Chapter 363 360: In One Go

"It's a run! No, no, it's a pass! It's a pass!"

As he spoke, the commentator's voice started to go off-key. His hoarse voice strayed from its usual rhythm, climbing higher until it cracked—a genuine, unfeigned sound that perfectly captured his shock and amazement.

The sudden trick play came without any sign or warning, catching everyone completely off guard. Even the commentators, watching from their elevated box, were left dumbfounded, to say nothing of the defensive players on the field. Caught completely by surprise, they were stunned, able to react only on instinct with blank looks in their eyes.

"Marcus Lynch's incredibly convincing fake run drew the attention of the entire Defense Team. The defensive line and the secondary both collapsed on him, but then, Lynch spun and pitched the ball, cleanly sending it back to Lu Ke and completely faking out the opponent's entire defensive line.

The San Francisco 49ers' rookie quarterback made almost no adjustment, raising his arm and immediately throwing the ball. A trick play! In such a tense and crucial situation, the 49ers have audaciously pulled out another trick play! God! It's almost breathtaking! The Detroit Lions' entire Defense Team is in chaos right now."

Teddy's jaw nearly dropped. He stared in disbelief at the scene unfolding on the field, but he had no more time to gasp or exclaim because Lu Ke had made no adjustments at all, releasing the ball in one swift motion. It was a Rainbow Pass—a Rainbow Pass in the red zone.

After deceiving everyone, the high-arcing parabola flew over the Offense Line, over the Defense Line, and also over the cornerbacks and safeties of the secondary, appearing right above the End Zone.

It effortlessly sailed over the entire packed defensive zone, a fatal strike straight to the heart!

"There are no defenders in the End Zone, no defenders, but there's no receiver in sight either… Lu Ke's target is… Vernon Davis! Number eighty-five for the San Francisco 49ers, Vernon Davis!

"An inside cut, then a straight line—a simple, elegant route. He didn't face any coverage or interference, getting into the End Zone with ease and making the catch effortlessly. Touchdown! It's a touchdown! The San Francisco 49ers score another touchdown!"

Heavily, Kirk slammed his fist on the desk. The twist after the surprise, an unbridled explosion of adrenaline, released all his excitement and agitation. Not just the broadcast booth, but the entire Ford Field erupted. The roar of "Touchdown" broke free from every commentator's throat, unleashed in a torrent of sound that boiled over the stadium and was transmitted across the airwaves to every corner of North America.

Kirk was just one of them. "Touchdown! Touchdown!" He couldn't help but slam the desk again, repeatedly crying out the same word to express his elation. The whole table shuddered with a BANG, groaning. The dull, aching numbness in his fist calmed his surging emotions just a little, allowing him to return to the commentary.

"With a nearly flawless piece of trickery, the San Francisco 49ers deceived the entire Detroit Lions Defense Team. After the defense collapsed the formation, a surprise Rainbow Pass straight to the End Zone effortlessly destroyed the entire defensive line!

"Vernon Davis faced no challenge. He wasn't even matched up against a single defender. The closest player, Chris Harris, completely misjudged the play; his center of gravity shifted, leaving him far out of position. He only managed to backpedal for a few yards, but it was useless. He couldn't get close in time and could only watch helplessly as number eighty-five completed this receiving touchdown!

Following their death-defying long pass connection, the San Francisco 49ers capitalized on the momentum to score a touchdown in one fell swoop!"

Even watching the replay, the gasps of amazement didn't stop. There was no danger, no resistance, no suspense. The entire pass and touchdown looked as easy as a walk in the park. From the snap to the score, it took no more than four seconds, yet it showcased the tactical charm of the Professional Alliance to its fullest.

"Effortless, executed with ease, like taking something out of a pocket. On this offensive play at the edge of the red zone, the San Francisco 49ers faced no challenge and cleanly scored the touchdown, taking the lead once again. On the road, they've taken the lead for a second time, 13-7. As long as they make the extra point, the score will change to 14-7."

After the passionate outburst, Kirk gradually calmed down and turned to Teddy. "Well, what do you think?"

"This game is living up to its billing as one of the most anticipated powerhouse matchups of the week. The San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions are both putting on a spectacular offensive showdown!" Teddy didn't hold back his praise, full of admiration.

As a commentator for Fox Television, whose network had bought the broadcast rights for all of the San Francisco 49ers' games this season, Teddy was inevitably a bit more supportive of the 49ers. But in today's game, with both sides trading blows and sparks flying, the back-and-forth offensive battle was truly magnificent. The thrilling excitement was simply unstoppable.

"Calvin Johnson had a devastating solo touchdown in the latter half of the first quarter, breaking through layer after layer of coverage and muscling his way into the End Zone on sheer individual skill, a vivid demonstration of the beauty of physical receiving. Then, Lu Ke followed up with a dazzling series of tactical combinations, repeatedly coming back from the brink of disaster, perfectly combining the intelligence and power of football for the final fatal blow! Brilliant, brilliant, just absolutely brilliant!"

Teddy summed up the game so far in just a few simple sentences, even adding a round of applause at the end. Even though the second quarter wasn't even halfway over, the level of excitement was already worth the price of admission. The only shame was that this wasn't a night game, so it couldn't be broadcast on the national stage.

Kirk nodded in agreement, then began to offer his own analysis as the replay footage rolled.

"On that last offensive drive, Lu Ke, Logan Newman, and Marcus Lynch—three players from UCLA—formed a stable and efficient iron triangle. Three consecutive times at critical moments, they relied on their chemistry to connect and move the chains, ultimately finishing with the connection between Lu Ke and Vernon Davis for the touchdown.

"After taking over as the new coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Jim Hubble tried to establish a West Coast offense within the team, replicating the successful philosophy he had at Stanford University. Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick were both once considered for the role, but who would have thought that he'd end up successfully laying the foundation of his offense on the backs of three musketeers from UCLA. Such a coincidence is truly interesting."

In the NCAA, UCLA and Stanford University are mortal enemies in California—the kind that cannot live under the same sky.

For the first time, the concept of the "UCLA Iron Triangle" was presented to the audience through Kirk's words. In fact, the idea wasn't new, but this was the first time it was mentioned during a live broadcast, which gave people a more concrete understanding of the chemistry between the three players: Lu Ke, Logan, and Marcus.

No one could have imagined that these three musketeers would actually go on to write their own history in the Alliance.

...

Inside Ford Field, it was a tale of two extremes. Cliff Hart raised the red King of the Bay Area banner high and began running through the stands. The flag billowed in the wind with a loud flap, and wherever he passed, a human wave began to surge. At the same time, a unified cheer erupted with immense force.

"We are! The Niners! We are! Warriors! We are! The Niners! We are! Warriors!"

The perfectly synchronized shouts overlapped one after another, colliding in layers. The resounding clangor rose steadily amidst the frenzied heatwave, as wave after wave of echoes stacked on top of each other, creating a roar like Fierce Waves that reverberated throughout the entirety of Ford Field.

All fifteen thousand 49ers fans were in an uproar, their voices united as one, wholeheartedly igniting the powerful momentum following the team's touchdown. The fifty thousand Lions fans in the other three sections of the stands tried to counter them with boos and shouts, but after suffering consecutive blows, the fans were momentarily stunned. Without any organized effort, they were completely unable to mount a resistance.

And so, for a moment, Ford Field seemed to have become the San Francisco 49ers' home stadium. The momentum was building, climbing, and exploding with unstoppable force.

After a long slump, the San Francisco 49ers, who had gradually become like a tray of loose sand, were now finally united once more—from players to fans, coaches to spectators, style to spirit—and were once again shining with their own light and color!

Just as Teddy had said, in this clash of titans, both teams' offenses were in fine form. So far, the performances of Lu Ke and Matthew Stafford had been equally outstanding, with neither one outshining the other. Now, after Lu Ke completed his second touchdown pass, the stage was handed back to Stafford. The pressure was once again on the 2009 number one draft pick.

Leading the offense back onto the field, Stafford gambled on a long pass on his very first throw. A thirty-seven-yard pass found Calvin Johnson advancing quickly down the left side. Johnson made the catch without a doubt, but the play was immediately nullified by the referees due to an offensive pass interference penalty, wiping out the spectacular connection.

Despite this, Stafford had forcefully declared his fearlessness.

Faced with his opponent's outstanding performance, Stafford was completely unfazed, continuing to display the superb form he'd shown all season. His boldness and stability in crucial moments were especially noteworthy, as he always dared to make the more decisive choice between being aggressive and being conservative.

This had not only led the Lions Team to a five-game winning streak, with two of those victories coming from hard-fought, last-ditch comebacks, but it also showed in this game as he gritted his teeth and rose to the challenge! Difficulties and setbacks? They were no problem at all!

The game was really starting to get good now.