Calm. Stay calm.
I hadn't expected the previous running play to be so successful. Lynch's performance exceeded expectations, but after congratulating him, my thoughts slowly settled down. I started communicating with the coaching staff again to plan the next offensive play.
Hearing the coaching staff's plan, a hint of surprise appeared in my eyes as I looked toward Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines.
Without a conversation or a gesture, Jim seemed to understand my confusion. He nodded to give me an affirmative answer, clenched his fist to encourage me, and then didn't say anything else, gesturing for me to get back to the offense immediately.
I twisted my neck, rubbed the muscles in my right arm a little, and called my teammates over. In just a few words, I finished setting up the play. My gaze finally fell on the five players on the offensive line, especially my two blind-side helpers, Iupati and Rachal. "The game is in our control. Now, we need to focus even more and completely destroy our opponents' will. Victory belongs to us!"
With that, my focused and burning gaze locked onto the five offensive linemen. The belief in victory and a determined will were clearly conveyed. Iupati and Rachal also felt their blood pumping and nodded their heads in agreement.
"Then, let's go get some touchdowns!" I clapped my hands, signaling for my teammates to spread out and line up in an orderly fashion.
In a shotgun formation, the San Francisco 49ers lined up as if they were going for a full-on passing play. I stood about seven yards behind the pocket. The entire field, the entire team, fanned out in front of me.
This was a truly traditional shotgun formation, without any frills. Five offensive linemen were in the front row. On the left were two receivers, Michael Crabtree and Ted Ginn. On the right were two receivers, Logan Newman and Kyle Williams. And the last receiver, Marcus Lynch, was standing about three yards behind Logan.
This formation was very ordinary and could be seen in almost every game and every team. But it was this ordinary formation that was ever-changing and hard to defend against. For an accurate quarterback, this was a deadly weapon.
The Bengals' defense also made a corresponding adjustment. The front line lined up in a "3-4" formation. For the first time in today's game, they reduced the number of blitzers on the front line, using a three-man blitz. The four linebackers behind them were scattered in an irregular curve from left to right.
The four players on the second line were in a "3-1" formation. One safety was positioned alone in the back, guarding against long passes from the backfield. Two cornerbacks and one safety were responsible for zone coverage of short and medium passes.
I stood in place, with the area in front, to the sides, and behind me all empty. The backfield was truly cleared out, and I felt like I was standing at the base of a fan, controlling the entire field.
My attention first fell on Atkins. But at this moment, Atkins was incredibly calm, and it was impossible to predict whether he would blitz or defend against the run. It was clear that he had also learned his lesson from the previous few plays. Then I scanned the positions and gaps of the front and second-line defenses. It was a typical zone defense formation, and I couldn't see too much movement.
At this moment, Lynch took two steps forward, and Williams took two steps back. The two of them switched positions. Then, Williams slowly ran sideways and positioned himself behind Ginn and Crabtree.
During this switch, the Bengals' defense did not move at all. There was no sign of a reaction. They were steadfastly implementing their zone defense strategy. But the air was filled with a sense of unease. The 49ers were changing, and the Bengals were not. The silent contest between the two sides was slowly building.
The noise of Paul Brown Stadium began to swell again. Faced with the strong offense of the San Francisco 49ers, the Cincinnati Bengals were now at a disadvantage. After the home fans realized this, they again came to the core of the problem: they needed to cheer for their defense, get the defense to get the 49ers' offense off the field, and only then would Andy Dalton get back on the field, and the team would have a chance to win.
So, the home fans' cheers became even more fervent, echoing throughout the entire stadium. Some people were roaring, "Ahhh!" Some were shouting, "Bengals!" And others were cursing. The mixed cheers were still a mess and aimless, like rootless duckweed, but they were still very annoying.
The silence on the field and the chaos in the stands formed a sharp contrast.
I was focused, my eyes fixed on any movement from the defense. Then I raised my voice and said, "Ready, ready, set!"
The San Francisco 49ers' offense didn't move. The Cincinnati Bengals' defense also didn't move. This false start didn't cause any chain reactions, but the tension in the air became even more palpable. I could even feel the hot air on my skin, and the hairs on my arms seemed to be curling up.
"Set! Go! Attack!"
Methodically and step-by-step, but when my command to "attack" rang out, the entire 49ers' offense started to move. The sudden burst of energy gave them an advantage of less than a quarter of a second. Then, the Bengals' defense, which was tense to the extreme, started to move. No one can describe what a quarter of a second means in competitive sports, but what it showed was a mismatch in rhythm.
The three receivers on the left quickly charged forward. The three players didn't spread out, but instead ran in a straight line, forming a powerful force. Like a dragon entering the sea, they completely disrupted the Bengals' front and second-line defenses. Driven by the zone defense strategy, the players in this area swarmed to them.
Not only that, considering that the three receivers were together, with Crabtree being a big receiver and Ginn and Williams being agile receivers, their attack was powerful. So, the Bengals' defense sent four players—one cornerback, one safety, and two linebackers—to rush over, trying to break up the iron triangle formation.
The two players on the right both ran quickly toward the sidelines. Newman's arc was higher, running toward the deep end for a medium to long pass. Lynch's arc was lower, running toward the area for a quick, short pass.
A cornerback and a linebacker had to defend their areas. The safety in the backfield also started to move closer to Newman's position, guarding against an unexpected long pass.
The entire field was like a shower of flowers. There was a tornado on the left and a laser beam on the right. The back half of the field instantly became tense.
My hands were firmly holding the football. After the snap, I took another step back, just one step. I was like a general standing on a command platform, taking in every single move on the field. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the collision between the offensive and defensive lines.
The five players on the offensive line were highly focused. The defensive players were now all drawn away, and there were only three defensive linemen and one linebacker left, giving the 49ers a "five against four" advantage. So, the 49ers' offensive line firmly held off the Bengals' first blitz.
Not only that, but they also executed one-on-one coverage perfectly. Each person was firmly guarding their assigned player. Atkins, in particular, was once again being handled by two players, who had him completely surrounded, so he couldn't find many opportunities.
Atkins's focus was also at its peak. He tried to break through on the left, on the right, and charged forward, but with two players working together to defend him, his situation became incredibly difficult. The passage of time started to become clear: one second, two seconds, three seconds, four seconds... The San Francisco 49ers' offensive line successfully built an impregnable pocket, giving the quarterback enough time to pass.
But Atkins still didn't give up. Using his weight advantage, he forced his way through a small gap and then charged out with an unstoppable force. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the football in my hand.
I hadn't passed the ball yet! This was truly rare! My pass release speed was always fast, and my observation time and decisive actions had left a deep impression on people. I wasn't an indecisive quarterback. When there were no passing options, I would even choose extremely risky passing routes.
It had been four seconds, or even longer, and I still hadn't passed the ball. What did that mean?
Oh no!
Atkins couldn't help but exclaim. His body lunged forward fiercely, but after the previous entanglement, his momentum had completely weakened. He lunged forward, but he only saw me nimbly sidestep him, gracefully avoiding the sack. I then took two big steps forward and raised my right hand high, like a longbow, pulling the string all the way back to form a perfect full moon. Then, my arm instantly contracted and exploded with powerful force. After a quick swing, the football drew a high arc.
The combination of strength and beauty was truly dazzling in that moment.
Atkins fell heavily onto the turf, feeling the impact of the collision. But his mind was completely focused on one thought: who was the target of this pass?
Speed up, speed up again. Williams and Ginn both increased their speed to the maximum. After crossing the opponent's 40-yard line, the bigger and slower Crabtree was the first to fall behind. He made a sharp turn and ran toward the middle of the field.
"Oh no!"
The Bengals' defensive players immediately cried out in alarm. There was no one defending the middle of the field now. So, two players quickly followed him, leaving two players to stick close to Williams and Ginn.
So, was this pass for Crabtree?
NOTE:
New chapters drop Three times a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 20 chapters in advance!