Chapter 1001: Chapter 1001: A Possibility

Chapter 1001: A Possibility

A game ended, and the entire league was in an uproar.

Because the post-game riot at CenturyLink Field was so shocking and sensational, especially with one fan being seriously injured, the atmosphere within the league remained low. All other news about games, even after it was released, had a significant drop in publicity and attention. The focus of both fans and the league inevitably shifted.

But in fact, with the riot stealing all the attention, the 49ers’ season winning streak had quietly reached 15 games. This meant that, after the NFL was reformed to have a 16-game season, they were now only one game away from achieving a perfect season for the second time in history.

It was no longer a theoretical discussion but a real possibility.

Could a perfect season truly happen?

After the riot settled down, ESPN’s "Inside the League" was the first to bring it up on their show, bringing people’s attention back to the ongoing 2012 season. "Can the 49ers achieve a perfect season?" This had become the most anticipated topic in the entire league.

When people started discussing a perfect season, talent was certainly an important factor—perhaps the most important one. But other factors, such as injuries, form, opponents, and the schedule, should not be underestimated. Otherwise, how could there be only one team, the New England Patriots, in the history of the league that achieved a perfect 16-0 season?

The 2007 New England Patriots faced a difficult schedule in their last four games, playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Jets, the Miami Dolphins, and the New York Giants. But the good thing was that all four games were at home. Gillette Stadium was an unbreakable fortress in December, and this created an important condition for their perfect season.

In their final game against the New York Giants, the Patriots barely won "38-35." But who would have thought that four games later, the result would be reversed?

In other words, a perfect season was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It required the right timing, the right place, and the right people. Other factors besides talent should never be ignored.

The same was true for the 49ers now.

In terms of injuries, offensive players Mario Manningham, Joe Staley, Anthony Davis, Randy Moss, and Frank Gore all had minor injuries. It was still uncertain whether it would affect the last game or even the playoffs. Defensive players like Justin Smith, NaVorro Bowman, and Chris Culliver were also dealing with minor injuries. The specific situation would have to be checked in detail over the next few days.

After a long season, and an undefeated one at that, the team was now full of injuries. Even the players who were not injured had reached their physical and mental limits. In an intense game, a moment of carelessness could lead to an injury.

In such a situation, the team needed to consider not only a perfect season but also the playoffs.

No one would forget that in the last game of the previous season, Harbaugh had decisively let the starters rest. Lu Ke only played for one half, and he was completely focused on preparing for the playoffs. Afterward, it was proven that Harbaugh’s strategy was correct. Otherwise, the 49ers might not have been able to turn the tide against the New Orleans Saints.

So, what about this year? Would Harbaugh be willing to go all out for the empty name of a perfect season? After all, the playoffs were the most important thing. This was undoubtedly the closest the 49ers had been to the Super Bowl in the past 20 years. The roster, the skill level, and their current form were all at their best.

What would Harbaugh choose?

Harbaugh’s decision was one thing, and the opponent was another. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

In the last week of the regular season, the 49ers would play against the Arizona Cardinals, another divisional rival and the same opponent who broke the 49ers’ undefeated home streak last season and was involved in the discriminatory incident at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Cardinals’ season had already ended. They had no chance of making the playoffs and had to prepare for the draft and the off-season next year. This meant that they could go all out against their opponent without any worries. Looking at the Seahawks’ game that had just ended, the Cardinals would undoubtedly be feeling something. They were determined to do their best to stop their rival from achieving a perfect season.

Patrick Peterson, who had his first peak season with the Cardinals, said in an interview with the media, "We will fight for victory, no matter what! It’s not about winning; it’s about pride! We will fight for the Cardinals’ pride!"

Peterson’s words received a lot of support and encouragement in Arizona!

At the beginning of this season, the Cardinals started with four consecutive wins. The entire team was looking forward to a great season, but they then suffered a humiliating nine-game losing streak. It wasn’t until they faced the Detroit Lions, who had experienced a sharp decline this season, that they stopped the losing streak and finally got a long-awaited victory.

The Lions, who made the playoffs last season, were in a deep slump. They had suffered a seven-game losing streak and now had a record of four wins and 11 losses, which was a complete collapse.

Matthew Stafford’s performance this season was also puzzling. So far, he had 19 passing touchdowns, which was less than half of his total from last season. He had 17 interceptions, the second highest in his career. But the amazing thing was that his passing attempts and passing yards both broke the Lions’ team records, and he even had a chance to achieve his first 5,000-yard season, but his quarterback rating was only 79.8.

Simply put, his passing was still great, but his conversion rate and turnover rate were both high, and that’s why this happened.

Facing such a Detroit Lions team, the Cardinals barely managed to win, showing a slight sign of recovery. The "38-10" score also reignited hope for the Cardinals’ fans. However, they then lost to the Chicago Bears the next week, and this long season seemed to have no end.

All of their pride and persistence had lost their meaning.

Now, as Peterson said, facing the 49ers was their last chance. Would they end the season in shame, or would they hold their heads high and welcome a new season?

This was a choice, and it was a matter of spirit!

What was more important was that this opponent was a unique divisional rival!

"For pride," the Cardinals’ fans also started to spam social media. All the young fans issued a call. It wasn’t just a simple tit-for-tat. It was a sign of their strong revival. The Cardinals, who seemed to have lost their spirit this season, had finally regained their composure.

On one side, the 49ers needed to rest for the playoffs. On the other side, the Cardinals were going all out. After this change in momentum, the comparison of talent was no longer important—at least it wasn’t the most important part.

"Inside the League" also noticed this. Charles Davis believed that the 49ers would not go all out for the win.

"The 49ers have already secured the number one seed in the league. They have become the number one favorite to win the championship. Now, the most important thing for them is the playoffs, not a meaningless regular-season game. Jim Harbaugh can completely send in the backup players to finish the game and prepare for the playoffs with a new perspective. The Cardinals’ chance of winning this game is higher. Or rather, their chances are better."

But Spencer Larson disagreed with this view.

"The 49ers do need to rest and adjust their form, but they are a team full of fighting spirit and will never give up or compromise easily. This is also the reason why they have been on the rise for the past two seasons. I believe that in the last game, Jim Harbaugh will still go all out for victory. The Cardinals, who have been struggling with their offense in the second half of the season, will still find it difficult to win."

"No, no, no, that’s not the case." Charles immediately objected and was eager to express his opinion. But then, other analysts also started to chime in.

Gradually, the entire studio fell into chaos. They argued with each other, and everyone was expressing their opinions, trying to join the discussion and emphasize their points.

But another voice spoke up, offering a different opinion from both Spencer and Charles. "Has no one noticed that Lu Ke now has a chance to break a league record? He has already achieved 46 passing touchdowns, surpassing his total from last season. If he can throw five more touchdowns in the last game, then he will break Tom Brady’s single-season touchdown record. Isn’t this an important motivation?"

This was indeed a point of focus!

Because of the riot at CenturyLink Field, people had missed a lot of things in the past two days, and this was another one of them.

Every player longed to have their name engraved in the history books. Although those historical records could not define the glory and achievements of a career, it was undeniable that these numbers were an important summary of a career in sports. Perhaps players wouldn’t deliberately try to break a record to avoid distracting themselves from the game—not to mention, how easy was it to break a record? But if the opportunity arose, they would never miss it.

This was the case for Lu Ke now.

The most incredible part was that Lu Ke was only a second-year player, but he had already created so much glory on this stage. Before the season began, people were still worried about his "sophomore slump," but now they were already seeing the dawn of breaking a historical record. This season was truly too exciting.

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