Chapter 360 357: Gates Wide Open

"AHHHHH! WOOOOO!"

Inside Ford Field, the home fans' onslaught of noise was in full swing. The atmosphere inside the stadium was so intense it was on the verge of exploding, so thick it was almost suffocating. The clash between the two powerhouses was heating up, a back-and-forth, head-to-head collision where neither side gave an inch, showcasing the raw appeal of football to its fullest.

And so, the fans in the stands couldn't help but join in, truly becoming part of the game.

The home fans screamed themselves hoarse, creating more difficulties and obstacles for the visiting team. Meanwhile, the away fans, occupying one side of the stands, did their best to suppress their own urges, trying not to get drawn into a cheering duel. They hoped to leave their players with a less chaotic environment to operate in—or at least, one where the quarterback's play calls could be clearly communicated to his teammates.

But that was no easy task, especially when they saw the roiling sea of Honolulu Blue spreading out, a vast and intimidating sight. Their blood boiled, and they couldn't help but want to join the fray and push back. On the field, the two teams battled; in the stands, the fans couldn't admit defeat either.

Keeping their mouths shut, controlling their movements, staying calm, and suppressing their emotions at a time like this was an incredibly difficult thing to do.

...

Standing on the field, Lu Ke was gradually getting used to the ubiquitous noise and harassment. He conveyed the play with clear and simple hand signals:

A screen pass. It was a screen pass play.

The screen pass is a very common, basic play in an offensive playbook, but with a double Tight End formation, its power would be amplified even further.

This was because, during the play's execution, the quarterback would act as bait. Like a mage kiting enemies in a video game, he would draw in the defensive players. Then, just before getting tackled, the quarterback would release the ball in time with a quick, short pass to a receiver, relying on that player's ability to gain yards.

Correspondingly, both Tight Ends and the big Wide Receiver were physically superior athletes who could gain an advantage in their matchups in the short passing area. They could also create a "bulldozer-style" advance, giving the quarterback more options on a screen pass and allowing him to release the ball even faster.

After confirming the offensive responsibilities for each part of the unit, there was no further discussion. All the players returned to their positions. The San Francisco 49ers' offense was now picking up the pace, hoping to ride their recent momentum and push downfield in one go. Their tempo needed to be faster, and faster still.

Lu Ke's eyes fell upon the defensive players, trying to read the defense. But the Detroit Lions' defenders didn't seem to have had time to confer on a new play, merely lining up in a basic formation. It was impossible to predict or interpret.

This was precisely the effect Lu Ke had hoped for: to disrupt the opponent's defensive setup with a fast-paced offense.

And so, without any hesitation, Lu Ke called for the snap.

In the Pistol Formation, Lu Ke took the snap and quickly backpedaled to create space. He pretended to watch his players' routes, but his attention was completely focused on the opposing Defense Line players, seeing how many defenders his movement would draw in. 'Was the kiting successful?'

Then, Lu Ke sensed something was wrong.

A blitz. The Detroit Lions' Defense Team had, against all expectations, chosen to blitz.

Since the start of the game, the Lions Team's defense had indeed blitzed several times, but the overall effect had been mediocre; the San Francisco 49ers' Offense Line had held up under the pressure. As a result, the Lions Team had dialed back their blitzing, focusing more of their energy on defending the short-pass area.

Now, the Lions Team had suddenly decided to rush the quarterback. And as it happened, the 49ers had chosen a screen pass. What did this mean?

In a screen pass, the Offense Line's job is still to block defensive players, but the emphasis shifts. Instead of protecting the quarterback, their main goal is to clear a path—a path for the running back and the receivers. By tying up the defensive line, they give the receiver more room to run and push forward.

After all, the quarterback was supposed to be the bait in a screen pass.

Now, one side was opening the gates and clearing a path, while the other was charging straight in, a full-on invasion. This was practically inviting the wolf into the house!

So, before Lu Ke could even finish his drop back, he saw Mike Rupati and Jonathan Goodwin pushing the Defense Line to either side to cover the running lanes, essentially throwing the gates wide open to welcome the Lions Team's linebackers into the pocket. The collision of the two teams' plays—one pulling out, one rushing in—instantly put Lu Ke in a perilous situation.

'Damn it!'

In his line of sight, at least two linebackers were closing in fast: number fifty-five, middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch, and number fifty-four, outside linebacker DeAndre Levy.

Mike Rupati, in the center, immediately realized the mismatch in plays. He shoved away the Defensive End he was matched up against, trying to block Tulloch's path. But his opponent wasn't about to let Rupati get his way, constantly tangling with him and interfering. Rupati was suddenly caught in the dilemma of having to block two players at once, unable to be in two places at the same time. Tulloch's advance was only hindered for a moment before he became unstoppable.

On the outer right side, Joe Stanley was matched up with Levy. But he couldn't see the play developing on his blind side to the left and was still executing the screen pass block. He didn't obstruct Levy, but instead kept pushing him to the outside. This did nothing to contain Levy. With a shift of his center of gravity, Levy sidestepped Stanley, circled around the entire line, and charged into the pocket.

The chaotic scene within his field of vision was crystal clear. He could even see the bared teeth and ferocious expressions of Tulloch and Levy, like they were wolves with gaping maws. Every muscle in Lu Ke's body screamed a warning. He could throw the ball away right now, give up on the down, and avoid the sack and the hit. But that wasn't Lu Ke's style. His backpedal remained steady, his mind racing.

He would never give up so easily. 'Absolute Step!'

One second.

Lu Ke's feet continued to backpedal, methodical, steady, and strong. He quickly lifted his chin, trying to find a target in the surging, dense crowd of players. But the short-pass area was clogged with too many bodies, and the tangle of the Offense and Defense Lines blocked his view. All he could see were bobbing helmets, making it impossible to discern the players and their matchups.

So, Lu Ke could only backpedal, and backpedal again. His steady steps continuously created more distance. What had originally been just a four-yard pocket had now become more than ten yards deep. This brought the entire field into view, and the chaotic, jumbled scene gradually began to clear.

But just then, Tulloch bared his fangs. After breaking through using his matchup advantage, Tulloch raised his hands high, trying to disrupt the quarterback's passing lane and intercept a low, flat throw. At the same time, he lunged viciously at Lu Ke, attempting to get his first sack of the game.

Two seconds.

A light step back, a turn, a gentle brush-off. The movements seemed simple, yet they were like a ballerina dancing gracefully on a high wire, the foundation of a lifetime of training displayed in the elegant beauty of his footwork.

With just a single step, Lu Ke evaded Tulloch's sure-thing sack. He could even feel a fierce gust of air wash over his back. Tulloch's right hand seemed to be right there, the searing heat of his skin so close and yet so far. It almost seemed to burn Lu Ke's back, but ultimately, it never made contact. Tulloch just toppled over heavily, like the collapse of a great pagoda.

All his strength exploded from the balls of his feet. A short, powerful push, a light tap, and his entire body shot to the left like a compressed spring. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he could see Tulloch "sliding on the grass," sending huge clumps of sod flying into the air.

With barely a moment to breathe, Lu Ke saw the figure of Levy in relentless pursuit.

Three seconds.

After shaking off Stanley's block, Levy charged laterally, lunging ferociously toward Lu Ke. He narrowly avoided the sprawling Tulloch, who had just missed his own tackle, then lowered his center of gravity and used his shoulder to plow through a tenacious Rupati, who was still trying to make a play. And then, he saw Lu Ke's back right in front of him.

So close. He could touch him just by reaching out, without even needing to straighten his arm!

Levy threw his arms up high, wrapping them toward Lu Ke's waist as fast as lightning. The palms of his hands could even feel the gale-force wind rushing past Lu Ke's sides. But before his hands could close, he watched, stunned, as Lu Ke accelerated, and then accelerated again.

'What was happening? Why was Lu Ke so light on his feet after leaving the pocket, so agile, so fast? Why didn't his footwork look clumsy like a pocket quarterback's at all? Instead, he had the flair of a mobile quarterback!'

In that instant of surprise and hesitation, before he could react, Levy realized he was half a beat too slow. His feet couldn't keep up. His only choice was to launch himself forward in a diving tackle. But all he saw was Lu Ke's heel lifting high, using a high-knee motion to evade his grasp.

Levy fell, hard. Gravity seemed to pull him down with double, even triple the acceleration. His hand just managed to grab at Lu Ke's ankle, but before his fingertips could feel the solid contact, he closed his fist on nothing but a handful of air.

'A whiff? A miss?'

But Levy, ignoring everything, made a second effort with his hand, grabbing hard at Lu Ke's ankle. He didn't even know if it was the left or right foot. He yanked back with all his might. Even if he couldn't complete the tackle, he had to destroy Lu Ke's running rhythm and balance!