Chapter 647: No Retreat
The defensive formation in front of them was very simple, even crude. It looked like a one-through-and-through bucket:
The first line had three defensive linemen; the second line had two linebackers, who were already ten yards back; the third line had two linebackers and two cornerbacks, who were another ten yards back; the fourth line had two safeties, who had retreated all the way to their own thirty-yard line.
The center of the field was completely empty. All the defenders were lined up on the sides and the bottom line. This was a complete bucket. All their defensive intentions were laid bare, but they were confident that the San Francisco 49ers' offense had no other choice.
This time, they were right. Lu Ke had no other choice.
"Hut!"
Lu Ke quickly backpedaled, noticing the entanglement between the offensive and defensive linemen. He made two adjustments with his feet and threw the ball without any hesitation. The speed of his throw surprised all the Giants' defensive players.
Lu Ke chose an arcing rainbow pass. The arc was not steep. It drew a small rainbow, quickly finding an open Vernon Davis near the forty-yard line on the left.
This was a long pass of about twenty-four or twenty-five yards. The control of the arc, power, and angle was effortless and precise. Vernon didn't have to work at all. He easily completed the catch and started to run with the ball. All the defensive players around him, like magnets of the north and south poles, flew toward him immediately.
Vernon advanced about five yards with steady steps. Just as the defensive players were about to close in on him, he turned and tossed the ball lightly to Logan behind him—a lateral pass, which was a legal move.
Logan continued to move to the left with the ball. He quickly glanced around and, after confirming that the circle was closing in further, he raised his right hand and tossed the ball lightly to the other half of the field. It was a second lateral pass. The football drew a big arc, but the rotation was irregular, and it wobbled over the entire field, landing on—
"Marcus Lynch! After two consecutive lateral passes, Lynch has made the catch! In this play, Lynch, who has been standing by Lu Ke's side all along, made a crucial catch. With all the defensive players on the left side of the field, Lynch has a wide-open space to advance! My God, this is Lynch's most important catch of the entire season!"
"Lynch! Lynch is running with the ball! Marcus Lynch is running with the ball, trying to find a route to advance! My God, this scene is truly amazing. Lu Ke is right next to Lynch, blocking for him!"
"The New York Giants' defensive linemen Jason Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph are trying to make a tackle. The two players have rushed back in time. They are the last hope for the Giants' defense. Pierre-Paul! Pierre-Paul has done it! He has tackled Marcus Lynch! Lynch is down! Lynch is down!"
"My God, is the game over?"
A trick play!
That was a trick play. For the San Francisco 49ers, the game was in a desperate situation. Seventeen seconds on the clock, but they were on their own sixteen-yard line. This meant they didn't have many options. Even if they chose a Hail Mary, the result could be a wasted opportunity. So, Harbaugh chose a bold and crazy trick play.
Lu Ke threw a forward pass to Vernon, who then threw a lateral pass to Logan. The two tight ends' job was to attract all the defensive power, creating an open space on the right side. Then Logan would throw a lateral pass to Marcus, who would run with the ball. Lu Ke, who was on the side, wasn't there to block but to provide a safety net. In a crisis, Marcus could throw a lateral pass back to Lu Ke, who would then complete the run.
This was a trick play that was on par with college football tactics. It fully utilized the rule of "unlimited lateral passes but only one forward pass," playing American football with a rugby style. It truly embodied what it meant to go all in.
Unfortunately, the New York Giants' defense was highly focused, and their speed in rushing back was very quick. Marcus wasn't able to break through the defensive line. He didn't even have a chance to throw the ball back to Lu Ke. Pierre-Paul had already successfully tackled him, stopping the drive.
To be honest, this was not surprising. A trick play is called a "trick" because it's a high-risk, unconventional play. If you're not careful, you might not only fail to advance but also trap yourself, ruining all your efforts. For example, what if Logan's pass to Marcus had been intercepted?
Now, with the failure of the trick play, the San Francisco 49ers were in a dead end, a dead end with no retreat.
Because after Marcus went down, the game clock was still running. The San Francisco 49ers had no timeouts left. Every passing second was like a slow torture, chipping away at the home team's life force. And they didn't have much life force left. Death was accelerating.
This was a dead end.
After witnessing Marcus's unexpected fall, Lu Ke still didn't give up. He shouted loudly, "Huddle! Huddle! Huddle!" The urgent voice didn't convey despair but a resolute determination to go forward.
Just as Lu Ke had said, he would never give up easily until the very last moment, until they were out of ammo, until the fuel ran out. The outcome was still unknown! As long as there was life, the fight would not stop!
Lu Ke had a plan. They would quickly huddle, quickly spike the ball to stop the clock. Maybe they would have one or two seconds left, but at least they would face a fourth-and-six. They would still have one last chance to throw the ball. Where Marcus went down, they should be on the twenty-yard line, having advanced four yards.
"Huddle!"
Lu Ke's voice rang out firmly over Candlestick Park, but just then, a referee's whistle interrupted his shouts.
It wasn't the whistle to end the game, but a flag for a penalty.
The entire stadium held its breath and listened carefully. With all eyes on him, the head referee confirmed the penalty and came to the side of the field.
"Face mask penalty, defense, number ninety. Fifteen-yard penalty, first down. The game clock will be reset to eleven seconds." The referee's voice rang out. Then the entire Candlestick Park began to cheer. The tension was at its peak, and their hearts were about to explode, but they still had a sliver of hope—
A hope so weak that it was almost gone, but still very real.
In that last defensive play, Pierre-Paul had grabbed Marcus's facemask. Although he had successfully made the tackle, he was called for a serious penalty. In a football game, any foul above the shoulders is a serious penalty. Even an unconscious tug of the fingers is not allowed. This is mainly to reduce the danger of concussions. The league is constantly introducing and changing policies to prevent more injuries.
A fifteen-yard penalty is also the biggest yardage for a flag in a football game.
One penalty flag had not only stopped the game clock but also given the San Francisco 49ers a chance to survive. Could this change the outcome of the game?
Pierre-Paul was protesting loudly, clinging to the referee, constantly explaining his actions, "I didn't grab the facemask! I didn't! I'm innocent!" This penalty could very well ruin the team's chance at victory. The defensive end, who had a flawless season, was now in despair.
For the San Francisco 49ers, this was a second chance. For the New York Giants, it was an unexpected twist before they could seal the game. The arguments between the players from both sides were a bit chaotic, but this didn't change the referee's mind. After a double check, they upheld the original ruling.
The game continued, and the argument stopped.
Now, the offense was on the thirty-five-yard line, and there were eleven seconds left in the game. Eleven heart-stopping seconds.
Once again, first and ten.
Standing in the pocket behind the offensive line, Lu Ke took a shotgun formation. He straightened his back. The field in front of him was wide open. The entire focus of the defense was clear:
On the first line, three defensive linemen were forming a three-way standoff with the five offensive linemen.
On the second line, two cornerbacks were a full fifteen yards back, positioned to cover the two wide receivers, Kyle Williams and Brett Swain. Although their threat was not as great as the two tight ends, in a long pass, the wide receivers' threat was still greater than the tight ends'.
On the third line, four linebackers and two safeties, a total of six players, were already in the red zone, just a few yards away from the end zone. It was clear that they were ready to cover and defend against a "Hail Mary" pass.
This moment was different from the final drive in Week 10 of the regular season.
At that time, the San Francisco 49ers' offense had successfully advanced to the edge of the red zone. All the plays were completed in a relatively narrow area, and everything happened in a flash. Now, the San Francisco 49ers were on their own thirty-five-yard line. Other than a "Hail Mary," they had no other choice—the previous trick play had already failed.
Naturally, the New York Giants' defensive formation was as simple as can be.
Lu Ke gently rubbed his fingertips. A little sweat was seeping out. For a moment, a sense of tension gripped his heart, but then, adrenaline surged, completely overwhelming all the nervousness. The excitement and thrill reached their peak, and then he became completely calm, calmer than ever before.
The entire world seemed to be in slow motion. Even the trajectory of the dust particles in the air became incredibly clear. He could even hear the sound of sweat dripping and the sound of his chest breathing. All the movements in his vision were clear. The vast red ocean of fans gradually calmed down. All was silent.
"Hut!"
🗒️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 30 chapters in advance!