American Football: King of the Bay Area

Lu Ke stepped up behind his Offense Line as chants rained down from all directions. ”Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!” The entire Rose Bowl erupted once more. The torrential energy, showing no signs of having endured a full game, was unleashed with wild abandon. The whole world was chanting his name. The whole world was anticipating his performance. More importantly, the whole world was anticipating his victory!

Lu Ke’s focus sharpened to a razor’s edge. He could still hear the thunderous roar from the stands, but his mind was perfectly calm. He could even hear his own blood rushing in his ears as his adrenaline exploded.

’Read the defense, read the defense, read the defense.’

Unexpectedly, the Badger Team’s defense still hadn’t made any adjustments, continuing their previous zone defense strategy. Lu Ke didn’t know the specific reason. Maybe they believed this defense could still win, or maybe they temporarily lacked any other effective strategies, figuring it was better to react to change by not changing at all. ’But this is good for me!’

He dropped back, a quick drop back. In his peripheral vision, he could see Watt had changed his rush tactic, but his intent was still glaringly obvious. Nelson and Eddie teamed up to block Watt. He could also see that the other defensive players’ blitz was chaotic. The remaining three men on the Bear Team’s Offense Line successfully held them off, with Marcus, of course, chipping in to help.

More importantly, Lu Ke spotted his receivers’ routes. ’Wait, the zone coverage is much tighter than I expected. Every corner seems to be covered. There are no openings!’

’John has a defender two yards away, lying in wait. Logan has a player five yards to his left and another three to his right. Corey Harch, a Wide Receiver, has a defender three paces diagonally in front of him. Christian Yount, the last Wide Receiver, is completely swarmed in the short-pass zone…’

’Marcus? He’s helping block the blitz.’

’Damn it. They’ve reduced the number of players on the blitz and added more to zone coverage. The whole area is covered more tightly now, making every passing target a risk.’

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

He was taking too long. He had to make a decision. The pocket formed by the Offense Line was collapsing fast. Although the defenders hadn’t broken through for any ”intimate” contact with Lu Ke, the shrinking pocket left him with very little room to throw. Without another thought, Lu Ke decisively hurled the football.

Sure enough, the very next second, the pocket collapsed completely, swallowing Lu Ke. Defenders’ arms were swatting at his helmet and shoulders, trying to disrupt the pass—or maybe just trying to beat up the quarterback.

The ball was away. But where was it headed?

All eyes followed the football. The defenders read the pass and pounced immediately. The target: Logan Newman! He was Lu Ke’s most trusted target and the Bear Team offense’s most important beacon.

Logan was running full-tilt, but two players were already closing in from his left and right. Not only that, another player was sprinting over to help cover, trapping Logan in a three-man pincer.

Completely focused, Logan showed no sign of panic. He kept his eyes locked on the ball as he ran, even managing to track the defenders’ positions in his periphery. The player on his right closed the distance in just two strides, jockeying for position and repeatedly bumping into Logan, trying to throw off his balance.

But both men were running at full speed, so the impacts weren’t solid. Besides, Logan was a big, powerful guy who wasn’t afraid of physical contact. His stride remained steady.

In the blink of an eye, the ball arrived. Logan raised his hands high, plucking the football right out of the air over the defender’s head. Just then, a hand shot out from behind him, trying to swat the ball from his grasp. Clearly, the second defender was now in position.

”No open targets! The Badger Team’s coverage is perfect! Lu Ke throws under pressure!” Kirk’s commentary flowed seamlessly. ”Logan! Lu Ke goes to his number one target again, Logan Newman! He’s surrounded by three defenders! Logan leaps into the air and snags the ball over his opponent’s head! WOW! LOGAN MAKES THE CATCH! HE MAKES THE CATCH! He was triple-teamed, with one player even trying to break it up, but Logan held on tight to that football! No question about it, the referee confirms it! It’s a complete catch!”

”Let’s look at the replay! The Badger Team’s zone defense had completely locked down every receiver. In the end, Lu Ke chose his most reliable and physically dominant target—Logan Newman. It’s a twenty-one-yard pass into absolutely no space! With three defenders on him, Logan uses his pure individual skill to make a powerful catch! The defenders could do nothing! One was jockeying for position, another was making contact, a third tried to break up the pass, BUT! The catch was still made! Incredible! Absolutely incredible!”

”At a critical moment, Lu Ke and Logan connect! This wasn’t about tactics; it was pure individual ability! The Bear Team moves the chains again! An unbelievable play!”

Kirk’s words tumbled out one after another, his voice already hoarse, but his excitement was uncontrollable. It wasn’t just him; the entire commentary booth was in an uproar. Faced with an impossible situation, the Bear Team had made the impossible, possible.

This was about more than just completing a catch, or even a twenty-one-yard pass. In less than six seconds, they had driven forward with unstoppable momentum, breaking into the opponent’s half. They were now on the forty-three-yard line! They were pulling chestnuts from the fire, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat!

Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent!

John, Corey, and the others rushed over, pushing the Badger Team defenders away before pulling Logan to his feet. They were all shouting ecstatically, ”Way to go, man! Hell of a play!”

But Logan pushed his teammates aside, a massive grin on his face as he charged toward Lu Ke. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape. He sprinted over, and then both he and Lu Ke jumped, collided in a chest bump, and roared in unison like the Hulk finishing his transformation, ”AAAAAAH!”

That last play had been a huge gamble. With almost no viable options, Lu Ke had chosen the one glimmer of hope. He didn’t need John’s speed; he needed Logan’s strength. So he threw caution to the wind, and it had paid off handsomely.

Adam Klein narrowed his eyes. ’There was something about that last pass.’ Everyone’s attention was on Logan. Undeniably, by beating three defenders and overpowering his opponents to make the catch, Logan had showcased his talent, skill, and willpower. He deserved most of the credit for the play. But Adam’s gaze was fixed on the quarterback.

The accurate judgment in a crisis, the unflinching decisiveness at a crucial moment. Setting aside his read of the defense for a moment—maybe the quarterback had identified that the zone defender on Logan was at a physical disadvantage, or maybe he’d just thrown it on reflex, trusting in Logan’s ability. But the most important thing was the pass itself. It was incredibly precise. The power, direction, and arc were all flawless, allowing it to land perfectly in Logan’s hands.

Unfortunately, sitting in the stands, he couldn’t watch the replay. But from what he’d seen, Logan had made the catch in heavy traffic, yet the pass had been so steady and precise it seemed pre-calculated. Logan barely had to work to catch it, which was the main reason he had avoided the defender’s hand trying to break up the play.

’This quarterback is interesting.’

Adam rubbed his chin, his mind racing. Seventy-one seconds left in the game, and the clock was running. He had a feeling these last seventy-one seconds were going to be very exciting. Sure enough, the quarterback showed no hesitation, immediately setting up for the next down. But was it reckless impulse, or calculated confidence?

Lu Ke could taste the metallic tang of blood. His mind felt incredibly clear, even clearer than usual. He knew that last pass had been a narrow escape, and luck had played its part. But he couldn’t rely on luck. In sports, the moment you start relying on luck is the beginning of a collapse. He had to trust his own skill; it was the only thing he could trust.

’So, how should I run this next play?’

’Screen pass? Wildcat? Play-action? Crossing routes?’

His mind raced as he stared, unblinking, at the defense before him. Everyone said the Badger Team’s defense was their weak point, but only when you were standing right in front of them—especially right in front of JJ Watt—could you feel that immense pressure. ’What play should I call?’

”Strawberry Jam!” Lu Ke shouted again. But this time, it wasn’t a bluff to read the defense; he was actually calling the play.

At the call, Marcus went into motion. He had been standing behind Lu Ke, but now he ran to the right, lining up inside the Wide Receiver. He looked like another offensive lineman, but he could also be a receiver; his ambiguous positioning made him difficult to read. Then Lu Ke’s voice rang out, ”One, two ones!” He really shouted it that way—not ”eleven,” but ”two ones.” The series of calls sounded like binary code.

The Badger Team’s defense hesitated for a moment but didn’t take the bait. No one moved. Then Watt watched Lu Ke get under center and repeat the call, ”One, two ones!” His eyes were locked on Lu Ke, like a cheetah in the jungle preparing to pounce on its prey. This time, he would deliver a fatal blow, tear out his prey’s throat, and leave no chance of survival.

”Hike!” At the call, Watt exploded off the line in a powerful rush!