American Football: King of the Bay Area

”Incredible! Incredible! Incredible!”

Three consecutive exclamations, yet Kirk still couldn’t fully express the excitement and exhilaration he felt. It was because of number eleven on the field, and because the suspense of the game had returned. After his repeated cries of disbelief, Kirk just kept shaking his head, completely dumbfounded.

”One hundred and thirteen seconds! Four plays! And the Brown Bear Team has its first passing touchdown of the night! On the touchdown play, the Brown Bear Team’s backup quarterback connected with John Ward on a forty-yard long bomb for the score! An absolutely magnificent drive, a magnificent debut, a magnificent touchdown! Wow! Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that from this moment on, the suspense is officially back on the table for tonight’s game!”

Lowering his head to carefully scan the player roster, Kirk learned the name of this number eleven for the first time. ”Lu Ke. Number eleven, Lu Ke. This backup quarterback, coming in on an emergency substitution after the starter’s injury, has just officially announced that the Brown Bear Team is competitive once more! I think after tonight, every one of us will remember that name!”

The Brown Bear Team’s special teams came on the field and kicked the extra point, bringing the score to ”14-28.” A three-touchdown gap had suddenly shrunk to two. What was once an insurmountable deficit had, in the blink of an eye, become approachable. Just as Kirk said, the suspense was back!

The change of a single touchdown brought a subtle psychological shift. Moreover, it was a touchdown scored in under two minutes. It felt as if before anyone could even catch their breath, a sudden sprint had completely flipped the psychological advantage between the leader and the pursuer.

Sure enough, as both teams returned to the field, the momentum had shifted. The Brown Bear Team’s Defense Team was fired up; their blitzing, tackling, and coverage were all outstanding. After being quiet for most of the game, they were finally showing a soaring fighting spirit and seizing control. On the other side, the Trojans Team seemed dazed. Matt Barkley, who had been steady and brilliant all night, suddenly performed far below his usual standard. One run play gained nothing, and two passes fell incomplete.

In the blink of an eye, the Trojans Team had squandered three downs without gaining any yardage, forcing them to punt.

When it rains, it pours. The special teams’ punt was exceptionally poor. After catching the ball, the Brown Bear Team’s returner charged forward with unstoppable momentum, making it all the way to the Brown Bear Team’s own 45-yard line before he was finally tackled, halting his long run.

Lu Ke took the field again, starting the offense from their own 45-yard line.

Jeff couldn’t help but jump to his feet, shouting at the top of his lungs, ”Brown Bears!” He was trying to cheer on his team, and he pulled Nate up with him. As he watched the small figure in his line of sight, Jeff was overcome with emotion. His chest filled with a thrilling, joyful energy, and he felt like he could fly.

He didn’t care what anyone else thought, nor did he care that the stands were more than half empty. All he knew was that if the team didn’t give up, he wouldn’t give up either. It was that simple!

Jeff and Nate pumped their fists and cheered, ”Brown Bears!” Fortunately, they weren’t the only two. The shouts around them gradually came together, uniting as one. ”Brown Bears! Brown Bears! Brown Bears!”

The unified cheer wasn’t very loud. Huge swaths of empty seats meant the supporters were scattered in different corners of the stadium, making the chant sound sparse. But every single one of them was waving their arms and shouting at the top of their lungs, cheering for their home team.

Across the stadium, the University of Southern California supporters erupted in boos. Jeers and vulgar curses filled the air. Though they didn’t have a unified chant and couldn’t form an effective counter, merely holding their own against the home crowd, their menacing threats and twisted, fearsome faces carried an intimidating power of their own.

The second time he took the field, Lu Ke was actually more nervous than the first. Because he’d come back to his senses. Because he now had time to look around. And because he was starting to feel the weight of expectation.

”Bambi? Bambi?” Logan’s voice snapped Lu Ke back to reality. He clapped his friend hard on the shoulder. ”Ignore the noise. Just get into the game. We need you to focus!”

Lu Ke took a deep breath. ”Give me a second.” Then he let out a deliberately exaggerated exhale and said with a grin, ”Okay, I’m ready. The question is, are you ready?” With that, Lu Ke was the first to jog over to their starting position for the play.

There were twelve minutes and nine seconds left in the game, and the Brown Bear Team was still down by two touchdowns. Time was their greatest enemy. Lu Ke knew he didn’t have much breathing room. He waved his teammates over to huddle up and discuss the next play.

”Alright guys, listen up. We can’t get too hasty. We have to be methodical,” Lu Ke said, forcing himself to calm down as his thoughts gradually cleared.

During the short break, he had analyzed tactics with the offensive coach, Norm, and it all came flooding back to his mind now. The situation was clearly different from his sudden entry into the game earlier. He couldn’t use the same strategy twice. Lu Ke began to lay out the play. ”...And that’s it! Let’s go get another touchdown!” He looked at his teammates, full of confidence. ”Alright, brothers. The game is on!”

”Have I mentioned? I like this kid,” Logan said with a chuckle, drawing a laugh from everyone. Then he turned, casually walked to his position, and they began to line up.

Lu Ke didn’t step up to the line. Instead, he stood beside Marcus, his back straight, surveying the field from his vantage point. The Trojans Team’s Defense Team had recomposed themselves, but Lu Ke could still sense their tension. Clearly, the last drive had left some psychological scars.

Lu Ke’s gaze was like a Hawkeye’s, sweeping over the face of each defensive player. He even met their stares head-on. The brief clashes sparked with intensity, but Lu Ke was fearless. With a look that dared them to challenge him, he locked his eyes onto the opposing defensive formation. Then, he slowly bent down, like a vulture circling in the sky, aiming for its prey: the rotting corpses below.

Malik Jackson stared intently at number eleven, his brow tightly furrowed. But the opponent’s commanding presence and confidence left no visible weakness.

As the captain of the Trojans Team’s Defense Team, Malik could clearly feel the powerful aura radiating from number eleven. It was as if he was preparing to repeat the miracle of the last drive and score a touchdown in under two minutes again. Or maybe he was getting ready to uncork another rainbow-like super-long pass for a fatal, decisive blow. This put the Trojans Team’s Defense Team under immense pressure—

The pressure came from the unknown. They knew nothing about this backup quarterback before them. Their only clash had resulted in them being completely suppressed in just one hundred and thirteen seconds. They couldn’t figure out his habits or his playbook. They weren’t sure if they should stick to their original game plan, or if they should put more pressure on the rookie. Or should they start defending against the pass?

His chaotic thoughts had just begun to surface when Lu Ke’s call echoed in his ears. Malik hesitated for a fraction of a second—perhaps only five milliseconds—but it was enough to cause a pause in his movement. The jumbled thoughts in his mind made an instant decision: he would stick with the blitz. If he could just sack number eleven, all their problems would be solved!

Malik crashed hard into the Brown Bear Team’s Offense Line, then used the momentum to take a step back and slip right past the opposing player, sprinting toward Lu Ke. In his peripheral vision, he could see the entire Offense Line already crumbling. They had followed their predetermined tactic, breaking through the Offense Line’s blockade with an absolutely dominant rush. All that was left was to sack the quarterback!

Malik’s eyes were locked on number eleven, unblinking. A viciousness erupted from deep within him. Gritting his teeth, he charged forward. In his eyes, number eleven’s footwork was too slow. He used his momentum to lunge, viciously wrapping up number eleven’s waist and crashing down on him with the force of Mount Taishan.

’Success!’

The joy in Malik’s heart had not yet had a chance to bloom before his heart clenched violently. Number eleven didn’t have the football. Where was the football?

Malik quickly raised his head, and his peripheral vision caught the image of the football settling into Logan’s arms. Damn it! They had sent four players to rush the Offense Line, which meant their other defensive forces were inevitably weaker. They had left a huge opening, allowing Logan to make the catch with ease.

”Fuck!” Malik slammed his fist into the ground, a wave of frustration washing over him.

It was a short pass, for a gain of about six yards. When planning the play, Lu Ke’s goal had been clear: don’t get greedy, advance steadily, and then wait for the right opportunity to strike unexpectedly with medium and long passes.

The advantage of a short pass is the quick release. With precise coordination, accurate routes, and a sharp pass, the pressure on the Offense Line is reduced. The receivers, running back, and Tight End can run crossing routes to confuse the defensive strategy and create more room for the actual receiver to advance.

The entire premise rested on speed, precision, and coordination.

Logan was all too familiar with this kind of catch. Lu Ke was all too familiar with every single route he ran. With just a quick burst forward, a cut to the left, and a turn, the football was delivered comfortably right in front of him. It was effortless. Logan’s eyes quickly scanned the field. There were three defenders to his left, which meant the right side was relatively open. He spun, bracing against the tackler running at him from behind, and then, like an eel, he twisted again, shrugging off the tackle. And then... he ran!