Chapter 326 324: Calling the Shot

After the kickoff, the San Francisco 49ers' four receivers were like four sharp daggers, pushing forward rapidly in straight lines, cutting deep into the heart of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' territory and wreaking havoc. None of the four men cut or changed their routes; they simply ran the most direct, simplest, and most effective straight lines, pushing their individual strengths and momentum to the absolute limit.

From the thirty-three-yard line starting position, the four straight routes, varying in speed and power, created distinctly different paths as they threw the Pirate Team's backfield into total disarray.

On the right side, Logan Newman and Kyle Williams started and accelerated simultaneously. Within just ten yards, Williams had already hit his top speed, pushing it to the limit. With the opposing cornerback in tow, he cut sharply into the red zone, streaking like an arrow toward the End Zone. The safety on that side of the field also began to move quickly to provide support.

In contrast, speed was not Newman's strong suit. Even as he tried to accelerate again and again, the number fifty-eight outside linebacker, Quincy Blake, shadowed him step-for-step in man-to-man coverage. But Newman's size gave him a mismatch advantage. He kept pressing against his opponent, his running powerful and strong, and he gradually started to gain a more favorable position in the matchup.

The twenty-five-yard line, the twenty, the fifteen, the ten...

A running distance of about twenty yards passed in the span of a single breath. Then, Lu Ke raised his right arm, flicked his forearm, and the football shot out, cutting through the air. It captured the attention of all seventy thousand fans in the stadium as it sailed unstoppably toward the End Zone!

Newman had no intention of slowing down, but with an abrupt twist of his feet, he turned his body around. His eyes locked onto the football's trajectory. He then slammed his shoulder into Blake, using his physical advantage to overpower him while his feet continuously adjusted his position. Just then, he caught another figure lunging toward him in his peripheral vision—

The cornerback.

The cornerback who had been covering Williams noticed the direction of Lu Ke's pass. He decisively abandoned Williams and charged over in just a few long strides, attempting to form a pincer with Blake to bracket the receiver and break up the pass.

At the critical moment, Newman didn't panic. Instead, he grew even more fired up. He planted his feet and leaped high into the air, beating the two defenders before their trap could close and before they could box him out. He went up a step early to snag the ball at the apex of its downward arc.

In mid-air, his right arm extended fully, like a beautiful bow slowly being drawn taut. For a fleeting instant, time and space seemed to stand still, but Newman's focus never wavered. His large hand clamped down firmly on the football—the familiar force, the familiar spin, the familiar feel. A powerful force immediately erupted from his fingertips, securing the football in a death grip.

The next moment, his body began to heed the call of gravity and descend.

"Snap of the ball, and they're on the attack. Lu Ke raises his arm to pass, Marcus Lynch tears open a small gap, but... it's not to Lynch! Lu Ke executes a play-action fake, then turns to complete the pass. The football traces a short parabola through the air, finding Logan Newman perfectly in stride as he breaks forward."

"Newman is caught in a double-team by two defenders! He leaps high into the air, wow, a one-handed catch! He makes a spectacular one-handed catch, wow! A one-handed catch! Using his physical advantage, he powerfully overpowers the number fifty-eight defender covering him and makes the reception just before the number twenty cornerback can get there to help! That was absolutely beautiful!"

Witnessing Newman's one-handed catch again, Troy was still breathless with amazement. Surrounded by two players, the reception once again showcased Newman's incredible talent for catching, his feel for the ball and his form both praiseworthy. However, just as Troy thought the play was over, that Newman would be stopped at the four-yard line—as a combined tackle from two defenders should have been enough to bring him down—but then—

"What, what just happened? Newman broke into the End Zone! After making the catch, Newman charged into the End Zone for a Touchdown! Touchdown! The San Francisco 49ers have scored another Touchdown! Thanks to an interception, the 49ers' Offense Team got to start their drive at the Pirate Team's thirty-three-yard line. Lu Ke used a play-action fake to fool the Defense Line, then delivered a long pass of about thirty yards from a stable pocket, and it was Newman who completed the reception!"

Everything happened so fast that even the commentators could barely keep up. It seemed that in the span of a single breath, a single blink, the situation on the field had changed completely.

The same was true for Kirk and Teddy from Fox Television. After confirming the sequence of events with the replay, gasps of surprise and admiration escaped them involuntarily.

"Facing a double-team from two defenders, Newman first used a preemptive jump to make a successful one-handed catch. Then, on his way down, he used his body and momentum to shrug off the number twenty cornerback who came in for support. After that, the tackle from the Pirate Team's number fifty-eight outside linebacker failed to hold; he only managed to grab Newman's jersey. But Newman paid it no mind, relentlessly driving forward, and finally shook off Blake's tackle to break into the End Zone! That was just... wow."

Such is the charm of sports, always leaving one breathless and speechless with amazement.

"On that drive, Newman's performance can only be described as unstoppable. He made the catch in a brutally dominant fashion, shook off the tackle, and successfully scored the Touchdown. The two defenders were helpless, able to do nothing but watch as their opponent entered the End Zone. This is the rookie Tight End's sixth Touchdown of the season. A truly stunning performance!"

Another play from the thirty-three-yard line, another passing play, another battle on the right side, another successful Touchdown. The only difference was that last time, Crabtree made the catch in the short-pass area and bulldozed his way in for the score. This time, Newman used his mismatch advantage in the Long Pass Area to make the catch and muscle his way into the End Zone for the Touchdown.

"That's it! That's it!" Newman sprinted over deliriously, shouting and laughing the whole way. He threw his arms open and rushed toward Lu Ke, finally giving him a massive hug and planting a kiss on his helmet. "That's what I'm talking about! Beautiful, what a beautiful pass!"

After Crabtree scored a Touchdown, Newman had demanded one for himself. And so, a few minutes later, Newman reaped a Touchdown of his own. Ask and you shall receive!

"Santa Claus, I want one too! I want one too!" Williams raised his right hand high, shouting repeatedly. Then Gene and Crabtree both came over to join in on the fun. Even Rupati and Davis started to get in on the act, and the whole team's atmosphere was light and lively, immersed in pure joy.

Even Lu Ke himself had not expected the game to unfold this way.

'It was true that after the last game, his base points had increased, and his improved Tactical Awareness had been evident in the offense so far in this game. Moreover, after suffering a loss, their preparations this week had been all-out and exceptionally thorough, and his read of the Pirate Team's Defense Team was sufficiently on point and deep.'

'But, even so, this kind of start still took Lu Ke by surprise.'

'Based on their games over the past four weeks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' three-and-one record was definitely not just luck. But in today's game, they seemed affected by playing away from home. Their form was never at its peak, and after failing to keep up with the defensive tempo on the first drive, their subsequent tactical setups and execution were lackluster.'

As a result, Lu Ke hadn't even broken a sweat, and the San Francisco 49ers had already taken a huge "14-0" lead at home. David Akens' extra point was good, sailing straight through once again to further solidify the fruits of the 49ers' offensive efforts.

Even more incredibly, less than five minutes of game time had passed. It felt like the players hadn't even finished warming up, yet the score had already changed dramatically.

'Of course, this was just the beginning. Gaining the upper hand didn't mean victory was assured—the San Francisco 49ers had learned that the hard way in weeks two and four of the regular season. So, they still couldn't let their guard down.'

...

The entire Candlestick Park was in an uproar. Since the start of the game, the fans hadn't had a moment to sit down. A Touchdown, then an interception, followed immediately by another Touchdown. They hadn't even had time to take a bite of their hot dogs before the team had seized a commanding lead. For the fans in attendance, it was a wild party, with wave after wave of celebratory cheers echoing endlessly throughout the stadium.

Jeff Locke leaped up, waving his right hand and shouting gleefully, "I told you! I told you all!"

Though no one knew who Jeff was yelling at, and no one around him paid him any mind as they were all busy cheering enthusiastically, Jeff didn't care in the slightest. He just kept celebrating with abandon. "That's Bambi, that's Bambi! He always creates miracles! Do you believe it? Do you believe it? God, I told you!"

In the vast sea of red, Jeff was just a tiny ripple in an ocean of waves. Then he saw Jonathan Baldwin stand up, clench both fists, and yell, "One more!"

Jeff stared at Jonathan, dumbfounded. "You're a madman! That's two in a row, and it's still not enough? You want another one? If you guys keep this up, what are the Pirate Team supposed to do? You're just trying to drive them into the ground, aren't you?"

Jonathan let out a hearty laugh and shrugged. "Looks like you get my meaning, then."

Jeff froze for a second, then burst out laughing. "That's what I like to see." With that, Jeff beckoned for all his buddies to stand up and join Jonathan's chorus, starting to chant, "One more! One more!"