Chapter 961: Chapter 961: Strong Comeback

Chapter 961: Strong Comeback

In a two-by-two formation, Lu Ke stood in the pocket. After the snap, all the players charged out.

Almost at the same time his hands received the ball, Lu Ke caught the change in the New England Patriots’ defensive strategy—they actually only sent three players to rush the offensive line’s pocket. All the other players retreated, scattering to various positions on the field.

It was a pass defense!

Clearly, the New England Patriots had made adjustments based on the different situations on different downs.

Third and ten, another long-yardage down, and another setback in their consecutive offensive plays. Everything was so familiar. The defense then sent their main force to cut off all passing lanes, trying to suppress Lu Ke’s passing rhythm again before it returned.

It’s not that easy for a cold hand to get hot again.

While observing, Lu Ke was also adjusting his steps back. He quickly scanned the field. The four receivers were surrounded by seven defensive players. It was almost a tight net—this wasn’t the red zone, but the 49ers’ 20-yard line. And Gore, who had just run out of the slot, was also being covered by their middle linebacker, Mayo.

According to the plan, this was indeed a passing play.

Considering the recent form of the two running backs, giving them the ball on third and ten was naturally a lower-percentage play than a pass. This is also the importance of "run-pass balance." At critical moments, they need to be able to trick the opponent, but now Lu Ke’s plan was immediately seen through by the opponent, and he instantly fell into a difficult situation.

In a flash, Lu Ke made a decision:

Should he use the special skill "Falcon’s Eye"? Or should he choose...

To run with the ball himself! 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Without activating the special skill, Lu Ke’s mind was incredibly clear.

He made a sideways move to the right and began to look for a receiver. He raised his right hand, making a passing gesture, as if he was going to throw to Logan near the right sideline.

But then, he pulled his right hand back and charged forward again, stopping with an emergency brake just before the line of scrimmage. He adjusted with small steps and made a passing motion for the second time, as if he was looking for Ted Ginn’s position on the left.

Ginn was now doing his best to move toward the deep area. Two defensive players were trying to double-team him, but Ginn still didn’t give up. He constantly shook his body and changed his steps, trying to break through and find an opening to receive the ball. He had already run about 25 yards.

Lu Ke’s action immediately caused the entire secondary defense to become chaotic.

Then, Lu Ke pulled his right hand back again and, without hesitation, crossed the line of scrimmage, starting to run with the ball.

His running was still a little clumsy, but it had undergone a complete transformation compared to last season. In a short ten-yard sprint, his speed didn’t increase much, but his movements and posture became more natural. This allowed him to run another five yards after crossing the ten-yard mark. Before the defensive players swarmed him, he slid to the ground and ended his run on his own.

First down, success!

The New England Patriots’ defense was obviously a little annoyed. Every player was angrily punching the air, venting their frustration.

This was not only because the opponent had a successful third-down conversion again, but also because Lu Ke was basically a pocket quarterback. His running motion was comparable to that of old guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. But... Lu Ke still managed to run and complete the third-down conversion.

D*mn it!

When Lu Ke completed another run, the defensive players on the sideline all widened their eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh! Oh! Bloody Bambi is online!"

Marcus stood next to him and said with a resentful look, "He’s stealing my job. What am I going to do now? What am I going to do now?" The other offensive players on the second team all burst out laughing.

However, as the person involved, Lu Ke was not at all smug. After the offseason training, his footwork had gradually become more stable and had become a part of his arsenal. Although the rhythm of running with the ball was still a little strange, it was still different from passing. But he was able to quickly calm down, gather the offense, and start setting up the play again.

The wide receivers and running backs were rotated again, and the player lineup was different.

First and 10.

Lu Ke stood in an "I" formation. After receiving the ball, he turned around and handed it to Marcus. But at the moment Marcus was about to catch the ball, Lu Ke made a counterclockwise turn, and his side was facing the right 60-degree angle. Without waiting for the defensive players to react further, he quickly threw a 11- or 12-yard medium pass.

A play-action pass. A quick release.

The combination of the two plays completely increased the offensive speed. Lu Ke’s release time was only 2.01 seconds, and that was after he faked a handoff.

Logan, who was originally running in a straight line, made a sudden stop and shook off Talib. He then ran back a big step, but he immediately realized that Lu Ke’s touch had not fully recovered. The pass was actually two yards to the outside.

Logan didn’t panic. He dove sideways to catch the ball, throwing his entire body out. He caught the ball in a perfect diving posture and then landed heavily on the ground.

Another first and 10.

Lu Ke handed off the ball to Marcus. This time it was a real run, but because Lu Ke faked a pass again, this gave Marcus a little bit of running room, and he completed a four-yard run.

Second and 6.

After the snap, Lu Ke made a motion to pass to the right, but then he used the twist of his waist and abdomen, and without pulling back his arm, he turned his body and threw the ball to the left. It was a short pass of about seven or eight yards that accurately found Mario Manningham.

Manningham completed the catch, and then his feet left the field as he was retreating, going out of bounds on his own.

Another first and 10.

Standing in a pistol formation, Lu Ke observed for a moment. It seemed that he couldn’t find a suitable receiver. The New England Patriots, who only sent four defensive linemen to rush the offensive line, also failed to break through the pocket. This gave Lu Ke a stable passing environment.

But Lu Ke still didn’t find a better opportunity. The entire secondary defense was airtight. So, he chose to run with the ball himself, ran out of the pocket, and started to run with the ball along the left side.

He used the same old trick!

Because Manningham and Vernon Davis had already charged out on the left, the defensive players were all retreating in a hurry. They had cleared out about 13 or 14 yards of space. Even if they were to chase him now, Lu Ke could still complete a seven-yard run, which was very good for a run.

So, all the defensive players quickly moved up, and the entire encirclement shrank at a visible speed.

However, in this critical situation, no one noticed Lu Ke’s footwork. He still hadn’t crossed the line of scrimmage. His footwork was perfectly controlled within the line of scrimmage. He only made a motion to keep charging forward. He watched the defensive players getting closer and closer, and then Lu Ke raised his right hand.

He raised his hand and threw the ball. The ball made a small arc, and its speed and spin were not fast, but in the blink of an eye, it flew over the heads of the entire encirclement of defensive players, outlining a medium-pass arc of about 15 or 16 yards. It found Randy Moss near the center of the field.

What?

When did Randy Moss get there?

Moss, who had been running along the outside of the right sideline since the snap, unknowingly made a cut inside and quietly came to the area near the left sideline. He didn’t even have to turn around. He caught the ball with a 45-degree angle to his side, on his shoulder.

Lu Ke’s passing touch was still a little off. It wasn’t as precise as his usual peak form. The angle and arc were different from his usual. It could be seen that even though it was no longer raining in Foxborough, the breeze and low temperature still hadn’t completely disappeared, and Lu Ke’s touch was still a little affected.

However, Moss was not affected. He got the ball into his arms one step ahead of time. Then, with two steps back, his body had already turned to face the front. The defensive players on the left were all behind him and were preparing to cover. The defensive players on the right, however, were coming straight at him.

Number 28, safety Steve Gregory, was running forward quickly, but Moss was in no hurry. Even though there were wolves in front and tigers behind, he didn’t panic and try to run. He paused for a moment, judged Gregory’s balance, and then took half a step forward. He then made a lateral move to the side, which made Gregory lose his balance, and then he made another lateral move in the opposite direction. This time, he didn’t stop and started to run forward wildly.

Gregory’s balance kept changing, and his muscles felt like they were being torn apart. Although he was still trying to cover, his movements and reactions were a full step slower. Moss’s jersey was only two steps away, but he could only watch as Moss ran away with a light stride.

"Randy Moss!"

"At the most unexpected time, in the most unexpected place, the most unexpected person has appeared! Everyone’s attention was focused on Lu Ke, as well as the play-action pass from Mario Manningham and Vernon Davis, but Randy Moss used his route-running ability to create a no-man’s land in the crowded defensive zone!"

"Moss has shown his peak ability to run in tight spaces!"

"Lu Ke’s feet didn’t cross the line of scrimmage. This is clearly a problem that the New England Patriots have ignored again. Twice in a row, their defense has made a wrong judgment!"

"Moss! Moss has shaken off Gregory! There is an open space in front of him! The end zone is right there! Randy Moss! Is he going to score a touchdown? Is he going to score a touchdown again?!"

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