The Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers have completely different offensive styles. The former is a heavy, blunt sword that relies on Fitzgerald to make tough breakthroughs in chaos, while the latter is agile and light, like a flexible sword that strikes wherever it wants, with a variety of plays and a fast pace that leaves the opponent no room to breathe.

This was also reflected in the game time. The Cardinals took 6 minutes and 41 seconds to score a touchdown. In just 2 minutes and 55 seconds, the 49ers had already reached the opponent's 36-yard line, and their unstoppable momentum was truly a deterrent. But now, the 49ers were in trouble. It was third and 6, a difficult situation.

In the broadcast booth, Kirk and Teddy's conversation was focused on the 49ers' offense. They made a simple but comprehensive analysis. "Compared to their last loss, we can clearly see two changes in this San Francisco 49ers team today. First, their offense has sped up significantly. They are using steady, short passes to exploit the two cornerbacks' matchup disadvantage and are making continuous progress. At the same time, their progress is like mercury flowing through the defense, leaving the Cardinals' defense with no time to adjust." "Second, the offense's game state and dedication have improved significantly. Their running routes and blocking coordination are perfect, and the execution of the plays is sharp and clean, which is truly impressive. Now, the Cardinals' defense seems to be struggling, but they have managed to force the opponent into a third-and-long situation for the second time, thanks to the toughness of their individual players."

"This third-and-6 is crucial for both teams. For the Cardinals, can they maintain their tough momentum and truly take the lead at the start of the game? And for the 49ers, can they show their strengths and truly take advantage of their offense? For both sides, this is a battle of momentum, a battle of momentum that will set the tone for the game!"

A battle of momentum may seem intangible, but it is crucial to the game's outcome. The more intense the game, the more important momentum becomes. Lu Ke was well aware of the importance of the game's start and the importance of a momentum clash. Now, the San Francisco 49ers' offensive rhythm has picked up, but their momentum has not yet caught up. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been in a third-down situation twice. The shadow of the last loss was still having some effect. Therefore, this next play was about whether they could continue to advance, whether they could score to keep the score tight, and, more importantly, whether the team's morale could truly regain its confidence. They didn't lack motivation, but they still needed spirit!

Lu Ke's eyes were fixed on the opposing defense, and his mind was racing. After a quick review of the last few plays, he stood up straight and looked at the backfield, as if he was considering a long pass. He didn't care if the defenders noticed this detail. Then he knelt down and quickly talked to Jim Harbaugh through his headset. The other offensive players gathered around Lu Ke in the center, not in a hurry, but patiently waiting for Lu Ke to finish communicating. At Lu Ke's signal, they all stepped forward, focused on his hand signals, completed the play call, and then dispersed to their positions without saying anything else. It was as if this was just a normal play.

"Hut!" With Lu Ke's snap count, the entire offense rushed forward like an arrow from a bow. Their momentum was like a flood breaking through a dam, and they collided with the Cardinals' defense with force and aggression. The "thud, thud, thud" perfectly demonstrated the violence and ferocity of football. The offense was divided into two parts.

First, the offensive line. After the snap, they took a step forward. The five players against the four defensive linemen didn't grapple as they usually would. Instead, they used a head-on, forceful push-and-block. The powerful collisions sent the opponents' centers of gravity flying. There was no grappling, only collisions. Caught off guard, the four defensive linemen all retreated half a step to a full step, creating some space between them. Because they lost their balance and forward momentum, and because they created a gap in their matchup, all four defensive players reflexively started to move to the sides, trying to get around and make a sack. The two players on the outside, in particular, were very fast. This was the most logical choice.

But unexpectedly and logically, the offensive linemen were well prepared and didn't panic at all. They followed their opponents, scattered, and still maintained their balance, using frequent collisions to interrupt the opponents' momentum and disrupt their balance, which caused the defensive linemen's blitz to become fragmented. Dockett, in particular, was double-teamed. The advantage in numbers created a huge difference in strength, and Dockett instantly stumbled backward, one step, two steps, and then completely lost his balance and fell to the ground. What was even more humiliating was that the two offensive linemen left him to continue covering other players after they saw that he was no longer a threat. Dockett was left there all alone, but no one paid any attention to him.

Second, the receivers. On the left was Crabtree, and on the right were Logan, Ginn Jr., and Williams. They were in separate positions, and it was a multi-route play. However, after the snap, all four players ran the same route: a straight sprint. There were no turns, no fakes, and no pauses. They were all in a full-sprint posture. This play had been used before, but today's running routes were slightly different. However, in a flash, it was not an easy task for the defenders to make an accurate judgment, after all, defense relies more on instinct, and they are not quarterbacks. As a result, the Cardinals' defense was instantly confused, and their zone defense was completely messed up. Because the four players were running so fast, their assigned zones were completely disrupted. Out of desperation, the linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties were forced to break their positions. They could only run and move within their defensive zones, adjusting their positions as the receivers moved, and then using their communication to complete the coverage.

The problem was that the four players had completely different running speeds and styles. They were scattered all over the field, and they used their speed differences to pull apart the connecting spaces between the zones like a staircase waterfall. The distance between the players started to become sparse, and the large open gaps were especially obvious. The most bizarre thing was that the fastest player, Ted Ginn Jr., seemed to be holding back his explosive speed and was not leading the charge. The one leading the charge was Logan Newman, who didn't have a speed advantage. He had already galloped past the 25-yard line and was still ahead. What was going on? Was there a tactical cooperation between Newman and Ginn Jr.? Were Crabtree and Williams on either side of Ginn Jr. because Ginn Jr. was the target and they were there to block? But the look Lu Ke gave before the snap, did that mean it was a long pass?

The defenders were relying on their instincts and judgment, but now Lu Ke's play was one step ahead, completely disrupting their normal procedures. As a result, the judgments of the different defenders were all over the place, and the zone coverage was even more misaligned. At this moment, something even worse happened! Among the Cardinals, besides the four defensive linemen who were still grappling with the offensive line, Lu Ke's unexpected play had completely tied up their other seven defenders. Everyone was running backward with the four receivers. The gap between the front seven and the secondary was like the belly of a fish, a wide open space that was very noticeable. And then, a player in a white jersey came out from the side—the defensive linemen had no time to block him. They could only watch as the player quickly passed through the gap beside them, like a sword unsheathed and sharpened!

Number 27! It was number 27, Marcus Lynch! No one was defending him, and no one could. A gap of about 10 to 12 yards had opened up between the defensive line and the secondary. Lynch ran lightly, stopped suddenly, turned, and faced Lu Ke, ready to catch the ball. Damn it!

The three linebackers who were near the short-pass area immediately slammed on their brakes, turned around, and tried to cover him. At the same time, Ginn Jr., Crabtree, and Williams all slammed on their brakes and stopped, and regardless of whether they were open or not, they all made a catching gesture. Now, the entire backfield was a mess, full of holes, and completely exposed. The Cardinals' side of the field was wide open for Lu Ke to attack, and all the defense was completely destroyed. So, what would Lu Ke choose to do?

…

As soon as the ball was snapped, Lu Ke took a quick step back to create distance between himself and the offensive line. Amidst the intense collision, his eyes calmly observed the running routes and the defensive line's penetration. He knew they would break through because the offensive line was using collisions instead of grappling, so it was only a matter of time before they got through. Who would get through first depended on their individual abilities.

He glanced to his right and saw that they were already coming around. Lu Ke calmly took a step forward. In the time it took for him to observe, the entire backfield had opened up like a blossoming flower, and there were holes in every corner of his vision. Now the question was: Which target should Lu Ke choose to maximize his gains? Lu Ke chose the riskiest and most aggressive one.

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