Chapter 1073: An Eye for an Eye

The Atlanta Falcons’ defensive tactics had changed. Their secondary defense was using man-to-man coverage to cut off passing lanes. While this was a bit rigid, it ensured that no one would be left open, which gave the defensive front more energy to apply pressure.

The San Francisco 49ers’ offensive tactics also changed accordingly. They used just three receivers to draw the attention of five defenders. Now, only one linebacker, Akeem Dent, was responsible for covering the running back’s movements.

But this wasn’t the end.

Lu Ke’s tactical changes were dazzling. The adjustments to the receivers’ routes completely disrupted and misaligned the potential passing lanes, forcing the secondary defense to react in a panic.

More importantly, Ted Ginn Jr.’s speed advantage made it almost impossible for his covering cornerback, Robert McClain, to keep up. Randy Moss’s ability to break through zone coverage put William Moore and Robert James on high alert. Logan Newman’s powerful collisions made Asante Samuel and Thomas DeCoud afraid to lose focus. In short, all three players had created open space for a catch.

However, this complex and chaotic situation was just to mask Lu Ke’s true intention!

Remember? At the snap, the sound of the offensive and defensive lines colliding was not solid. It seemed like a mismatch, and that was exactly what happened.

The five offensive linemen all moved horizontally to the left, shifting their positions. The outside linebacker, Sean Weatherspoon, who was closest to the left side of the defense, was left with no one to cover. According to the plan, Weatherspoon should have been matched up with right offensive tackle Alex Boone, but now that Boone had moved horizontally, Weatherspoon was facing Vernon Davis head-on.

As a result, none of the defenders’ hits were solid, and the sound of the collisions was not crisp and loud. But because the offensive line’s movement was just a small horizontal step and not a large-scale movement, it made it very difficult for the defenders to adjust their feet, and the entire rush became a bit fragmented.

However, the players in the middle of it didn’t have such a clear feeling. Weatherspoon could only focus on the situation in front of him: Vernon Davis? What was going on now?

Weatherspoon instinctively moved forward quickly, but what he didn’t expect was that Vernon chose to retreat! He actually dropped back, avoiding the confrontation! Weatherspoon then rushed forward. All he was thinking was that since an opportunity had appeared, why not try to sack the quarterback?

Then, Weatherspoon realized something was wrong. After Vernon dropped back, LaMichael James then stepped forward, and the two of them completed a cross-route. LaMichael ran toward Weatherspoon, while Vernon’s feet turned to the outside, and then he suddenly took off. After he exploded with speed, he instantly passed Weatherspoon.

What was going on now?

Most of the players’ attention was on the three receivers, and Vernon, who was hidden within the offensive line, was quietly forgotten until now!

Weatherspoon had no time to react. He only had time to collide with LaMichael head-on. He couldn’t retreat, and he couldn’t move forward. He couldn’t drop back to cover Vernon, but he also couldn’t sack the quarterback. He was stuck in a strange position. This... what should he do now?

Akeem Dent!

Number 52, middle linebacker Akeem Dent, still hadn’t given up his position!

As expected, Akeem did notice Vernon’s forward momentum, but Akeem was more of a run defender and occasionally helped with coverage in the short passing area. Simply put, his job was to stand in place and hold his position. Chasing, covering, and tackling in a fast-moving situation were not his strengths.

Akeem was a bit stunned. He was clearly responsible for covering running back LaMichael James. How did he suddenly have to defend tight end Vernon Davis?

That was a tight end! A tight end that even the strong safety, William Moore, might not be able to get the upper hand on! Even if Vernon’s form was not at his best this season, Akeem was still not very confident.

Thinking was one thing, and action was another. Akeem’s body reacted instinctively, and he quickly moved forward, bursting with speed to keep up with Vernon’s feet. But his thoughts still reflected in the details of his muscles. His feet were not able to hold Vernon’s position in time. In addition, Vernon’s collision was a powerful one, and with one action added and one action subtracted, Akeem completely lost his position.

Damn it!

Akeem subconsciously looked back quickly. He could only secretly pray that Lu Ke’s target was not Vernon.

When Lu Ke’s figure came into Akeem’s sight, Akeem let out a low moan from the bottom of his heart. "Damn it! The quarterback just threw the ball! He was obviously taking advantage of the fact that their defensive front’s pressure was not strong enough!"

...

Lu Ke was never in a hurry.

After the snap, he quickly dropped back and made a simple judgment on the defensive line’s pass-rush tactics, making sure that the opponent’s defense did not unexpectedly choose to blitz the quarterback. Only then did he methodically start to move his feet, observing the layout of the offense and defense, and using his pocket footwork to confuse the opponent.

The three-horsemen attack of Ginn, Moss, and Logan pushed the entire secondary defense deep in about two seconds. The line of scrimmage was at their own 15-yard line, but Ginn was already near midfield. Moss and Logan were also around the 30-to-35-yard lines. This meant that an open space of at least 15 yards had been created in the middle.

Vernon intentionally delayed his take-off, bypassed Weatherspoon, and quickly sprinted along the slot. Then he suddenly accelerated and passed Akeem. Within a short five yards, he fully unleashed his explosive power. He then entered a no-man’s-land, and the open and free space allowed Vernon to run freely.

The entire layout of the secondary was in plain sight. Lu Ke immediately made a choice. Although the three players in the deep area all had open space for a catch, Vernon’s receiving space and advancement area had more possibilities. So, he threw the ball with a light pass, drawing an arc that landed on Vernon’s forward path.

...

After getting away from the two linebackers, Vernon continued to run forward with his body’s momentum and drive. It seemed that in just one breath, the straight-line distance between him and the line of scrimmage had increased to ten yards. He then made an adjustment with small steps and turned counterclockwise. Then he saw the football coming toward him, light and agile, like an elf, gliding in with the golden sunlight of San Francisco spinning on it.

After a season of slump and silence, Vernon had not rusted at all. It seemed that those days of hiding were all in preparation for today’s shine.

Vernon thought he would be nervous, but in fact, he was so focused that he didn’t have time to think about being nervous or worried. All his focus was on that one football. Catching the ball, controlling it, and not dropping it was the only thought in his mind.

His muscles were tensed to the maximum, and he was constantly adjusting his feet with small steps. If fans who knew Vernon could tell, Vernon was still a bit flustered. All his adjustments seemed very cautious. After being neglected for a long time, he suddenly stood under the spotlight at a crucial moment. This required courage.

But luckily, the quarterback who was throwing the ball to him was Lu Ke!

Vernon raised his hands and placed them in front of his chest, making a catching motion. Without any adjustment, the football fell accurately into his chest, entering the small world between his palms. His fingertips slightly closed, and he firmly secured the football. It didn’t take much effort or adjustment. Even his tense muscles didn’t have to be used. The entire catching process seemed effortless.

It was still the familiar pass. The angle, spin, power, and landing spot. All the control was still the familiar formula. Vernon could feel that he was a bit too tense. The catch was easier than he thought, but he still didn’t dare to be careless, fearing that the feeling of pride might cause a drop.

Vernon’s fingertips on his right hand slightly closed, firmly holding the football in his palm.

His feet were a bit hesitant, which delayed the best opportunity for an offensive move. The effect of being away from the game for a long time was still unavoidable. But Vernon didn’t plan to surrender easily. He immediately turned around and got ready to continue to advance deep.

The field in front of him was still that same field. Every detail was so familiar, but that dazzling sea of red made Vernon’s blood boil again. He had missed moments and scenes like this so much, and he would definitely not miss them easily! This was his stage. This was his moment!

His brain calmed down and quickly began to observe the secondary. But his game instincts acted first. Every second on the field was extremely important. The body’s reaction must be before the brain’s thoughts, or the brain’s thoughts must be three steps ahead; otherwise, the opportunity will be gone in a flash.

Instinctively, he swept his peripheral vision and caught a large open space on his right. Logan’s inside cut had completely cleared the right side. All the defenders had come to a position near the middle. But his footwork moved diagonally to the left. The body’s conditioned reflex was ahead of the brain, and it made a choice that was not the most correct one. From the side, you could see that Vernon was still not at his best.

It wasn’t the best choice, but it wasn’t necessarily the wrong one.

Although his feet were moving to the left, and all the offensive and defensive players were gathered on the same side, Vernon still found a space to continue to advance. Moss and Logan had pushed the defenders back, and now the closest defender was still about six to seven yards away from Vernon. This was enough for Vernon!

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