American Football: King of the Bay Area

Chapter 396: Chapter 393: Becoming a Strong Team

After defeating the Washington Redskins this week, the San Francisco 49ers’ season record improved to seven wins and one loss, extending their winning streak to four games. In the two games following their bye week, in particular, they achieved resounding and dominant victories, truly showcasing the caliber of a top team.

It was only now that people realized the San Francisco 49ers who had languished for eight years were a thing of the past. This brand-new team was emerging as this season’s formidable dark horse! A dark horse that no team could afford to underestimate—one that was taking the entire league by storm!

Just a few weeks ago, in the league’s official power rankings, Eliot Harrison had placed the San Francisco 49ers high up in third place—behind the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions, but ahead of the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens, who were also having strong seasons. This had sparked considerable controversy.

The general consensus was that the San Francisco 49ers were still a weak team, one that could fall apart at any moment. Their early-season success was seen as a momentary flash in the pan—much like the Washington Redskins. As a result, Eliot’s ranking drew a ton of flak on social media.

But now, everything had been turned upside down, presenting a completely different picture.

Across the entire league, encompassing both the American League and the National League, the Green Bay Packers were the only undefeated team at a perfect eight-and-zero, placing them at the top of the standings. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers, with their excellent seven-and-one record, solely occupied second place in the league.

This outcome stunned countless onlookers!

After losing to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6 of the regular season, the Detroit Lions immediately lost again in Week 7 to the Atlanta Falcons. They then secured an easy road win against the Denver Broncos before entering their bye week. Their record now stood at six wins and two losses.

The New England Patriots were even more unpredictable. After losing to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, they reeled off three straight wins, then entered their bye week at the same time as the San Francisco 49ers. However, upon returning from their bye, they surprisingly hit a two-game losing streak, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. Their record was now a mere five wins and three losses.

Furthermore, in Week 7, the Baltimore Ravens suffered an upset loss to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, handing their opponents only their second win of the season. Their record now also stood at six wins and two losses.

In other words, while their direct competitors were stumbling and falling behind, the San Francisco 49ers maintained their powerful momentum and extended their winning streak. This led to the current state of the league standings.

Of course, some would inevitably argue that aside from the Detroit Lions, the other three opponents during the San Francisco 49ers’ four-game winning streak—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cleveland Browns, and the Washington Redskins—were all weak teams. The New England Patriots, on the other hand, had lost in showdowns against powerhouses like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. There’s a clear difference in the quality of those wins and losses.

But no one could deny that the San Francisco 49ers were now displaying the caliber of a top team.

A so-called top team doesn’t just win consecutively. It’s a team that can dominate weaker opponents, secure easy victories while conserving energy, and then, when facing strong adversaries, unleash immense power and go all-out for the win in a head-to-head battle.

Since their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers had been doing exactly that.

They won their showdown against the Lions impressively; their head-to-head matchups against the Buccaneers, Browns, and Redskins were easy victories. Their overall competitive form remained remarkably stable and balanced, showing a measured pace during games and consistently maintaining a high level of play.

From this perspective, the San Francisco 49ers had truly undergone a metamorphosis. They had shattered the long-entrenched public perception of a team that had been weak for eight years, becoming a formidable force in the league this season—a contender that couldn’t be underestimated, yet still bore the “dark horse” label.

Naturally, in this week’s official league power rankings, Eliot Harrison unhesitatingly placed the San Francisco 49ers in the number two spot, second only to the Green Bay Packers, and wrote the following in his commentary:

“No one could have predicted the San Francisco 49ers would reach this position; likewise, no one can argue against them being here. This traditional powerhouse, which has missed the playoffs for eight long years, has been revitalized this season, proving its strength with one brilliant performance after another.

In this week’s game, Lu Ke once again delivered a flawless performance—the rookie quarterback is simply unstoppable. However, in today’s analysis, I’d rather give special praise to the team’s rapidly emerging receiving corps.

Logan Newman, Ted Ginn Jr., and Marcus Lynch—two rookies and a backup—have become the team’s most crucial offensive weapons, the primary firepower for breaking through defenses. Meanwhile, the offensive roles for Michael Crabtree, Kyle Williams, and Vernon Davis have also become increasingly clear, and they are playing important parts in various tactical packages.

Beyond that, the Offense Line has gradually found its rhythm. The quality of their pocket protection has improved significantly, giving their quarterback more space to operate.

In other words, this team’s offensive identity is taking shape.

Is it unbelievable? Yes. But it is, in fact, happening.”

As the regular season officially entered its second half, the competition for playoff spots began to heat up. The San Francisco 49ers gradually found themselves with a target on their backs. Could they continue to display the poise of a top team and extend their winning streak? If so, for how long? Would they collapse in the latter half of the season, just like the Washington Redskins?

With each consecutive win, the pressure would inevitably mount. At the same time, other teams would be gunning for them. The slightest shift in mentality would surely lead to a change in on-field performance—just like their game in Week 4. Pride and complacency would become a ticking time bomb.

Their first three-game winning streak ended in a loss. Now, after a four-game winning streak, how would the San Francisco 49ers respond?

For others, this was merely psychological speculation. The so-called pressure and attention were intangible, impossible to measure accurately. But for Lu Ke, the system presented it all in a much clearer fashion, because a new quest had just appeared.

A second objective quest.

“Objective Quest: The Metamorphosis of a Top Team’s Mettle.

Quest Description: A winning streak is the best way to maintain a team’s form and confidence. Each additional victory is a building block in the transformation from a weak team to a strong one. The so-called competitive mettle and caliber of a top team are forged through consecutive victories. Extend the winning streak for as long as possible during the regular season.

Quest Requirement: Continue winning after securing a three-game winning streak.

Quest Reward: Four-game winning streak, +1 base point. Five-game winning streak, +3 base points. Six-game winning streak, +6 base points. Seven-game winning streak, +10 base points… and so on, with rewards continuing to accumulate.

Failure Penalty: None.”

This was a special objective quest. With no failure penalty, it felt more like a bonus quest on top of the regular game quests—a way to achieve a psychological metamorphosis, one victory at a time. If he failed, the system didn’t impose any harsh punishment.

Of course, the real penalty was simply missing out on the accumulating bonus points—the simplest, clearest, and most painful punishment of all.

Undoubtedly, in sheer numerical terms, this was the largest quest reward Lu Ke had seen so far. He could clearly see that the rewards stacked with each consecutive win.

The accumulation pattern wasn’t complicated. After each win, the points were added sequentially. For example, the reward for a five-game winning streak was the sum of ‘1+2,’ and for a six-game streak, it was ‘1+2+3.’ Following this logic, if he managed to achieve a sixteen-game winning streak for the entire season, the quest reward would be a staggering ninety-one base points.

Of course, never mind the fact that the San Francisco 49ers had already lost their chance at a sixteen-game winning streak this season. In the entire league, only the New England Patriots had accomplished such a feat in the past decade. A long winning streak in the NFL was anything but simple.

Still, Lu Ke couldn’t help but daydream. ‘If I really pulled it off—even a twelve-game winning streak this season—the reward would be substantial. I’d instantly be rich in base points. Then I could dump them all into my stats in one go and immediately transform into a Super Saiyan!’

‘And then… then I’d become a monster in the league, get captured by scientists from Zone 51 for dissection, and that would be the end of that.’

“Qi, when are the base point rewards for the winning streak quest paid out?” This was Lu Ke’s only question.

In truth, he knew that a long winning streak was incredibly difficult, which was why the system offered such a generous reward. After a brief moment of joy, he gradually calmed down. The bigger the reward, the greater the pressure. Just imagining a bounty of ninety-one base points was enough to grasp how terrifying a sixteen-game winning streak would be.

Comparing things with numbers always made it more visceral.

“After the winning streak is broken,” Qi explained simply.

Previously, when Lu Ke had achieved a three-game winning streak, he hadn’t been able to extend it, so the objective quest never appeared. The minimum requirement was, after all, a three-game streak. Now, with a four-game winning streak secured, he had finally unlocked it.

Instinctively, Lu Ke began to think about their next opponent. He immediately realized it would be an incredibly tough one—perhaps the strongest he had faced in his career so far, and one that made him eager for the challenge.

In Week 10 of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers would host the New York Giants! The New York Giants, led by Eli Manning!