"In that last offensive series, at the final moment, Lu Ke threw a 24-yard pass to connect with Ted Ginn Jr., who finished it off perfectly, successfully securing the San Francisco 49ers' fifth touchdown of the game. The third quarter is drawing to a close, and for the Arizona Cardinals, winning this game is becoming more and more difficult."
On the field, the game had resumed. Both special teams were taking the field, and Kirk Morrison and Teddy Bruschi had resumed their duties. It was now clear that there was a significant difference in the morale of the two teams.
On the 49ers' side, every player on the special teams high-fived Lu Ke before they took the field. They were showing their support and approval for the team's starting quarterback. On the Cardinals' side, however, it was dull and depressing, especially for Patrick Peterson. After Ginn scored the touchdown, Peterson lay on the grass for a long time, unable to get up. He seemed to still be in a state of shock from the heavy blow. Even after he stood up, Peterson's body language was a bit lost, as if he had lost his way and couldn't find the right path. He stood there, his eyes aimlessly searching, revealing a deep sense of helplessness. What had just happened? How did it all happen?
"Cornerback, cornerback, cornerback. The Cardinals' cornerback position has been completely useless in this game. If it weren't for the linebackers and safeties assisting in the defense, the situation would be even worse," Kirk pointed out the biggest problem on the field, which was also the direct reason why the two teams couldn't compete. Teddy took over the conversation. "So, what changes do you think the Cardinals need to make in the rest of the game to keep up with the rhythm of the game, or even get a glimpse of hope for a comeback?"
"Cornerback is the first thing that needs to be addressed. Peterson and Kevin Marshall, both cornerbacks must do their jobs. It's okay if the opponent catches the ball, but they absolutely, under no circumstances, should miss a tackle! Once you let the 49ers' receiving team get up to speed, it will be a terrible thing." Kirk ruthlessly called out two players by name. The heroes of the last game were becoming the villains in this one. A breakdown in one area immediately caused a chain reaction.
"Secondly, stop the run. Right now, the Cardinals have put a lot of players into blitzing the quarterback, trying to put more pressure on the opposing quarterback. This is a good thing. From the looks of it, Lu Ke has been passing under pressure, which has indeed created more opportunities for the Cardinals' defense. But, don't forget the running game!"
"Let's look back at the first half. Marcus Lynch's running game got a total of 87 yards, and that was just for the first half, and it turned into two touchdowns. The strength of the running game laid the foundation for the passing game, which in turn created more space for Lu Ke's deep passes."
"The Cardinals need to be able to contain Lynch's running and pulling while blitzing the quarterback. This is crucial. Now, the Cardinals are in a completely disadvantageous position. The complete collapse of the defense is a major key. But also, we can't forget about the offense. Larry Fitzgerald alone cannot help the Cardinals turn the game around."
Objectively speaking, Kirk's analysis was a bit insufficient, because in this game, the San Francisco 49ers were dominating. Relatively speaking, the Arizona Cardinals were facing challenges at every position. It was not that simple for them to turn things around. Kirk could only start with the key positions.
At this time, both special teams had finished the extra point kick and the kickoff return. David Akers, in a relaxed environment, was in good form and easily kicked the extra point, keeping his extra point success rate at 100% for the season. With that, the score was now 10-35. Even if the Cardinals chose a two-point conversion after every touchdown and succeeded, they would still need at least four offensive possessions to turn the game around, and that's only if the 49ers didn't score again. It was a monumental task!
But in the face of such a difficult situation, the Cardinals' first step had to be to score on offense. In this offensive series, they had to get points, even if it was just a field goal. This would be an important breakthrough, because after the first quarter, they hadn't been able to cross midfield, let alone attempt a field goal or a touchdown. This was the biggest reason why the game had spiraled out of control.
The Cardinals' coaching staff also realized this. During the kickoff return, they didn't choose a fair catch. Instead, they surprisingly chose to return the ball. The 49ers' special teams, who were in charge of the kickoff, didn't expect this at all and were caught off guard. However, they were still able to form a circle in time and avoid a bigger disaster. They made the tackle on the Cardinals' 36-yard line, ending the kickoff return.
John Skelton led the offense onto the field, or rather, Larry Fitzgerald led the offense onto the field. The 36-yard line was their best starting position in the game so far. There were less than four minutes left in the third quarter. If they couldn't get points in this offensive series, the game could very well turn into garbage time.
Realizing this, the Cardinals' offense unleashed an unprecedented amount of energy. It wasn't just Fitzgerald. The running and short-passing games also started to open up. They ran and passed, successfully crossing midfield, and Fitzgerald made a crucial third-down conversion, entering the San Francisco 49ers' red zone. In the intense defensive clash in the red zone, the 49ers quickly got their act together and made three beautiful defensive plays in a row, leaving the Cardinals empty-handed.
Facing such a dilemma, the Cardinals finally decided to go for it all, choosing to go for it on fourth down. Both the offense and defense lined up again. But this was just a trick. The Cardinals were only trying to fake a snap and draw an offside penalty, hoping to get a first down automatically. However, the 49ers' defense was highly focused and didn't make a mistake. So, the Cardinals could only intentionally delay the snap beyond the play clock, which resulted in a five-yard penalty. Then, they brought in their special teams for a field goal attempt.
The reason for this choice was, first, to avoid wasting a timeout, which they might need at a critical moment. Second, this was a 20-yard field goal attempt. It was too close to the goalposts, which made it easier for the opposing special teams to block it. This would require the kicker to kick the ball with a higher and steeper arc, and there was a chance the opponent could knock the ball down. After the five-yard penalty, it would be a 25-yard field goal, which would be relatively easier.
In the end, the Cardinals chose a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-three. This small detail showed that they still lacked the gambler's mentality that Jim Harbaugh had. Faced with a score and a situation that was completely stacked against them, they still couldn't truly go all in and take a risk. In a no-win situation, they still chose the safe option of a field goal. A field goal, with the score at 10-35, was just a drop in the bucket. It was this lack of an aggressive, do-or-die attitude that led to the Arizona Cardinals being completely dominated by their opponents today and being unable to use their home-field advantage.
Of course, this was just Monday morning quarterbacking. It was easy to have an opinion, but it was hard to execute in a game. After careful consideration, the Cardinals finally chose a field goal, hoping to score quickly and at least open up the offense, and then look for more opportunities in the fourth quarter. So, the Cardinals' veteran kicker, Jay Feely, came onto the field again. He would normally make 100 out of 100 attempts at a 25-yard field goal. But today, Feely missed it. He unbelievably missed it. The angle and direction were so far off that everyone was stunned. Feely stood in place with a look of disbelief on his face, unable to move for a long time.
They gave up the risk and chose the safe option, but now the safe option had failed. Missing this field goal basically sealed the Cardinals' fate. Although there were still 15 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and a 25-point difference was huge, it wasn't the end of the world. However, the hope for a comeback was too slim. This was because the 49ers' offense was in great form today. Unless they suddenly collapsed in the fourth quarter, had three-and-outs in a row, or even gave away turnovers, the Cardinals wouldn't have a chance. But was that possible?
To that, Lu Ke's answer was: absolutely not! Before the game officially started, Lu Ke had already seen a hint in his game objectives: "Complete a specified formation pass in the fourth quarter. Objective: Advance at least 30 yards in a screen pass or a 2x2 formation." On one hand, this meant that he still had to be on high alert in the fourth quarter and not let his guard down at all. The opponent was definitely watching, waiting for an opportunity, and they would not let any chance slip by. On the other hand, this also meant that the fourth quarter would be about control. Not only controlling the clock by running it down as much as possible, but also making steady advancements and getting more effective first downs. This would further drain the clock and achieve the goal of controlling the game. The two offensive formations in the game objectives were actually basic formations. Instead of focusing on offense, they were more about making steady short-pass advancements. In other words, they were about controlling the game through a combination of techniques and tactics. This was another precise job for a quarterback.
Lu Ke would not take this lightly. He was determined to win this victory!
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