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Chapter 655 - The Birth of a Rivalry

Ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah!

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum had erupted into complete chaos—unrestrained madness. The unceasing roar of passion made the entire world tremble violently.

Yet…

In the commentary booth, there was a brief moment of silence. Amidst the shaking stands, the commentators swayed, hearts pounding, blood boiling—unable to calm down.

"…The game is over."

"The game has ended, and the Los Angeles Rams have narrowly defeated the Kansas City Chiefs at home."

"Final score: 51–54."

"It was a razor-thin margin, even closer than the score suggests. The Chiefs become the first team in NFL history to score over 50 points and still lose."

"This was…"

"Wow. Absolutely magnificent."

"A clash at the summit—no doubt about it."

Cheers, gasps, shock.

Not only the fans, but even the commentators needed time to process what they had just witnessed.

Looking back at the game, they still couldn't believe what they'd seen, their voices chattering like machine-gun fire—unstoppable praise and amazement.

"From a statistical perspective, both teams played their best game of the season."

"Goff completed 63.2% of his passes for 413 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions."

"Mahomes completed 71.7% for 478 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions."

"Some might say the interceptions decided the outcome—but unlike against the Patriots, Mahomes' picks tonight weren't unforced errors. We must also read another stat line."

"Aaron Donald: 2 sacks, 2 pass deflections, 7 quarterback hits."

"Last year's Defensive Player of the Year showed no mercy. Donald put relentless pressure on Mahomes. Those interceptions weren't self-inflicted—they were forced. And yet, under Donald's onslaught, Mahomes still put up an incredible performance."

"Completion rate, passing yards, touchdown count—all sensational."

"Mahomes deserves applause."

ESPN's broadcast shattered this season's Monday Night Football ratings record.

In fact, not just a Monday Night Football record—this was the first game this season to surpass 40 million viewers. As expected.

Or rather—even though expectations were sky-high, this still exceeded them. Both the Rams and the Chiefs delivered at their absolute best, providing the first true heavyweight clash of the season.

Worthy of the title "Midseason Super Bowl."

Naturally, ESPN's entire production team descended into chaos—analysts, commentators, and producers alike caught in the storm.

Talking endlessly, passionately, unable to stop—

"If there's any criticism: both teams' star running backs—Gurley and Lance—performed slightly below expectations."

"The top two rushers in yards and touchdowns last season, both widely regarded as the league's best at their position."

"Yet Gurley rushed for only 55 yards, and Lance, though slightly better, managed just 90."

"Worth noting: this game ends Lance's streak of 18 consecutive games with 100+ rushing yards. That run began in Week 13 last season against the Jets, and continued until tonight."

"This streak broke Barry Sanders' Hall of Fame record of 14 consecutive 100-yard games, setting a new, almost untouchable bar."

"For comparison: Marcus Allen sits third on that list with 11 straight 100-yard games."

"Now, Lance's record freezes at 18."

"Incredible. A record that may stand for a very long time."

"In some ways, it's a pity it ended tonight."

"But given the game script, it's understandable."

"This was more than just a shootout—it was an all-around battle from offense to defense to special teams."

"Strength met strength, form met form—both teams played at 120%, pushing their limits, and in the end, the Rams used their home-field advantage to edge ahead."

"The final outcome came down to millimeters, even a touch of luck. Whether the Rams or the Chiefs, both deserved victory. Frankly, this wasn't about poor play by the loser—it was that the winner was simply better by the slimmest margin. In my view, there were no losers tonight."

No losers?

Sure, technically true—they had fought valiantly, nothing left to give.

But why did it still taste so bitter?

Lance stood still, slowly exhaling—

Still unwilling.

Not because of that final failed Hail Mary—it was a desperate play, low-percentage by nature.

But because of his own performance tonight.

The ground game had fallen short—not because Reid didn't give him enough carries, but because in his head-to-head duel with Donald… Lance came out second-best.

No excuses.

Donald had prepared perfectly and executed flawlessly tonight—from anticipation to reaction to technique.

Lance had hit a brick wall.

Donald, Watt—both defenders proved once again that the defensive side holds half the sky, and Lance was not invincible.

This was the first time Lance had been thoroughly contained in a one-on-one clash.

Not just held in check—but denied completely, no weaknesses to exploit.

Lance didn't look for excuses—didn't need them.

In this showdown of last season's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Donald won round one.

Through this high-level duel, Donald reasserted his status—silencing all who compared him unfavorably to Watt.

He had shown he could inherit Watt's mantle as the league's premier defensive force.

It was getting interesting—

Head held high, chest out, walking proudly.

After the game ended, Lance didn't immediately seek out his teammates.

Instead, he walked directly toward Donald.

No need to deny, no need to resist.

Facing defeat honestly is the first step toward growth.

Arrogance and ignorance are the only shackles.

Besides, this loss didn't dictate what would happen next time.

Now, Lance had found a new challenge—a new target.

Burns was right:

The pros are full of challenges.

There's always someone stronger.

Never grow complacent.

Never stand still.

The NFL is truly fascinating.

From a distance, Lance could see Donald's familiar, broad face drenched in sweat, cheeks flushed red. Exhausted—but elated.

When Donald spotted Lance, he too left his teammates and came straight toward him—

In that moment, every eye turned toward them.

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