American Football: King of the Bay Area

”Thirteen yards! Marshawn Lynch, Marshawn Lynch!”

The commentators, who had just been marveling at the San Francisco 49ers’ stunning long pass, were now screaming their lungs out in awe of the Seattle Seahawks’ stunning run.

Thirteen yards was a huge gain for a run play. What’s more, he had carved a path through a heavily fortified defense, making it all the more incredible. It was every bit as impressive as Lu Ke’s Rainbow Pass on the first down.

”Beast Mode!” all the commentators exclaimed, their voices filled with endless praise.

Marshawn Lynch, the twelfth overall pick in the first round of the 2007 draft by the Buffalo Bills, was an outstanding and formidable talent, even making the Pro Bowl in 2008. But overall, he had never quite lived up to the expectations of a first-round pick. That was until last year when Pete Carroll took over the Seattle Seahawks and insisted on acquiring Marshawn, whose rookie contract with the Buffalo Bills had ended.

In the first round of the playoffs last year, facing the defending champion New Orleans Saints, Marshawn evaded nine tackles on a single offensive play—including one where he single-handedly threw Saints cornerback Tracy Porter to the ground—ultimately running for sixty-seven yards and scoring a Touchdown.

That run earned him the unanimous adoration of the Seattle local media, and subsequently, the nickname ”Beast Mode.”

Tonight, Marshawn had activated Beast Mode again. On the very first play, he gained thirteen yards while surrounded by defenders, striking back with a powerful statement! The game was starting to get exciting!

Travis Jackson was not a traditional passing quarterback. His passing style was all over the place; in a single game, he could throw for three Touchdowns, but he could also throw three interceptions, with his completion percentage rarely breaking sixty percent. When necessary, he could use his legs to escape the pocket and gain yardage, or even score a Touchdown—of course, compared to the younger generation of mobile quarterbacks, his ability wasn’t particularly outstanding.

First Travis, then Marshawn—both players were heavy-duty weapons. The Seattle Seahawks’ offense lacked surgical precision, but it was all brute force—a battering ram that was earth-shattering, immensely powerful, and utterly intimidating.

Travis’s four pass attempts had failed three times, with only one completion for a four-yard gain, which was nowhere near enough to lead the team forward. But Marshawn’s four carries had gained twenty-seven yards. Add in one run by Travis himself, and the Seattle Seahawks had stumbled their way to three consecutive first downs.

In the blink of an eye, three minutes and forty-seven seconds had ticked off the clock, and the team had crossed the fifty-yard line.

During the long offensive drive, Lu Ke temporarily set aside his playbook and began to carefully observe the Seahawks’ offensive tactics. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and say teasingly, ”How about you go out there and say hi to that beast? Ask him to go easy on us?”

In reality, the Seattle Seahawks’ offense on this drive was basically devoid of tactics. It was either hand it off to running back Marshawn, or Travis would fake a pass and then hand it off to Marshawn. Simple and brutish, yet effective.

”I thought you didn’t need any extra help and preferred to win with absolute skill,” Marcus, sitting beside him, said, rolling his eyes and retorting mercilessly.

Lu Ke tilted his chin up slightly and sighed meaningfully. ”So you’re saying you’re powerless too.”

Marcus was speechless for a moment, then burst out laughing.

Marcus’s full name was Marcus Lynch. The same ”Lynch” as Marshawn Lynch. They were cousins, and on pretty good terms, not some distant relatives who barely knew each other.

As they spoke, another cheer erupted from the field. Marshawn, clutching the football, had broken through again, leading the team to yet another first down.

Beast Mode. It was simply unstoppable. The San Francisco 49ers’ run defense was already in good position, but even when they read the play, even when they knew it was a run, and even when they made the tackle, Marshawn could just use his physical gifts to keep pushing forward forcefully. There was nothing they could do.

Lu Ke bumped Marcus’s shoulder and joked again, ”What do you think? Itching to get on the field? If you get a chance, you can activate your own mode. Something like, Rabbit Mode.”

Marcus ground his teeth, stuck his neck out, and shot back, ”Why not say Bambi Mode? I think Bambi Mode is pretty good. A touchdown on the very first pass. Beast Mode is too much work, and he still hasn’t managed to score a Touchdown yet.”

The words had barely left his mouth when a thunderous roar erupted from the field: Marshawn Lynch had scored a Touchdown!

Patting Marcus on the shoulder, Lu Ke gently shook his head but said nothing. The simple gesture and meaningful expression were enough. Watching the dumbfounded and fuming Marcus, Lu Ke stood up and started stretching his limbs, preparing to take the field again.

”Marshawn Lynch activated Beast Mode again, practically carrying the entire offense on his shoulders and legs to drive them forward, ultimately finishing with a Touchdown. A tough response. Following the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks have also scored a Touchdown. This National League West divisional clash is already absolutely brilliant and full of fireworks in the first quarter.”

Sitting in the studio, Kirk summarized in a clear and concise manner. Then Teddy added, ”The San Francisco 49ers’ offense is about to take the field again. This time, we’ll finally get a good look at the starting lineup for the offense.”

Kirk and Teddy were watching the replay of that last run, providing commentary for the viewers. Afterward, the Seattle Seahawks’ special teams unit came out and completed the extra point kick, tying the score. It was now 7-7.

Next, it was the special teams’ time to shine again as the Seahawks kicked off and the 49ers handled the return.

The vast stadium finally began to react. ”AHHHHHH!” Scattered screams started to converge, gradually building into a tidal wave of sound that churned and echoed throughout Candlestick Park. The whistling sea breeze cut through it all, its mournful cry adding a touch of bleak grandeur to the fervent atmosphere.

The fans were confused. What exactly happened on that first drive? They scored a Touchdown, but... how exactly did they score? How did that quarterback, the one all the experts had been trashing, pull it off? Was it just a flash in the pan, or was it real skill? Should they continue their protests, or should they cheer for their team?

Countless questions, but no answers. One thing was certain, though: they loved Touchdowns, they enjoyed Touchdowns, and they were hoping that the quarterback, who was a walking question mark, could score another one.

On the field of competitive sports, everything was so simple: victory was paramount. Only victory, and nothing but victory. So, they were calling out: ’Kid, show us what you’ve got again!’

”That first pass was mostly luck. I don’t think it was a reflection of number fourteen’s actual skill.”

”On the first drive, the Seahawks’ defense wasn’t set and was caught off guard. This next drive won’t be so simple.”

”Number fourteen barely had a chance to do anything just now. I think this drive will be the true test of his skill level.”

”On this drive, number fourteen will face immense passing pressure. For the 49ers’ coaching staff, the smartest choice would be to trust their running back, Anthony Dixon.”

”They’re back to a level playing field. The 49ers’ rookie will be under a lot more pressure now. It’ll be hard for him to keep a clear head again.”

”Luck only strikes once. This is the NFL, the most physically competitive professional league in the world. I don’t think that Asian quarterback can keep it up.”

”Now number fourteen has to face the Seahawks’ storm. Things are about to get difficult.”

...

The commentators’ speculations and conjectures spread out in all directions over the airwaves. It was obvious that no one had high hopes for Lu Ke. They hadn’t before, and they remained skeptical now. The ridicule and disdain never went away.

Compared to the fans, the commentators were more objective, and also more ruthless. A single drive, a single pass, was nowhere near enough to change their minds. Lu Ke was still Lu Ke: the Chinese-American quarterback, the rookie, the nobody.

But in the Fox Television studio, Teddy was already getting excited. ”Just now, on that first drive, the 49ers’ rookie quarterback, uh…”

”Lu Ke,” Kirk chimed in, noticing Teddy’s hesitation.

Teddy nodded. ”Yes, Lu Ke. On his very first pass, he went for a stunning long ball, showcasing not just his arm strength and accuracy, but more importantly, his courage and guts. That’s incredibly rare for a rookie quarterback. Even this year’s number one pick, Cam Newton, might not have done it any better.”

”I agree,” Kirk responded proactively. ”To the league, Lu Ke is a complete unknown. Before the San Francisco 49ers announced their starting quarterback, nobody had ever even heard his name.”

”Oh? Your tone seems to suggest you know this rookie quarterback?” Teddy interjected, sensing something unusual in the way Kirk spoke.

Kirk smiled and nodded in confirmation. ”I wouldn’t say I know him. But, I was on-site commentating for the only two games of his college career.” Before he could finish, the San Francisco 49ers’ offense was already taking the field again, and Kirk sped up. ”This rookie’s greatest strength is that he’s abnormally clutch. In both of those games, he led miraculous comebacks from behind.”

”Wow, that’s interesting. But we’ll talk more about that in a bit. For now, let’s take a look at the 49ers’ offensive starting lineup…” Teddy expertly controlled the show’s pacing.

As a neutral broadcaster, what they cared about wasn’t authority or victory, but excitement. A back-and-forth offensive shootout between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks was undoubtedly the best way to attract ratings for a live broadcast. So, whether it was Teddy or Kirk, they were both filled with anticipation.