Chapter 642: A Torn-Up Roster
"No, no, this isn't good. Things don't look good for the San Francisco 49ers. Crabtree is down. He's on the ground and not getting up. What in the world happened?"
"On the slow-motion replay, we can see that this was a legal defensive play, with no excessive or illegal contact. Also, the Giants' number ninety-four outside linebacker, Mathias Kiwanuka, wasn't even at full speed. Vernon Davis's block stopped his momentum."
"But Vernon's positioning was a bit off, and he couldn't completely stop Kiwanuka. That's what led to the collision between Kiwanuka and Crabtree. But this seemingly harmless collision resulted in Crabtree not getting up. This is not good. The situation on the field is a bit chaotic now. The referees had to throw a flag to control the game. Players from both sides are shoving each other."
"What is going on?"
In the broadcast booth, Teddy and Kirk looked at each other, a bit shocked. The way the game was going was truly confusing. Although injuries were a part of the game and a series of injuries in one game wasn't unheard of, the current situation was simply beyond words.
Troy Aikman, who had experienced countless ups and downs in his career, was the first to calm down and began to commentate.
"The San Francisco 49ers, playing at home today, had a perfect start with a 17-0 lead. However, after the second quarter began, the game's development seems to be heading in a strange direction. The 49ers have already had two players injured and leave the game. If Michael Crabtree also has to leave, it would be a huge blow to the offense."
"For a young offense, this is a hurdle they have to overcome in their careers. They must calm down as soon as possible, stay focused, not be distracted, and continue the offense. Especially for the rookie quarterback Lu Ke, the rhythm and morale of the entire offense are in his hands. This is undoubtedly a severe test. It's incredibly difficult, but it's also incredibly important."
Aikman couldn't help but sweat a little, getting nervous for Lu Ke.
Forget a rookie quarterback. Even a top quarterback like Drew Brees would be tested time and time again in crucial moments because they were all human, not machines. It was impossible for them to be completely unaffected by outside influences. This was the biggest variable in competitive sports, and also its greatest charm.
Just then, cheers erupted in Candlestick Park. The red ocean of seventy thousand fans stood up in unison, cheering and shouting. This drew the attention of everyone in the broadcast booth. Then, Kirk's voice couldn't help but join the cheers.
"Crabtree is standing up!"
His slightly trembling voice revealed Kirk's tension and excitement.
In the stands, Jeff Lock watched Crabtree slowly stand up in disbelief. Then he started jumping and cheering wildly. The entire red ocean began to surge, and everyone was cheering madly, releasing all the emotions deep in their hearts.
But just then, the team doctor Walter helped Crabtree off the field.
Although Crabtree seemed to be fine, he still needed to be checked off the field to be safe. Crabtree raised his right hand and waved weakly, showing his gratitude. His wobbly steps and lowered head seemed to suggest that things weren't so good.
Jeff clenched his fists tightly. Frustration, anger, regret, and disappointment all churned in his chest, but he couldn't find a way to vent. Finally, his eyes fell on number fourteen. He was motioning for his teammates to gather, to quickly huddle up and discuss the play again. The calm and composed figure stood with his back straight, like a green pine tree, still standing tall in the storm.
Suddenly, Jeff's heart was hit hard.
Memories instantly flooded his mind. He remembered the Rose Bowl, the last-second winning touchdown, the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the game against the New Orleans Saints. Everything came rushing back. His nose tingled, and then he raised his hands high and started to shout.
"We are! The 49ers! We are! Warriors!"
The shouts gradually became one. Jonathan Baldwin didn't even have time to react before he saw his brother, Ryan Baldwin, joining the shouts with wild abandon. He waved his hands and shouted hoarsely, forgetting his illness and his difficulties. He just released all his vitality without holding back.
Jonathan's eyes became a little red. He turned around and saw all the fans shouting in unison. At this moment, the seventy thousand fans became one. They were all 49ers, and they were all warriors! They would stand firm behind the team and fight for this victory until the last moment!
Jonathan straightened his hunched back and joined the battle, his blood boiling!
Crabtree might have a concussion. Walter said that he had to go off the field to get a concussion test. Only after he was cleared could he return to the game. If there was a problem...
So, Crabtree was off the field.
Even though Crabtree insisted that he was fine and that he would be back in the second half after a checkup to rejoin their ranks and fight to win this game, the atmosphere inside the team was still a little tense. Without Ginn, without Crabtree, and without Anthony, their offense was now riddled with holes.
So, what should they do now?
Lu Ke was a little lost. In his limited career, he had never encountered a situation like this. A series of injuries had completely messed up his plan. He had to simulate the combinations in his playbook again and again. What was even more terrifying was the storm of sudden changes. Before one wave had settled, another came crashing down, making it hard to breathe.
Even with the system and the cheat, game experience couldn't be leveled up. It had to be accumulated one game at a time, one footprint at a time. There were no shortcuts.
But Lu Ke knew he couldn't panic.
As the captain of the offense and the brains of the offense, since he had enjoyed the flowers and applause, he now had to bear the responsibility and the burden. He had to calm down. He couldn't let his teammates see his panic, and he couldn't let the opponent see his nervousness. He had to regain control of the situation.
This was like a big mountain pressing on his chest, making him want to scream, but he had to remain calm on the outside.
Forcing himself to calm down, Lu Ke once again pushed all the chaotic thoughts out of his mind and refocused on the game. It wasn't easy, but he had no choice and no way out.
Crabtree and Ginn were both wide receivers. The San Francisco 49ers were now in a wide receiver crisis. To make things worse, Braylon Edwards was injured in practice and was on the injured list. So, the player who was replacing Braylon on the bench was a practice squad member, Brett Swain.
Yes, a practice squad member, just like Lu Ke was in college.
Swain was a seventh-round pick in 2008. He spent the first three years of his career with the Green Bay Packers and got a Super Bowl ring with the team last year. His resume included seven catches for eighty-one yards. He wasn't a rookie who had never been on a professional field. However, his talent and skills were limited, and he had a serious problem with drops. During his time with the Packers, he was also a member of the practice squad.
In the 2011 off-season, Swain was released by the Packers and then signed by the 49ers to be a member of the practice squad.
After a series of coincidences, Swain made his official debut in the NFC Championship.
But Swain clearly didn't understand the situation. He rushed onto the field in a daze and joined the huddle. His eyes were constantly darting around. Lu Ke noticed this and had to suppress his anxiety and calm down. "Brett, focus. I need you to focus on the game. On this play, you're running a corner route. Understand?"
Swain nodded blankly, not quite understanding. But his wildly darting eyes gave off a strong sense of unease.
Lu Ke felt a wave of helplessness. Just then, he heard the thunderous sound, "We are! The 49ers! We are! Warriors!" Over and over again, they unleashed an unimaginable energy in unison.
Lu Ke straightened his back and looked around. The vast, endless red ocean was boiling. A fighting spirit once again burned in his chest. This made Lu Ke clench his fists, cheering himself on. Then he looked at Swain and patiently explained again, "Don't worry about anyone else. After the snap, just run a corner route. Do you understand? Run at your highest speed and use all your energy. That's all you need to do!"
"Brett, our offense needs you! Do you understand?" Lu Ke's firm words were conveyed through his determined eyes. Then, he saw Swain's eyes gradually focus. He nodded heavily, showing that he understood.
"Good! We'll do this on the next play!" Lu Ke finally regained his focus. His eyes were burning as he looked at his teammates, bursting with a powerful fighting spirit. Then, he led the offense to line up again.
Looking at the defense on the other side of the field, Lu Ke's eyes didn't waver. His breathing gradually became steady. The entire field's positioning and layout were in his sight, as if he could feel the air flowing slowly between his fingertips. All the noise and all the panic faded away, and he entered a state of complete concentration again. Then...
"Hut!"
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