Chapter 1005: Chapter 1005: Digging Your Own Grave
Chapter 1005: Digging Your Own Grave
The very thing Patrick Peterson worried about has happened.
Facing a monstrous roar from the away crowd, they’ve been unable to find their rhythm. They’ve even started to fall apart, defeating themselves without a strong hit from the opponent. Even with the San Francisco 49ers’ second-string on the other side of the line of scrimmage, the Arizona Cardinals can’t mount an effective challenge, leaving Patrick feeling helpless.
"Missed tackle!"
"I can’t believe it! With Lu Ke stumbling, Cardinals’ outside linebacker Sam Acho, number 94, has made a rookie mistake. His position and rhythm are completely off, and Lu Ke has shaken off the tackle with a staggered outside move! My goodness, that’s a mistake even a rookie shouldn’t make!"
"Just now, the starting right guard, Daniel Kilgore, made a fatal mistake, tripping and losing his balance, allowing the defender to easily break through and put Lu Ke in a sack crisis. But then Sam Acho made another simple mistake, failing to complete a simple tackle! Now Lu Ke has more throwing room!"
"Lu Ke! Lu Ke is looking!"
"Lu Ke is out of the pocket! He’s thrown the ball!"
"The pass is for... Ted Ginn! Ted Ginn is one-on-one with Patrick Peterson, Ginn is trying to get free, but Peterson is focused and not giving Ginn much space. A penalty! Ginn is trying to get ahead with his speed, and at the last second, Peterson grabs Ginn’s jersey. A yellow flag! Penalty!"
"Wait, it’s not Ted Ginn, it’s Vernon Davis!"
"Misjudged it!"
"Both Ginn and Davis were on similar routes, both on a corner route, one behind the other. Their figures were basically in a straight line. From the back, the one-on-one between Ginn and Peterson completely obscured Davis’s continued push—"
"The distance between Ginn and Lu Ke was about eight to nine yards, while the distance between Davis and Lu Ke had already extended to sixteen yards. Lu Ke’s control of the pass arc completely deceived the defenders and us, too. Even from our high vantage point in the studio, we couldn’t accurately tell."
"The football didn’t accelerate on its way down; instead, it followed the principles of a parabola, forming a perfect rainbow arc to find Davis sixteen yards away. Wow, such precise pass control, maybe only Drew Brees can do that."
"Vernon Davis has made a perfect catch. Safety Adrian Wilson is coming in for a tackle!"
"Wilson has lost his position! Davis! Davis has shaken off Wilson’s diving tackle! Open space! There’s a huge open space in front of Davis now, no defenders! No defenders in the backfield now! Davis! Davis is still running!"
"Peterson is trying to get back! Ginn’s block didn’t hold up, and Peterson has picked up speed! Peterson is chasing at full speed! This... is this the final stretch of a 100-meter dash? Peterson is closing in! My God, Peterson has unleashed an incredible burst of energy. He’s rapidly closing the distance between them! Peterson! Patrick Peterson!"
Vernon Davis’s muscles were all tensed up.
His inconsistent performance this season had cost him his starting position again. The dual tight end formation returned to a three-wide-receiver formation, which significantly reduced his playing time. His frustration and disappointment were palpable, but he had been training in silence, trying to get his game back in shape and earn his way back into the starting lineup.
Now, his opportunity had come.
Relying on Ginn’s blocking, there was an obvious gap in the second line of defense. Vernon first cut inside and then veered outside. A simple change of direction brought him into the perfect position to receive the ball, but he didn’t let his guard down. He kept adjusting his steps and straightened his upper body to ensure he made the most standard catching gesture—he absolutely could not afford to drop the ball again.
Then, he caught it!
It had been a while.
But Vernon didn’t relax. He quickly turned, and out of the corner of his eye, he immediately spotted Adrian Wilson five steps away. The impact of being out of the game was still there; his muscles tightened even more. Fortunately, his long-standing game experience was still there, and his steps didn’t get muddled. He accurately judged his opponent’s position, then used small, quick steps to shift his center of gravity and his path, before quickly charging forward.
This split-second adjustment became the essence of the offensive and defensive play, giving Vernon a slight advantage.
Adrian’s tackle didn’t fully connect. Although his arms had wrapped around Vernon’s waist, he couldn’t put any power into it. Vernon used an accelerating jerk and the centrifugal force to cleanly throw Adrian off, which also gave him the space to start running again.
Running! Running with abandon!
Vernon was never known for his speed, and deep passes were not his strength, but at this moment, for the first time, he deeply felt the thrill and happiness of running wild. The wind howled in his ears, and the entire red ocean of fans began to churn. His steps became more powerful and his movements faster. The whole world seemed to be flowing.
The spot where he caught the ball was around the Arizona Cardinals’ 28-yard line. The offense had only just crossed midfield and was mostly using short and medium passes. But unexpectedly, Vernon found open space to keep advancing, which got all of his teammates running as well.
As he ran, Vernon could feel the relentless figure chasing him from behind.
No fancy tricks, no change of route. As a tight end, Vernon’s forte was still physical contact and blocking. But now, it was a head-to-head speed race, which was truly not Vernon’s strong suit.
Vernon still didn’t give up easily. He gritted his teeth, unleashing a powerful burst of energy, a surge he’d been holding back for two months. In reality, he only managed to maintain a steady speed and couldn’t accelerate again, which allowed Patrick’s speed advantage to show. The distance between them was shrinking little by little.
Vernon looked forward. It was closer, and then closer still. The end zone was getting nearer, and he couldn’t help but start praying. "Move your feet faster, please, just a little faster!"
Fifteen yards... ten yards... five yards...
Just then, a wave of air rushed from behind, and a flying tackle slammed into him, grabbing his waist firmly. Like a sack of potatoes, it began to pull him hard down and back. The powerful force instantly canceled out all of Vernon’s speed, and he could barely move his legs.
But Vernon still didn’t give up.
He gritted his teeth, like a strongman in a Guinness World Record challenge, dragging a tire twice his size forward. He was using every ounce of his strength, to the point that he almost broke his teeth, and his feet continued to move forward, one step at a time.
Three yards.
Two yards.
One yard.
End zone!
Vernon forcefully and brutally dragged Patrick behind him into the end zone. The moment the referee raised his arms to signal a touchdown, Vernon also raised his hands, spread his legs, and made a gesture of embracing the sky, roaring loudly and happily.
All the repression, all the emotions, all the frustration, and all the troubles were released at this moment.
The entire Candlestick Park erupted in cheers!
Patrick Peterson lay on the ground in a sorry state. His jersey was stained with large, dark green splotches. He was gasping for air. The full-speed sprint had burned every bit of energy in his body, but in the end, he couldn’t stop the opponent’s touchdown.
From defense to offense and back to defense, the Arizona Cardinals were unable to put up a meaningful fight in this game. In the last defensive play alone, the defense made at least two mistakes, which gave Vernon the chance to score a touchdown. They had practically dug their own grave. How were they supposed to play this game?
In a daze, fragments of memories reappeared in Patrick’s mind. The tragic game at the University of Phoenix Stadium earlier this season, where they were completely helpless against today’s opponent. They had almost no chance throughout the entire game, and all the players were like they were walking in their sleep.
Filled with anger, frustration, and helplessness, Patrick lay on the ground. For a moment, he really felt that the opponent he was facing was unbeatable. He knew that such thoughts were absolutely forbidden, but the negative feelings still spread like a virus.
He sat up and only managed to catch a glimpse of the back of the opposing quarterback, number 14. There was no big celebration or cheering. He was just steadfastly continuing his game, unmoved. That powerful belief made the red-clad figure seem incredibly tall and majestic, holding up the crimson sky of the entire Candlestick Park.
That damn guy!
"All out!"
"The San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback, Lu Ke, is full of fighting spirit. The plays and execution in the first two drives still show his peak form this season. He hasn’t let his guard down just because this is the last opponent. Even with a half-strength team, Lu Ke is still showing his determination to win!"
"The first quarter is only half over, and Lu Ke has already scored two touchdowns! Lu Ke is still unstoppable! He’s three touchdowns away from breaking Tom Brady’s record for passing touchdowns!"
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