthroughs on that side. Now that Peterson is in, he still faces a heavy burden: a continuous barrage from the 49ers' receivers. To some extent, this will also determine the outcome of the game."
After Kirk's brief introduction, Teddy's voice came in at the right time. "In the last matchup, Lu Ke threw three interceptions, a new career high for him in a single game. Two of those interceptions were from Peterson. So, in this game, will Lu Ke still have the courage to throw in Peterson's direction? Kirk, what do you think about this?" He didn't mention the conflict between the two teams off the field because that didn't represent ESPN's official stance, and he tried to avoid gossip as much as possible. But by bringing up the matter, he reminded the audience of the fierce battle on Twitter, which was known to everyone.
"Lu Ke vs. Peterson" - the second half of the game suddenly became something to look forward to.
"I'm not Lu Ke, so I can't make an accurate prediction." Kirk's half-joking response made Teddy chuckle. Then, Kirk seriously gave his opinion. "Personally, I don't think this will have an impact. As a quarterback, Lu Ke is not the kind of player who is afraid of challenges or confrontations. At the same time, his passing style has always been known for being bold and risky. If he were to be afraid of interceptions and play conservatively, the starting quarterback on the field right now might have to be a different person."
"That sounds very reasonable, but we'll have to wait for the game to give us the answer." Teddy nodded in agreement. "The second half is about to begin."
Standing on the field, Patrick Peterson lightly hopped from one leg to the other, adjusting his pace and breathing to get into the rhythm of the game. Compared to the pressure from everyone watching, he was very relaxed and confident. He was not affected at all; he was just eager and full of anticipation. Peterson was confident that the situation of the game was not as serious as it seemed. In the first half, the two Cardinals' cornerbacks were the biggest weak points, which allowed the 49ers' passing offense to make crucial third-down conversions. But if you think deeper, things looked a bit different.
Even though the cornerbacks were a weak link, the 49ers' offense was still struggling at times. Even though the passing offense had successfully opened up the game, two of the 49ers' three touchdowns were rushing touchdowns, and they relied on Marcus's sudden flash of brilliance, which couldn't happen a third time. Even though the Cardinals were temporarily at a disadvantage, it was not so much that the defense was playing poorly as it was that the offense couldn't keep up. The 10:21 difference was only 11 points, a gap that could be overcome with two offensive possessions.
In Peterson's eyes, Lu Ke was still the same quarterback who threw three interceptions. There was nothing to be afraid of. Unlike other players on the defensive side, a cornerback's job is relatively simple. Although defending running backs, blitzing quarterbacks, and making tackles are all part of their defensive duties, their number one priority is to defend the wide receivers, cut off the connection between the quarterback and the wide receiver, and block the quarterback's most important skill. In a way, cornerbacks and quarterbacks are natural enemies, like the point of a needle against the tip of a wheat awn.
As a rookie who just entered the league this year, Lu Ke, who was surrounded by countless halos in the media, was still a showboating Chinese-American quarterback from the rookie training camp in Peterson's eyes. Besides his perfect score on the Wonderlic test, all the hype and fame came from his Chinese heritage. As a cornerback, he didn't think Lu Ke was anything special. The last matchup proved this. With two interceptions, Peterson easily defeated the "Skywalker" who was sweeping the league and completely shut down the running routes of the two wide receivers, Ted Ginn Jr. and Kyle Williams. He even had some success in defending Logan Newman.
So in this game, he didn't see any problems either. In the second half, he would not only make an interception but also put more pressure on the short-pass area to create problems for the opponent's offensive line. Maybe, based on the last game, he would even get a sack on the quarterback today! The outcome of this game was still unknown! As rookies from the same class, the competition and comparison between them inevitably created a stronger motivation. To outsiders, they were players representing two teams. But to themselves, they were still rookies from the same draft class, and they were bound to compete in all aspects. Peterson was now eager to prove his worth!
Slowly, Peterson adjusted his center of gravity and got ready to defend. His eyes fell on number 14 behind the offensive line, staring intently and proudly announcing his grand entrance. Then, his gaze shifted to his matchups, Logan Newman and Kyle Williams.
Patrick Peterson, the fifth overall pick in this year's draft, is 5 feet 9 inches tall (185 cm) and weighs 203 pounds (92 kg). In comparison, Peterson is not a big cornerback. Compared to a tight end like Logan, he is at a complete disadvantage in terms of size. Logan weighs 263 pounds (120 kg) and is two sizes bigger than Peterson in both height and weight. It's not without reason that tight ends usually have the advantage when they go up against a cornerback one-on-one. But the key reason why Peterson was a first-round cornerback—the cornerback Richard Sherman from the same draft class was not selected by the Seattle Seahawks until the fifth round—was his excellent athleticism and his great performance in the rookie training camp.
In his matchups with tight ends, he can not only hold his own but also use his agility to get into a good position and make a defensive play. As for defending a wide receiver like Williams, who weighs only 186 pounds (84 kg), it was even easier for him. When Peterson came on the field, he immediately locked onto Williams. In this offensive formation, the cornerback was still matched up with a wide receiver, but his peripheral vision was always on Logan, because he knew that the two-man combination of Logan and Williams was a huge asset to the 49ers' offense on this side of the field.
The second half officially began, and the San Francisco 49ers started their drive from their own 20-yard line. First and 10. After the snap, Peterson showed an incredible amount of power, using the essence of an aggressive defense to the extreme. He took the initiative, made a quick step forward, and blocked Williams's running route. Then, he used the advantage of a "cornerback vs. wide receiver" matchup, using his height and weight to unexpectedly make a move, a push and a collision, which caught Williams completely off guard. Before Williams could react, he had been pushed out of bounds.
The war had begun!
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