Chapter 902: Mental Fluctuations

In a football game, the quarterback, as the on-field commander, stands in the protection of the offensive line’s pocket, which is one of the positions least likely to be injured.

This is especially true for traditional pocket quarterbacks. Brett Favre still holds the league record with 294 consecutive starts, while Peyton Manning is second with 208. These streaks show that quarterback injuries are relatively rare.

However, football is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, and quarterback injuries are inevitable. For example, Peyton Manning’s neck injury last year, Tom Brady’s severe tears to his ACL and MCL in his left knee in 2008, and the concussions suffered by Michael Vick and Alex Smith this season, as well as Colin Kaepernick’s last year.

As mentioned before, concussions are one of the most serious injuries threatening football today. Because of the violent collisions, this risk exists for almost every position.

A concussion might seem different from an injury like a ligament tear. On the surface, it appears to not affect a player’s career, as they can return to the field after passing a concussion protocol. But in reality, its effects can surface long after a player retires, with severe cases leading to an inability to live independently or even death.

All of this has forced the league to take concussions more seriously.

From the slow-motion replay of the recent sack, the defensive moves by Aldon Smith and Justin Smith were clean and without any indication of a penalty or excessive force.

However, it was still a combined hit from two defensive players, and Jay Cutler’s physical build is nowhere near that of a superman like Cam Newton. He still showed clear symptoms of a concussion, so the team’s medical staff was cautious and used a cart instead of letting him walk off the field himself.

All the fans at Candlestick Park stood up and silently watched Cutler leave.

There was no applause, but there were no boos either. They showed their respect and sympathy with their eyes. This was the greatest display of courtesy that could be shown between two rival teams. Their rivalry was with the teams, not the players themselves. What happens on the field should be separate from what happens off it.

This quiet solemnity showed the class of the 49ers and earned them praise from the commentators. This new 49ers team was impressive both on and off the field.

But... the game had to continue. No one was going to let up before a winner was decided.

And so, the Bears’ backup quarterback, Jason Campbell, took the field.

Campbell was a veteran quarterback, a first-round pick (25th overall) by the Washington Redskins in 2005.

He had a decent college career, and though he didn’t win the Heisman Trophy, he won three consecutive bowl games and was named MVP of each. In the NFL, he became a starter in his second year and played as the starter for three years with the Redskins, putting up two 3,000-yard seasons. He was, by all accounts, an average quarterback.

But that was all.

Campbell’s pass completion rate was mediocre, hovering around 60%. His turnover ratio was also high, averaging an interception for every two touchdowns. In his rookie and second seasons, the ratio was nearly one-to-one.

Overall, Campbell was a serviceable backup quarterback, but he had limited moments of brilliance. After being traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2010, he became a backup. His playing time decreased, and after being signed by the Bears this offseason, he became Cutler’s backup.

On a side note, after the game against the 49ers, Cutler’s concussion was confirmed. With his return date uncertain, the Bears were left with only Campbell at quarterback. To finish the season, the team signed another backup quarterback, Josh McCown.

He was the "old gun" who, along with "the bearded one," Ryan Fitzpatrick, was known as one of the most famous journeyman quarterbacks in the league. McCown had signed a temporary one-year contract with the Bears this offseason but was cut before the regular season began. Now, with Cutler’s unexpected injury, the Bears had signed McCown back to serve as Campbell’s backup.

"Old soldiers never die"—that was the best description of both McCown and Fitzpatrick.

Returning to the game, with Cutler out, Campbell came in, and the Bears’ drive continued.

Despite being a backup, he had been a starter for at least three seasons and did not panic. Facing a difficult situation of second-and-seventeen, he handed the ball to running back Matt Forte to stabilize the offense.

Then, Campbell made a quick, short pass to rookie wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. With the defense’s attention focused on Brandon Marshall, Alshon was able to find open space. This move showed the composure of Bears’ offensive coach Mike Tice.

Unfortunately, the hole the team had dug was too big, and in the chaos, Campbell couldn’t fill it. Furthermore, the home team’s defense was once again playing with a high level of focus.

Forte’s run only gained three yards before he was tackled.

Alshon’s catch was successful, but before he could even turn, two defenders converged on him, forcing him to the ground after a gain of only six yards.

Three-and-out!

"It’s a shame, a real shame!"

"After the start of the second half, the Bears’ offense finally showed some life. Although the drive wasn’t perfectly fluid, Cutler was starting to find a rhythm. Who would have thought that an unexpected event would occur? After suffering a concussion and leaving the game, backup quarterback Campbell now has to carry the offensive burden."

"Now, after making it to midfield, they have to punt. Things are getting worse for them. The scales of victory are tilting even more. However, this surprise affects both sides equally. The team that can quickly find its footing and get back to playing at a high level will be closer to victory."

"The 49ers’ offense is about to take the field again! On one hand, can Lu Ke forget what just happened and not be affected by the opposing quarterback’s injury, maintaining his consistent passing? On the other hand, can the Bears’ defense overcome their mental disarray and execute the strategy they planned at halftime? These are the key questions we’re watching for right now."

On the sidelines, waiting for the special teams to return the punt, Lu Ke was giving his own instructions.

"What just happened is something for the defense to deal with. It doesn’t directly affect us. But if I were the Bears’ head coach and defensive coordinator, I would have my defense go all out. The backup quarterback needs the defense to win him more time and space. The defense needs to step up its intensity to create a chance for a comeback. This means we should expect to face even more pressure."

In the first half, the offense was far from 100%—at most, they were at about 70%. After the unexpected event at the start of the second half, the offensive players were more or less complacent, and a feeling of false hope began to set in.

First, they had a 17-point lead. With the opposing team’s starting quarterback out, the Bears’ ability to score would be diminished, and it seemed they could just wait out a victory. Second, the one who was injured and in a panic was the opponent. The 49ers should have the mental advantage.

This wasn’t just Lu Ke’s random guess; he had similar thoughts himself. But he quickly shook them off. This kind of "just hang on for the win" mentality was the absolute worst thing to have. The effect of a mindset like "a tie is all we need to get through" is immeasurable.

Lu Ke had experienced this firsthand.

In college, against the USC Trojans and the Wisconsin Badgers, he came in as a backup quarterback in both games and successfully turned the tide by capitalizing on the opponents’ mental lapses.

As expected, "pride comes before a fall." After a nine-game winning streak, the 49ers’ mental state was more volatile and noticeable.

So, Lu Ke forced himself to calm down. In that moment, the composure and determination of an undrafted player came to the forefront. To get to this point, he had put in more effort and endured more hardship, so he naturally cherished it more and was more cautious. It was like a beautiful dream he feared would be shattered at any moment. Was this the same mindset Tony Romo had when he gave Lu Ke that advice?

"Please forget about the 17-point lead. Because once we start to get complacent, we could lose a 27-point lead, let alone 17. Don’t ask me how I know, but I’ve personally accomplished that exact feat in my only two college games. So, I don’t want this nightmare to happen to me now. I’m not ready for a dose of karma just yet."

The offensive players were initially a bit indifferent, but after hearing Lu Ke’s quip, they all chuckled, and their focus sharpened.

A backup quarterback?

Don’t forget that Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers were all once backup quarterbacks. The league has plenty of stories of backups creating miracles. So, they absolutely could not underestimate the potential danger of any quarterback.

As they returned to the field, the 49ers’ offense’s focus had finally settled down again.

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