Chapter 791: All Heart
Ted Ginn's performance today was truly average. The consecutive bursts in the first three regular-season games seemed to have released all the energy he had accumulated during the offseason, leading to an inevitable drop in both his mental and physical state.
However, this was only relative to his peak performance. Overall, he was still able to execute the tactics unswervingly. After all, he had been working with Lu Ke for most of the season, and he had enough trust and understanding of Lu Ke's game sense. All he needed to do was run to the right spot at the right time, and that was not a problem.
Just like in this play.
According to the original plan, Ginn's running route was a deep vertical route, which he was best at, to create a threat with his sheer speed, disrupting the cornerback and safety's judgment. The passing targets were in the short-pass area, and Vernon, Logan, and Marcus were all potential receiving points. Moss was also a disruptive piece.
Because they all knew that Moss was in good form now and was obviously the best choice, it was easy to distract the defense.
After the offensive tactic was changed, Ginn's running route still remained the same, but the offensive target was changed. It could be a run, or it could be a deep pass. The former would naturally be completed by Marcus, while the latter could be either Moss or Ginn, depending on the situation after the advance.
The meaning was to use the multiple routes in the short-pass and middle-pass areas to attract the defense's attention, and then create a running lane for a nearby or distant receiver.
For Ginn, his tactical execution didn't need to change much. The only difference was his focus. Originally, he only had to pretend to be a receiver, but now he had to be truly ready to receive. His focus and observation skills had to be adjusted accordingly, but the defensive players couldn't tell.
After the snap, Ginn didn't immediately speed up. Instead, he used long strides to adjust his running rhythm. This created a false impression that his running speed wasn't too fast, which prevented the covering cornerback, Corey Webster, from immediately speeding up. Instead, he kept adjusting his steps in place, holding his position.
Closer, even closer.
He could clearly see Webster, who was rapidly approaching. Just as the cornerback was about to get into position, Ginn suddenly accelerated. With an instant burst of power, he zipped past Webster. In terms of adjusting his center of gravity, Webster immediately lost the upper hand. He could only watch helplessly as Ginn fully accelerated, and it took him three or four yards before he could even speed up himself.
Webster was a light and agile cornerback. Objectively speaking, in his one-on-one coverage with Ginn, his physique was not at a disadvantage. He was even stronger and had a slight advantage. But the problem was that speed was not his strong suit, and he was also three years older than Ginn.
With his anticipation already a step behind, it became even more difficult for Webster to catch up to Ginn. Nevertheless, Webster gritted his teeth and tried his best to keep up.
Ginn, on the other hand, truly showcased his speed talent, leaving everyone in the dust. The distance from the line of scrimmage to the end zone was a full 43 yards. This was an incredibly wide space, like a vast prairie, giving Ginn plenty of room to run wild.
While pushing his speed to the limit, he used his peripheral vision to scan the field, and he could see the safety Antrel Rolle.
He was a two-time Pro Bowler, and like Webster, he was a 2005 draft pick, but Rolle was the eighth overall pick in the first round.
After honing his skills with the Arizona Cardinals, he exploded in his contract year in 2009, making his first Pro Bowl and being selected to the All-Pro Second Team. He then transferred to the New York Giants and made the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year. His performance dropped slightly last year, but he won the Super Bowl with his team.
Rolle was a safety with a very strong interception ability. He successfully intercepted Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys in the season opener, and in today's game, he was one of the few bright spots in the New York Giants' secondary defense.
This experienced safety instantly lowered his center of gravity, getting into a defensive position.
At that moment, Ginn not only didn't avoid him, but he even took a few quick steps to the left, as if he was advancing toward Rolle, giving up on the plan of a deeper vertical route and instead cutting into the area where the middle and deep passes meet, looking for an open space in the middle.
Rolle's professional instinct immediately reacted. He shifted his center of gravity back a little, further blocking all potential running routes, ensuring that he could keep up and make a play on the pass in time.
But the next moment, Ginn adjusted his center of gravity again, continuing to advance into the deep vertical area, and his speed exploded for a second time, truly showcasing his physical talent to the fullest. Unlike Moss's effortless running style, Ginn's talent was clearly not as outstanding, but when it exploded to the limit, it still showed an unstoppable impact.
Both Rolle and Webster cried out in shock.
"Snap!"
"Lu Ke fakes the hand-off. Lu Ke drops back quickly. Lu Ke is looking! It's a mess. The area from the Giants' 40-yard line to the 35-yard line is a complete mess. It seems all the players are gathered here. What's going on? Lu Ke passes! Lu Ke doesn't hesitate or falter, he chooses to pass decisively!"
"It's a... deep pass! My God, a deep pass! It's a deep pass!"
"Facing a first-and-10, Lu Ke broke expectations for the second consecutive time, boldly and crazily choosing a deep pass. This is truly courageous! This kind of Lu Ke looks nothing like his stable and solid style this season. Instead, he's once again showcasing the heroic and fierce strength from his rookie season. He's not afraid to make a risky pass! This is a deep pass!"
"The target is... Ted Ginn! Ted Ginn, who has been performing averagely in this game!"
"Ginn is accelerating to the max, leaving Webster behind with his absolute speed advantage! He's widening the gap. A change of direction! Wait, another change of direction! Ginn makes two consecutive changes of direction, successfully deceiving Rolle and shaking his defensive center of gravity, winning a lane! Ginn is still accelerating, advancing with force! Ginn! Ginn!"
"25-yard line! 20-yard line! 15-yard line! Ginn's speed has reached the limit! Webster and Rolle are trying to double-team him, and Ginn's running route has been completely squeezed. There is no room for him to change direction. Ginn is in a full sprint! Speed! Speed!"
"10-yard line! 5-yard line! Ginn! Ginn is rushing forward! Ginn is still sprinting! Lu Ke's pass has arrived at its destination on time. It's a 40-yard deep pass! 40 yards! This kind of Lu Ke is truly terrifying. A 40-yard deep pass with no deviation, accurately landing around two or three yards in front of the end zone!"
"Ginn is adjusting his steps! There is still a little space between him and the football! Ginn! Ted Ginn! Ginn completes the catch in a 'monkey-scoops-the-moon' pose! He succeeded! He successfully caught the football!"
"Miraculous! It's too miraculous!"
"Ginn got in between Webster and Rolle's closing window, and he not only completed the catch but also rushed into the end zone! My God, Webster grabbed Ginn's legs, trying to stop his advance, and the two of them rolled into the end zone together! Rolle was a half-step late!"
"Ginn has control of the football! There is no doubt that the football is still firmly in Ginn's arms! It's a touchdown! My God, the San Francisco 49ers have completed another spectacular touchdown!"
"On the 43-yard line! First-and-10! Lu Ke's pass choice was undoubtedly bold and arrogant. He broke all assumptions and chose a crazy deep pass! This is precisely the spectacular skill that made Lu Ke a sensation in the league in his rookie season. Now, without anyone noticing, he has once again completed an incredible surprise attack!"
"A 40-yard deep pass, accurately finding Ginn! Ginn, who has been lacking in highlights in this game, has showcased his vertical threat ability to the fullest in this catch, shaking off Webster with his absolute speed and deceiving Rolle with his precise movements, winning a narrow receiving space for himself! He did it! He completed it! It's a touchdown!"
"Unbelievable! This is truly unbelievable!"
"The New York Giants' defense has completely shifted their focus. The heavily-loaded front line completely missed all the offensive tactical points. In this tactical game and showdown, the defense is once again at a disadvantage, becoming a backdrop for this spectacular touchdown!"
"The San Francisco 49ers' offense has awakened!"
"From 14:35 to 34:35—now the San Francisco 49ers only need to complete an extra point kick to erase the three-touchdown deficit and tie the score! With such a strong performance, they have successfully reversed the disadvantage in just over a quarter of time and brought the game back to the same level. Now, the suspense of winning or losing must be marked with a big question mark!"
"Wow, this game is truly amazing! The first half was already exciting enough, but the second half is even more shocking! The three-touchdown deficit was tied in the blink of an eye! Bold, it's truly too bold, and also incredibly aggressive, risky, and crazy! This San Francisco 49ers' offense is truly fascinating!"
"Does this kind of Lu Ke truly have the potential to become a top-tier quarterback? But what is certain is that he has already become the soul of this team!"
"Don't forget, the New York Giants are one of the teams in the entire league that is best at playing in the fourth quarter, and they are also the team that is best at playing from behind. And Eli Manning is a famous quarterback with a big heart! In the past two matchups, Eli Manning created miracles, fighting relentlessly until the last second. So, what about today?"
"At least for now, the home fans are all boiling over! This is a moment of celebration! This is a moment of joy! This is also a moment of a huge morale boost! Listen, can you hear it?"
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