Chapter 323 321: On a Roll

"Wow! After suffering a loss, the San Francisco 49ers look like a whole new team in today's game. On their very first drive, they successfully advanced thirty-three yards on the ground! Beautiful! In the past four weeks, the team has relied entirely on their passing game to move the ball, so to see them open things up with the run today is truly a refreshing sight."

In the studio, Teddy didn't hide his surprise and admiration, then offered a more neutral assessment, "The Pirate Team, on their first defensive series, failed to show enough toughness or apply more pressure. If the two safeties hadn't gotten back in time, the consequences would have been even more dire."

"It was indeed unexpected," Kirk agreed. "But if you look at the replay, you can see that before the snap, Lu Ke read the defense, deciphering their intention to blitz from both sides. He then changed the play, using a mismatch and the momentum to successfully open up a lane in the middle, allowing Lynch to complete the run."

Finally, Kirk concluded, "This rookie quarterback is still showing great form today."

In the brief moment it took to say that, another roar erupted from the stadium. Kirk and Teddy were caught off guard and quickly switched back to the live feed, but they missed the beginning of the play, only catching the end—

Marcus Lynch, with the ball again, was tackled by two players at the thirty-three-yard line, brought to the ground, ending the advance.

After getting up, Lynch imitated King Kong, pounding his chest with his fists and letting out a crazed roar. The powerful, dominant shout instantly ignited the passion of the entire crowd, and thunderous cheers erupted, sending Candlestick Park into a frenzy once again.

"What happened? What just happened on the field? The San Francisco 49ers chose to run the ball again, and Marcus Lynch ran for another fourteen yards! Not only did they get the first down, but they've also led the offense to the thirty-three-yard line. Their running game, which has been sluggish for the past four weeks, has now picked up two huge gains in a row right at the start of the game. What is going on?"

Amidst Teddy's cry of astonishment, Fox Television immediately cut to a replay.

In the replay, after the snap, Lu Ke didn't immediately look to pass, nor did he hand it off right away. Instead, under Lynch's protection, he quickly moved to the right. The entire Offensive Line, like a barrier, shifted laterally to the right, and the whole San Francisco 49ers team advanced like a moving fortress.

The lateral misdirection stifled the Defensive Line's vertical rush and completely disrupted all the defensive matchups in the short-pass area. At the same time, Lu Ke spun and handed the football to Lynch.

Lynch slammed on the brakes, then burst quickly to his left. After shaking off a tackle from an outside linebacker, he continued to advance unstoppably. The Pirate Team's entire defensive formation was in shambles, completely unable to keep up. In the end, it took two safeties and a cornerback from the secondary to close the circle and complete the tackle.

On two consecutive plays, the Defensive Line and linebackers responsible for run defense couldn't stop Lynch, giving up huge yardage again and again. This truly let Lynch run with momentum and find his rhythm. That destructive, bulldozer-like running style ignited a tsunami of cheers in the stadium, sending the whole place into an uproar.

"One, two, three times! The San Francisco 49ers' number twenty-seven running back, Marcus Lynch, is on fire today! Once again, he broke three tackles to successfully advance for thirteen yards!" Watching the replay, Teddy couldn't help but get fired up. The powerful rushing and agile footwork were the perfect embodiment of the power and beauty of football!

Lynch, having activated his Beast Mode, ignited a heatwave of excitement throughout the stadium with his powerful and fierce performance, all while everyone was still finding their footing at the very start of the game.

This version of the San Francisco 49ers was truly unfamiliar.

"Astonishing, that was truly astonishing!" Kirk's eyes were wide, unable to believe what had just happened.

Kirk elaborated on his analysis, "In those two plays, Lu Ke showed astonishing poise and wisdom. His precise reads of the defense completely destroyed the Pirate Team's tactical setup and rhythm. He caught them off guard, opening things up with the run, and they've arrived at the edge of the red zone without even breaking a sweat. This isn't the first time I've said this, and it won't be the last, but are we sure Lu Ke is a rookie? Today's game has been exciting right from the start!"

...

The cheers and shouts were deafening. After two unstoppable runs, the fans were going absolutely wild, and a celebratory atmosphere filled Candlestick Park. But Lu Ke, the man who had orchestrated both running plays, remained calm and composed, his eyes filled with a killer instinct.

A touchdown. That was Lu Ke's goal.

"Hurry, hurry!" Lu Ke waved his hands quickly, signaling his teammates to gather around him, his expression focused and meticulous. "We need to snap the ball fast, pick up the pace. Multi-route formation. Watch the open space between the short and intermediate routes. Any questions?"

Noticing Lynch returning to the huddle, Lu Ke clapped him on the shoulder encouragingly. For a quarterback, an effective running game opens up everything, significantly reducing the pressure to pass. In the last two plays, the Offensive Line's blocking was crucial, and Lynch had proven his worth with an outstanding performance.

Even Lu Ke was amazed watching Lynch run.

Then, Lu Ke's focused gaze fell upon his teammates. He clenched his fist tightly. "Let's push the tempo as much as possible. They can't keep up with us now. All we need to do is maintain our rhythm, push forward, knock them all down, and get the touchdown!" Finally, Lu Ke extended his right hand into the center of the huddle. "On my command, on three, we all shout Touchdown!"

"One! Two! Three!"

"Touchdown!"

After that, without any more wasted words, the players scattered and returned to their positions.

The so-called multi-route formation was mainly used for passing plays.

Generally, it involved three receivers on one side and one on the other. The focus of the pass would shift to the side with three players, while the lone receiver on the other side would use varied routes to create an opening. If that didn't work, the three receivers would use each other as screens to disrupt the opponent's defensive formation and complete the pass.

In the past few games, Lu Ke had used this passing formation multiple times to great effect.

After getting into formation, Lu Ke carefully surveyed the Pirate Team's defensive alignment. On the right side, where three receivers were stacked, they had arranged three defenders—a cornerback, an outside linebacker, and a defensive end—in one-on-one coverage.

On the left, where Michael Crabtree was positioned by himself, there was a single cornerback. However, there was a large cushion between the corner and Crabtree; it wasn't one-on-one man coverage, but zone coverage, attempting to cover Crabtree's potential routes in the short and intermediate areas. As for the deep zone, that was left to the two safeties, who were positioned ten yards back and ready to provide help.

After two consecutive run defense failures, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense made adjustments. While tightly covering the passing lanes, the entire Defensive Line and the linebackers dropped back slightly, focusing more on short passes and run defense, which in turn weakened their pass rush. The cornerback on the left playing zone coverage was also a support player for the run defense, trying to prevent Lynch from breaking off another big gain.

Lu Ke's mind was clearer than ever. He wasn't cocky because of the two successful runs, nor was he distracted by the cheers of the home crowd. In a split second, he made his decision and decisively called for the snap. "Hut!"

Instantly, the four receivers shot off the line like arrows released from a bow.

Kyle Williams and Ted Ginn Jr., on the right, put their heads down and sprinted, running straight go-routes without any variation. The two players covering them in man-to-man stuck close, shadowing their every step.

Logan Newman, positioned on the right near the Offensive Line, and Michael Crabtree on the left, started their routes at the same time.

Newman cut inside from the right, running straight toward the cornerback on the left side, acting like a blender and mixing up all the players in the short and intermediate zones. Meanwhile, Crabtree cut inside from the left. After just a short sprint, a huge opening appeared right in front of him.

All Crabtree had to do was adjust his steps, turn his body, and get his hands ready. He even had time to see the moment Lu Ke released the ball. The next second, the football settled securely into his hands. He tucked it in, completing the catch. It was clean, simple, and almost effortless.

"The San Francisco 49ers' offense got to the line quickly, leaving almost no breathing room! They've opted for a multi-route formation, looking like they're set to pass, forcing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to adjust their defense, but… Hut! Lu Ke gets the snap off!"

Troy's eyes were wide and focused, unblinking as he watched every change on the field, then relayed the action with a torrent of words.

"Two players are running straight go-routes, and two are running shallow crossing routes, creating a cross in the short zone! An opening! There's an opening in the Pirate Team's defense!

"There was a miscommunication between the cornerback and the safety! Their coverage broke down, leaving the entire middle and left side of the field with no defenders! There's a massive amount of open space, and both players on the shallow crossing routes are open!"

Troy's chin lifted involuntarily. "Lu Ke, passes, fires! Crabtree is standing all alone in no-man's-land and makes the easy catch without any pressure! It was about a seven-yard pass to the right, but this isn't over! The entire field has opened up, and Crabtree is starting to run with the ball!"