Chapter 355 352: Opening the Score

In the dense, narrow space, nearly twenty players jostled and crowded together, as if every inch of the field was packed. The overflowing commotion made the very air seem to distort. All the defensive coverages and running routes began to shift out of place; openings seemed to be everywhere, yet vanished in an instant.

Amidst the sea of bodies, both Williams and Lynch raised their right hands. One ran toward the right sideline of the End Zone, while the other roamed the front edge of the End Zone's right side. Both signaled they were open and ready for the catch, but nearby defenders clung to them like shadows.

Immediately after, Crabtree made an inside cut from the right, charging without warning into the congested area on the left. In a small arc, like a boomerang, he ran into the End Zone and then back out, actively moving toward Lu Ke. He lowered his center of gravity, getting ready for a catch, a move that instantly drew the attention of the defensive linemen.

But the chaos wasn't over yet.

Amidst the chaos,

both Newman and Ginn ran sweeping routes. Moving from right to left, they ran straight before making a slight turn, pulling horizontally to the left. Newman sprinted near the back line of the End Zone, while Ginn sped along the front edge.

Newman was a little slower. He got past one defender, but another stuck to him like a shadow. He deliberately slowed his pace, causing his man to overshoot him. Then, he stopped abruptly, stood in the middle of the field, and threw his right hand high in the air, signaling he was open and ready for the ball.

Ginn was a little faster. With a defender right on his tail, he powered past him, breaking into the open space on the left—which had been completely cleared out by Crabtree's inside route. Ginn used his left hand to fend off the defender's chest, creating a small pocket of space, then raised his right hand, signaling he was open.

In the chaos, every player was a potential target, and every player was also locked in a defensive battle. It all unfolded in just two short seconds. And at that exact moment, Lu Ke released the pass!

High, high, the football carved an arc through the air. After reaching its apex, its descent suddenly quickened. It rapidly grew larger, as if succumbing to the crushing weight of gravity, and in the blink of an eye, it came plummeting down.

Ted Ginn Jr. was accelerating, still picking up speed. His left arm was fully extended, pressed against the defender's chest. He ran a straight line at a thirty-degree diagonal, surging forward and angling upward. Once he hit top speed, he used his left hand to create a sliver of separation.

But the defender refused to give up. His entire upper body leaned forward, pressing down on Ginn's outstretched hand. He desperately reached out with both of his own hands, using his body weight to try and disrupt Ginn's running rhythm.

His steps began to falter, but Ginn drove his knees high, his strides growing longer and his cadence quicker. Like an elegant cheetah, his body seemed to become lighter and more nimble. His eyes were locked on the football as he reached out his right hand—

Lightly, deftly, the football landed on his wrist.

It didn't land with brute force, but with perfectly controlled touch; he could clearly feel the fine precision of Lu Ke's pass. Following its momentum, Ginn's hand slapped the ball toward his head, pinning it against the side of his helmet. A muffled THWACK slammed against his eardrum, but Ginn felt no pressure. The strength in his right hand was pushed to its limit, holding the football tight against his helmet.

He accelerated, then accelerated again. Ginn was running with such power, such ferocity, that he violently threw off the defender who'd been clinging to him. He could feel the player behind him losing his balance. With a downward tug of his left arm, a gust of wind rushed past from behind—the defender had crashed to the ground like a thousand-pound weight, kicking up a surge of air.

"What an incredible catch! WHAT A CATCH!"

All the commentators in the booth erupted. Gasps and shouts echoed one after another, their hoarse cries a cathartic release of the astonishment they felt. They couldn't believe their eyes. Once again, Ginn had used his helmet to complete a catch. The control he showed on such a risky play was something you wouldn't even dare to write in a textbook.

"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!" Kirk's astonished voice rang out again. "Ginn made the catch! Number nineteen for the San Francisco 49ers actually made the catch! Against a packed defense, the 49ers' offense used a misdirection play to completely shift the Lions Team's defensive focus. Then, in a one-on-one matchup, Ginn overpowered safety Chris Harris to secure the catch!"

"That was a thirteen-yard pass! In a desperate situation, Ginn made a one-handed catch and then used his helmet to control the football! Beautiful! Just beautiful! It's a Touchdown! Ladies and gentlemen, it's a Touchdown! After a drive that lasted nearly six minutes, the San Francisco 49ers tore through their opponent's defense with a fluid and incisive offense. They marched unstoppably into the red zone and then, with an absolutely spectacular pass and catch, they're the first to score! The score is now 0-6, with the extra point pending. The visiting San Francisco 49ers have taken the lead!"

Kirk's roar was immediately drowned out by a massive wave of cheers and shouts. Fifteen thousand away fans were screaming their lungs out. "AHHHHH!" Everyone was jumping, roaring, and celebrating. Even playing on the road, the team was in fine form, scoring a Touchdown on their very first drive with the force of a pouncing tiger!

Cliff Hart once again began to wave the flag in his hands. Amidst a dazzling sea of white, a single red flag was stirring up Fierce Waves, and for a moment, it was as if they were witnessing the frenzy of Candlestick Park all over again.

"ARGH!" Ted Ginn Jr. roared toward the away fans' section, clutching the football in his right hand. But his elation and excitement still couldn't be fully vented, so he began to roar wildly again, "AHHHHHH!" All of his emotions erupted without restraint—not just because of the Touchdown, but because of his role in the offense.

After several seasons of slumps and suppression, Ginn had finally found his place on this young, spirited team.

"Ted! Ted!" All the members of the offense rushed over, trying to hug Ginn and congratulate him. But Ginn pushed his teammates away, his eyes scanning quickly through the crowd. He seemed lost for a moment, but then he locked onto his target and dashed over.

Standing his ground, Lu Ke pumped his fist in celebration.

Even though it was already the fifth week of the regular season, and even though scoring a Touchdown was slowly becoming a habit, the elation and thrill of each success were still unmatched. Just then, Lu Ke saw Ginn rushing toward him. Before Lu Ke could say a word, Ginn pulled him into a fierce, tight hug.

"Thank you! Bambi, thank you," Ginn said emotionally, his voice close to Lu Ke's ear. His voice, slightly nasal, was trembling. A thousand words were condensed into that one simple thank you.

Lu Ke patted Ginn's shoulder and said jokingly, "I can barely breathe. I'm not sure if your girlfriend will get jealous, but if I pass out from lack of oxygen, I won't be able to throw any more passes."

At the light-hearted jest, Ginn burst out laughing. He released his embrace and clapped Lu Ke on the shoulder again. "Can't have that. I'm still hoping for a second Touchdown."

"Well, we still have a lot of work to do. But the first order of business is to clear the field. David is getting impatient," Lu Ke said with a chuckle, leading his offensive teammates off the field and leaving the stage for David Akens and the special teams unit.

Target Mission.

Before today's kickoff, the system had issued a brand-new mission type: a Target Mission. It required him to designate two receiving targets who needed to complete fifteen and ten Touchdowns, respectively, before the end of the regular season.

'Lu Ke didn't have time to study the ins and outs of the Target Mission, but he knew how difficult and important it was. So, without overthinking it, he had quickly decided on two passing targets before taking the field.'

'Currently, the San Francisco 49ers had four Wide Receivers, four Tight Ends, and four running backs. In Jim Hubble's West Coast offense, using a two-Tight-End formation for tactical cover was very common, so they were relatively well-stocked at that position. However, the core receiving corps only consisted of five players: three Wide Receivers and two Tight Ends.'

'Among the Tight Ends, Lu Ke had chosen Logan Newman without hesitation. Their chemistry was one reason; Newman's receiving and route-running styles also suited Lu Ke's passing habits. As for the Wide Receivers, after a moment of thought, Lu Ke had ultimately chosen Ted Ginn Jr.'

'Michael Crabtree was a big-bodied receiver, a sort of heavy weapon who excelled at stationary catches on short and mid-range passes, but he wasn't the best choice for a deep threat. Kyle Williams was relatively average across the board; none of his metrics were top-tier, but none were bad either, though he did have a problem with butterfingers.'

'Overall, Ginn's speed was a sharp sword. As the saying goes, speed kills. With his top-end speed, Ginn's agility and nimbleness were the perfect match for Lu Ke's deep ball. Besides that, Ginn had pretty good hands—at least among black players, they were already considered top-tier.'

'The only drawback was that Ginn's route tree wasn't very diverse, and he still needed to study the playbook more. But his strengths far outweighed his weaknesses, and he could grow in the future—tactics could always be learned. That was why Lu Ke had chosen Ginn.'

With those last two catches, Ginn had repaid Lu Ke's trust. First score of the game!