Chapter 638: Familiar Rhythm
"Touchdown!"
"Touch... down...! It's a touchdown! The San Francisco 49ers have scored the first touchdown!"
On the field, the referee raised his hands high to confirm the touchdown. In an instant, the entire Candlestick Park went crazy.
Time after time, on this field, they celebrated the joy of touchdowns. The history of even a single passing touchdown being incredibly difficult during the preseason was completely in the past. But time after time, every new touchdown still managed to ignite their passion and happiness. It was tireless and never faded.
The roar, like a huge wave, surged through the broadcast booth, making their ears buzz. Aikman was still a little unaccustomed to it, but Teddy and Kirk were used to it. The reputation of being the league's rising "House of Horrors" was well-deserved.
"This season, the San Francisco 49ers are the team with the highest scoring rate on the first drive in the league. The power and stability they show on their opening drive always allow them to gain the upper hand against the opposing defense. This also means that their pre-game preparation is more thorough and they have better execution."
"Today, rookie quarterback Lu Ke once again showed excellent stability and decisiveness!"
"On the first drive, after getting two successful first downs with runs, facing the New York Giants' blitz, Lu Ke used a fake motion to successfully fool the season's best player, Jason Pierre-Paul. Then he threw a thirty-nine-yard long pass that accurately found Ted Ginn, who had created an open space! He rushed into the end zone in one go and completed the touchdown!"
"Whether it was the tactical setup from reading the defense or his calm response to a crisis, the 49ers' quarterback, Lu Ke, once again showed a poise and calmness that was uncharacteristic of a rookie. Standing on the NFC Championship stage, his very first pass was a long-pass touchdown! This can't help but make you think of Lu Ke's first pass of his career!"
Kirk's words instantly brought the memories of the San Francisco 49ers fans back to the beginning of the season. In their home opener against the Seattle Seahawks, Lu Ke's first pass was a sixty-six-yard super-long bomb that went directly into the end zone for a touchdown. It was a stunning debut, which was followed by a legendary season that shined throughout the entire league.
The moment the football left his fingertips, with the delicate touch and wrist control, Lu Ke knew that there was no problem with this pass. Now it was up to Ginn to make the catch.
After his long-pass accuracy broke the perfect score barrier, his passing motion and use of power didn't change drastically, but the control of the details became more accurate and subtle. It was difficult to describe in words, but the entire motion and position judgment became more fluid and effortless, as if it was completely natural.
A perfect long-pass accuracy score doesn't mean a 100% long-pass completion rate, nor does it mean a 100% fine-tuned long-pass control. Mistakes were bound to happen. A player is not a computer or a video game character. It just meant that his long-pass skills had reached their peak. Just from the moment of release, Lu Ke knew what the pass would be like.
Just like now, Lu Ke knew he had it!
Sure enough, Ted Ginn didn't let down Lu Ke's trust and expectations. Not only did he make the catch, but he also fully utilized his speed advantage. He was in a class of his own. Without any physical contact, he completely used his speed to create a mismatch and get ahead of the defense. He rushed into the end zone in one go and scored a touchdown!
"Nice!" Lu Ke clenched his fists, squeezing harder and harder until his arm muscles started to tremble slightly. Then he chopped his arm down, and the emotions that were welling up inside him instantly exploded and were released.
Standing on the stage of the NFC Championship, the weight of the game was different after all. From the atmosphere to the mood to the form, everything had changed subtly. Under the eyes of everyone and driven by the desire for the Super Bowl stage, it was inevitable that he would be a little rusty.
Now, with a touchdown, that tension was completely released. Then he gradually calmed down because Lu Ke knew that this would be an incredibly tough game. They had a great start, but to have the last laugh, they had to give it their all.
He looked up, his eyes sharp and determined, facing Pierre-Paul's challenge head-on. The matchup in Week 10 of the regular season was in the past. This was a brand new game, and everything was starting from scratch! He wouldn't be afraid, he wouldn't back down, and he wouldn't retreat! This was a showdown with no way back.
He was ready, and this touchdown was his statement!
As David Akers steadily kicked the extra point, the score was 7-0. The San Francisco 49ers, playing at home, scored first. The familiar formula and the familiar taste. In this Conference Championship game, the 49ers once again successfully seized the initiative and had a perfect start!
With the cheers of the home fans, the game gradually entered the familiar rhythm of the San Francisco 49ers.
The defense, which was ranked third in the league in the regular season, showed an absolutely tough attitude. After Eli Manning came out, the defense forced the New York Giants into a third-and-ten situation on three consecutive drives.
It wasn't just third down, but third-and-ten, which meant that the first and second downs were unsuccessful. The Giants couldn't open up the situation with either a pass or a run. They were completely in a desperate situation, which showed how tough the 49ers' defense was.
But Eli Manning was fearless, showing his tough, clutch attitude that was famous throughout the league. He connected with wide receiver Victor Cruz once, handed off to running back Ahmad Bradshaw once, and found tight end Jake Ballard once. He completed three consecutive third-down conversions, with a 100% success rate, which once again showed Eli Manning's great potential in a crisis.
The 49ers' defense was great, and the Giants' offense was even better!
However, the defense led by Patrick Willis wasn't shaken at all. After a whole regular season of practice, they had gradually found their own rhythm and built up confidence and discipline. They continued to execute their defense steadily. Then—
On first and ten, the defensive line stopped running back Brandon Jacobs in time. The wall-like defense didn't give the opponent any room to run with the ball. They didn't lose any yards.
On second and ten, the cornerbacks and safeties worked together to hold their positions, not giving Victor Cruz any room to jump. They cleanly made an incomplete pass.
On third and ten, defensive end Justin Smith and outside linebacker Aldon Smith worked together to break through the offensive line's pocket, forcing Eli Manning to scramble in the pocket in a panic. The two of them relentlessly closed in, like a cat chasing a mouse. In the end, they forced Eli Manning into a dead end. He didn't even have time to throw the ball out of bounds. They executed a powerful sack.
So... it was fourth and nineteen.
The New York Giants didn't struggle and sent in their special teams to punt the ball.
The defense's continuous pressure suppressed the Giants' offense, which made the entire game relatively dull. It was as if Eli Manning was dancing on a knife's edge, always surviving on the edge of a cliff, barely managing to advance. But since they hadn't fully warmed up at the beginning of the game, they still couldn't open up the situation.
It took almost six minutes in total, but the New York Giants still unfortunately couldn't score.
The 49ers' offense, which was back on the field, seemed energetic and in good form. Lu Ke set up with short passes, a series of dazzling and quick short-pass plays. He waited for an opportunity to attack the middle of the field and used the running game to help out. The offense was powerful and impressive, and the Giants' defense was struggling to keep up.
They faced two third-down conversions. In one, they used a two-running-back formation to confuse the defense, and Kendall Hunter successfully advanced. In the other, they used a two-tight-end formation with a cross-run to easily complete a pass and get a first down.
After steadily advancing past the halfway line, they reached the twenty-two-yard line.
Without any warning, Lu Ke, who had been sticking to short passes, suddenly went for a long pass. It was a twenty-five-yard pass aimed at the back of the end zone, and the target was Logan, who was on the right side.
Logan used a change of pace to successfully get away from two defensive players, earning about two yards of space to catch the ball. But there was a problem with his steps. After getting his rhythm wrong, he couldn't align with the landing spot and direction of the football. His helmet hit the ball before his hands, and the strong counterforce sent the football flying.
Just like a missed header in a soccer game, the ball flew into the stands.
The entire stadium sighed in disappointment. If Logan had made the catch, they would have had a two-touchdown lead.
But, a miss is a miss. As the defensive intensity gradually increased, the difficulty of the offense naturally increased as well.
Then, it was second and ten.
Lu Ke handed the ball to Marcus. Because the field was too wet, Marcus's feet slipped a little, and he couldn't get up to full speed. After running for two yards, he was instantly surrounded and had no choice but to stop his advance.
Then, it was third and eight.
Lu Ke threw a screen pass to Crabtree. The precise throw in the shadow of the defender's shoulder was a success, but two defenders hit Crabtree and knocked the ball out of his hands. After the referees talked it over, they ruled that Crabtree didn't have control of the ball, so it was an incomplete pass.
So, it was fourth and eight.
This time, Harbaugh didn't choose to take a risk because there was no point in gambling. He chose to go for a field goal.
David Akers led the special teams onto the field. He successfully kicked the thirty-seven-yard field goal, and the score was 10-0.
And just like that, the first quarter was over.
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