Chapter 1087: Chapter 1087: Great Strength
Chapter 1087: Great Strength
"This is the NFC Championship Game!"
"This is the NFC Championship Game that has been a fierce battle for the past five consecutive years! The 2012 season is no exception. The confrontation between the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons has now entered the bayonet-to-bayonet stage. Almost every year, an unexpected dark horse appears in the NFC Championship Game. Tonight’s unexpected person is not Vernon Davis, but Kendall Hunter!"
"With the strong comeback of tight end Vernon Davis, the San Francisco 49ers have once again shown the same explosiveness and drive they had at the beginning of the season. Their offense is not only solid but also fierce, like Mike Tyson’s heavy punches, beating back their opponent one after another. But in the end, he is a receiving player. His comeback is a pleasant surprise, but not a total shock."
"This season, the overall performance of the San Francisco 49ers’ running backs has shown a downward trend. On one hand, it’s because Lu Ke’s performance in passing has been top-tier. On the other hand, it’s also because the running backs are not in their best form. But who would have thought that at a crucial moment, Kendall Hunter would step up again and completely change the situation on the field?"
"Under the strong double-team of three defensive players, Hunter completed an incredible catch. Lu Ke’s pass was a bit too strong, and the receiving position was not ideal, but Hunter used his powerful physical strength to control his balance and completed the catch amidst the collisions and shoves! Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! It could even be called the best catch of the game!"
"Let’s watch the replay again!"
"Facing a third and six, Lu Ke used a very deceptive lateral pull to shake the judgment of the defensive players. Then we could see Lu Ke actively making a change and, before the defense could follow up, throwing the football out. This was a long pass of about 22 yards, going straight into the back half of the end zone for a touchdown!"
"Wow!"
"After achieving a perfect regular season record, the San Francisco 49ers are undoubtedly the biggest favorites for the Super Bowl this season. After being tested in the divisional game and this game, the team’s immense strength is slowly but surely showing. I am now looking forward to the second half of this game."
"If the Falcons win, it will be exciting to see how they defeated this team with an even better performance. And if the 49ers win, it will be even more exciting to see how they will end this game. I’m afraid it will only get more and more interesting from here!"
"Wait, there’s a controversial moment on the field. Red flag challenge! The Atlanta Falcons’ head coach, Mike Smith, has chosen to challenge the play! Can this game get any more exciting?"
"Let’s look at the moment Hunter caught the ball. There seems to be some controversy here. Did Hunter gain control of the football before his feet went out of bounds? This is the reason for Mike Smith’s challenge. He believes that Kendall Hunter didn’t have full control of the football in his hands!"
Although the end zone referee had just raised his hands to confirm the touchdown, the details of controlling the football and his feet going out of bounds happened in a flash. It was impossible for the naked eye to be 100% accurate, so they needed to confirm with a video replay. A conclusion could not be made yet.
In the predicament of a three-man double-team, Hunter fell to the ground, and his forward momentum couldn’t be stopped. He was like a bowling ball, tumbling forward and knocking over all the photographers at the end of the end zone. This should have been a perfect strike, and his body was twisted into an awkward shape.
Just as Hunter finally stood up, before he could even begin his touchdown dance, the visiting team’s red challenge flag was thrown onto the field. He could only suppress his excitement, and with a nervous heart, he returned to the sideline to wait for the referees’ further ruling with his teammates.
In the face of this sudden situation, the unified cheers of Candlestick Park had already begun to echo throughout the stadium:
"Touchdown! Clap, clap!"
"Touchdown! Clap, clap!"
"Touchdown! Clap, clap!"
The shouts and claps intertwined, as if the sky, the sea, and the land were all pulsating with that unwavering belief. The waves of cheers rolled in, one after another. Then, in the broadcast booth, they began to repeatedly play the footage of Hunter’s catch from different angles, discussing their opinions on whether it was a successful touchdown or not.
Because this was the NFC Championship Game, the referees’ ruling was especially cautious. They gathered on the sideline and discussed for nearly two minutes. The cheers from the entire stadium never stopped. As time passed, both sides gradually became more nervous. Could it be that the result was going to change?
Finally, the long wait ended. Two minutes felt like two centuries. The head referee returned to the field, faced the camera and the home crowd, and opened his microphone. He found his voice amidst the cheers and announced the ruling:
"After review, the ruling on the field... stands. Touchdown!"
Before he could even finish his words, the entire stadium erupted. All the sounds turned into a single roar, "Ah! Aaaah!"
There was still the extra point to be kicked, but they had tied the score. With less than four minutes left in the third quarter, the home-field San Francisco 49ers had finally tied the score. The dullness and oppression from the first half were all swept away. They had regained the initiative. They had regained the advantage!
Hunter, who had been watching the referee closely on the sideline, could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He raised his hands high, like a boxer who had just won a championship fight, announcing his victory. But this was still not the end. He also jogged onto the field and imitated Michael Jackson’s moonwalk.
The whistles from the entire stadium came one after another, creating a lively atmosphere. Hunter was also overjoyed and in high spirits.
Then, David Akers led the special teams onto the field.
Although the extra point didn’t seem difficult, unexpected things often happened at crucial moments, and it was better to be safe than sorry. The game’s atmosphere was at its most tense and tangled moment. Even the extra point could not be taken lightly. It was obvious that the Atlanta Falcons’ special teams had consciously increased the intensity of their hits, trying to disrupt Akers’ kick.
But at the critical moment, Akers held his ground and successfully completed the extra point kick.
"28-27."
For the first time since the start of the NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers had taken the lead.
In the recent offensive and defensive series, from Matt Ryan’s interception to Kendall Hunter’s touchdown, the intensity of the confrontation between offense and defense had clearly increased. Both teams were revealing all their cards and engaging in a close-quarters battle. In the end, it was the home-field San Francisco 49ers who were slightly more skilled and scored the touchdown.
But the game was not over yet! There were still a little over three minutes left in the third quarter. Anything was possible. The two teams had essentially returned to the starting line. However, in the next offensive and defensive series, the positions were reversed. It was time to test the Atlanta Falcons’ offense and, of course, the San Francisco 49ers’ defense.
Although this was not the last drive of the fourth quarter, the momentum on the field had already shifted. This next drive would further determine which side the momentum would swing toward. Matt Ryan also realized this. When he came back on the field, his expression was a bit tragic.
The Falcons’ offense continuously erupted with great energy, choosing to run the ball four times in a row with three different types of running backs. Furthermore, all four runs successfully broke through the 49ers’ powerful run defense. They gained three first downs in four runs, showing a flash of courage in this fierce confrontation!
But then the 49ers also counterattacked.
Facing a first and 10, Ryan chose a 50-yard super long pass without any warning, trying to find wide receiver Roddy White, aiming for the end zone, hoping to end the game with one final blow. But safety Carlos Rogers made a beautiful defensive play, completely cutting off Roddy’s route and getting in front of him. He was a hair’s breadth away from another interception. If Roddy hadn’t reluctantly committed a holding foul at the last moment, Rogers might have really intercepted the ball.
It was a false alarm, but the Falcons were still penalized five yards for the foul.
They failed to gain a first down on a second and 15 run. On a third and 15, Ryan chose to release the ball quickly and found wide receiver Julio Jones with a short pass. In a life-and-death situation, Julio beat cornerback Tarell Brown, successfully completed the catch, and gained a first down, barely keeping the Falcons’ drive alive.
But the 49ers’ defense didn’t get discouraged. In the next offensive and defensive series, they chose to blitz the quarterback, sending six defensive players to rush. This instantly broke through the offensive line’s pocket and created unimaginable pressure. As a result, there was a bad snap between Ryan and the center.
Ryan couldn’t control the football with his hands, and it was a fumble! The football immediately became a dead ball. The 49ers’ number 99 outside linebacker, Aldon Smith, had already broken through the pocket and pounced on it immediately. Although Ryan reacted extremely quickly and immediately tried to get the football back, the ball was still controlled by Aldon!
The entire stadium erupted!
On the sideline, Jim Harbaugh clenched his fists and started roaring, "Yes! Yes! That’s it!"
The voice of the analyst came from the broadcast booth, "Matt Ryan has lost two consecutive possessions, one interception and one fumble. This is truly rare and is enough to be the key to turning the game around. But we must realize that Ryan’s eyes were not on the football because he had to observe the layout and changes of the defensive formation. They were under too much pressure!"
"When the San Francisco 49ers’ defense once again shows its ability to create turnovers, there is no doubt that they are the most dangerous killers in the entire league!"
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