Chapter 1033: One Step Ahead

Kam Chancellor was highly focused. While his teammates were each doing their jobs, he, as the relatively free strong safety, was paying close attention to every move the quarterback made. He immediately saw Lu Ke’s motion to pass the ball to Marcus Lynch, but Chancellor didn’t rush forward to defend.

The reason the Seattle Seahawks’ defense has become famous this season is their clear division of labor between the front and secondary defenses.

Unlike the New England Patriots’ temporary defensive changes against the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks truly separated the tasks of their defense, reducing unnecessary responsibilities for each player. This allowed them to focus on their jobs. The seemingly simple play calling, through constant practice in the offseason, preseason, and regular season, gradually developed its power.

The tactic of a running back lining up in the slot as a wide receiver has become an important part of the league’s offensive systems after a few seasons of development. How could the Seahawks’ defense not be prepared for it?

Chancellor didn’t need to step up. Outside linebacker K.J. Wright and rookie defensive end Bruce Irvin would take the lead and make the stop on the front line. If Lu Ke really passed the ball to Marcus and Wright and Irvin missed the tackle, then Sherman and Chancellor, who were in charge of that side, would immediately step up to help.

Chancellor was still adjusting his footwork, watching Lu Ke’s movements intently.

Lu Ke didn’t pass the ball.

It was a fake. Chancellor’s body weight shifted slightly forward. Because Lu Ke was still moving horizontally to the right, it looked like he was about to leave the pocket. Irvin, who was standing on that side, had already shifted his balance forward, but he realized that he had been fooled by Lu Ke. So, he gave up on Marcus and sprinted toward Lu Ke, executing a sudden sack.

In a flash, Lu Ke raised his arm for the second time, as if he was getting ready to throw. But seeing Irvin’s move, he was forced to retract his arm, stop in his tracks, and retreat back into the pocket.

At the same time, Lu Ke continued to move horizontally to the left. He saw his offensive tackle, Alex Boone, step up to block Irvin’s charge. Lu Ke’s pocket footwork didn’t stop. It was steady and quick. He instantly created distance between himself and Irvin. His eyes were still constantly searching for a receiving target.

Chancellor immediately adjusted his balance. He didn’t follow Lu Ke’s footsteps, but his upper body straightened up. Once Lu Ke passed the ball, he would be ready to make a defensive play at any moment.

Lu Ke took big steps and, in the blink of an eye, left the protection of his left offensive tackle, Joe Staley, exposing himself outside the pocket. The problem was that the Seahawks’ defensive lineman on that side, Red Bryant, was a whopping 323 pounds. He was like a clumsy bulldozer and was not capable of sacking a quarterback.

At this moment, on the 49ers’ left side, or the Seahawks’ right side, both Moss and Logan’s forward momentum had left the short-pass area.

Moss was cutting into the middle, while Logan was still running straight ahead. It had only been about two to three seconds since the snap, and their forward momentum hadn’t fully developed, but they were already becoming a threat. The cornerback and outside linebacker had already started to stick to the two players, and Chancellor still hadn’t made a move.

It was at this moment that Lu Ke raised his hand and passed the ball.

From the arc of his hand and the twist of his body, it looked like a long pass.

Without hesitation, Chancellor made a judgment and reacted. It was clear that Lu Ke’s target was Logan, and their connection had become the most dangerous duo in the entire league. Whether it was their chemistry or their ability, from their routes to their positioning and deep shots, they had the entire field covered. If Chancellor couldn’t react in time, Logan could potentially break free from the tight coverage of outside linebacker Hill.

Observe, and then observe again. Chancellor didn’t move until he was sure of Lu Ke’s offensive play. He sprinted with all his might toward Logan’s position.

After running for about seven or eight yards, he instinctively looked back to predict the arc and height of the football. This was not just for an interception, but also for defensive positioning. The moment a receiver stops to catch the ball, that’s when a defender can turn the tables. So they must have more information and details.

But that glance made Chancellor freeze. Where was the football?

Although Chancellor was still sprinting at a high speed, his mind was distracted, and he subconsciously started searching the sky for the ball’s trajectory.

It wasn’t there! It wasn’t there! Still wasn’t there!

What’s going on? Was the pass not going to Logan’s side but to Ginn on the other side? Lu Ke’s passing technique was very precise. He could often change the pass’s direction with a flick of his wrist, often causing defenders to misjudge. But it was strange that there was no football in the sky.

Chancellor’s eyes finally moved down, and he saw a flustered Bryant, a sprinting Wagner, and a charging Lu Ke!

What? Was this a running play? And Lu Ke was running the ball himself?

Crap!

From the moment Lu Ke started moving horizontally to the left to the moment he raised his hand to throw to Logan, he was creating a smoke screen.

This was originally a quick-snap, quick-throw play, and Marcus was the target. But Lu Ke immediately noticed Chancellor and Wright’s positions and made a quick decision. He didn’t even think about the possibility of an interception. Even if Marcus successfully caught the ball, it would only be a four- or five-yard gain.

In that moment of hesitation, Lu Ke realized he had missed the best opportunity to throw.

The essence of a quick throw is to release the ball before you have time to think. The opportunity is fleeting. Since he had missed it, Lu Ke quickly scanned the entire backfield, building a 3D model of the offensive and defensive players’ positions in his mind. The repeated study of the game film paid off, and he immediately came up with a second plan, a counter-tactic to the Seahawks’ defensive strategy.

When most teams in the league, including the San Francisco 49ers, play defense, they use their front-line defenders to blitz and rush the pass. They try to compress the quarterback’s time to release the ball and disrupt his rhythm and space. Even a quarterback like Tom Brady, who is known for his quick, short throws, often faces immense pressure. This gives their teammates more space to defend against the pass.

But the Seattle Seahawks’ defense did the opposite. They focused on the secondary and the running game, giving the quarterback enough time and space to throw but leaving him in a situation with no open receivers. This forced the quarterback to run around in the pocket like a headless chicken. The front-line defenders would then apply pressure, forcing the quarterback to make a desperate choice, which would create an opportunity for the secondary to force a turnover.

The running defense was the Seahawks’ foundation, and the secondary was the whip that would strike at the right moment.

In other words, if you could disrupt the Seahawks’ running defense’s plan and rhythm, it would mean that the offense could have a brand-new opportunity to advance.

Unfortunately, even at their peak, the 49ers’ two running backs were not beastly players like Marshawn Lynch or Adrian Peterson. This meant that Lu Ke had to start with the tempo, constantly switching between passing and running, and also be able to get a certain amount of yardage. That was the most important thing.

On the first offensive play, they chose to pass with a running play. This was the first time they disrupted the Seahawks’ defensive plan.

Now, on the second offensive play, Lu Ke would choose to run with a passing play, once again disrupting the opponent’s defensive rhythm.

In the end, this was a battle of wits and strategy. And in this battle, Lu Ke once again proved he was one step ahead!

After moving to the left, Lu Ke saw a wide-open field in front of him because the Seahawks’ running defense was mainly focused on Marcus or Frank Gore. When Lu Ke chose a passing play, the linebackers would naturally retreat to help the secondary defense. They were unprepared for Lu Ke’s "read-option offense," which was an inevitable weak spot in their relatively simple and focused defensive strategy.

Of course, this wasn’t a read-option play because Lu Ke wasn’t focusing on one linebacker to execute the play. He was adapting on the fly and chose to run with the ball.

Without any hesitation or pause, Lu Ke, who was no longer a rookie, quickly ran with the ball. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a sprinting Wagner.

As a middle linebacker, Wagner was the last line of defense against the running back. Now that his two outside linebacker teammates had retreated to defend against the pass, Wagner was the only one left to defend. Although Bryant was also on the defensive line, his massive body couldn’t accelerate or sprint, and he could only watch as Lu Ke got further and further away.

Lu Ke still wasn’t panicked. He ran quickly to his left, using a diagonal route to make it as difficult as possible for Wagner to assist.

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

Lu Ke’s running style was light and agile, like a young deer leaping through the forest. From his starting position, he sprinted towards the left sideline, showing off his full speed. This was not a passive run, but an active offensive play!

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