Crazy.
That was the only thought in Snyder's mind right now. Next week, they were about to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a top team comparable to the Baltimore Ravens. In the next few days, they would have a hard time just getting through the Steelers' game footage. They had to be focused and give their all. But now, Lu Ke was watching the game footage of the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints? Is this... isn't this looking for trouble?
Snyder looked up and saw the same helplessness in Rachal's eyes. Then Goodwin's voice came from the side. "If you guys think Bambi is crazy, I have no problem with that. He's a crazy person with a short circuit in his brain. But I strongly suspect that I'm also crazy now." His teasing voice made everyone laugh.
Lu Ke's mouth also curled up. He spread his hands. "Welcome to the magpie's nest." In the United States, a magpie's nest is a nickname for an insane asylum. The English name of the classic movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is "One Flew Over the Magpie's Nest." This kind of casual self-deprecation made the laughter continue. Then Lu Ke continued, "The Green Bay Packers are currently the highest-scoring team in the league. Interestingly, they are also the team that gives up the most yards and the most points. In other words, they beat their opponents by relying on their strong offensive scoring ability. In addition to Aaron Rodgers' top-notch performance, their offensive line is also considered first-class in the league."
"And the New Orleans Saints, I don't need to say much. They are the offense with the most yards gained in the league. Drew Brees is about to break the league's passing yards record in the next two games. Their offensive line's performance is absolutely excellent, leaving enough space for Brees to throw, and they are even more stable than the Packers."
The current single-season passing record in the league is held by Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino, with 5,069 yards. He was also the first quarterback in history to have more than 5,000 passing yards in a single season, a very impressive record. Brees came close to breaking this record in 2008, but unfortunately, he lost the last regular season game to the Carolina Panthers, and his passing yards in the 16 regular season games were capped at 5,053 yards, just 16 yards shy of setting a new record. He became the second quarterback in history to have more than 5,000 passing yards in a single season. But this year, Brees's form is even better. The regular season has only been going on for 14 weeks, and his passing yards have already reached 4,368, and he has had more than 4,000 passing yards for four consecutive seasons. At the same time, he has had more than 400 yards in four consecutive games and has five passing touchdowns, becoming the first quarterback in history to achieve such an accomplishment.
With this momentum, he only needs two games to break Marino's single-season passing yards record, and in the last week of the regular season, he will do his best to raise his historical record to an unattainable height. The New Orleans Saints' offensive line is undoubtedly one of the important reasons why Brees can set a new historical record. They provided solid and excellent pocket protection, and their overall performance was more stable than the Packers'. In contrast, Rodgers can run out of the pocket in a crisis, and even if the offensive line's performance is slightly lower than expected, Rodgers, who is in explosive form, can still sweep away thousands of troops. Brees, who lacks the ability to move outside the pocket, is more dependent on the offensive line.
These two teams are teams that have taken their offense to the extreme. In comparison, although the San Francisco 49ers' offensive performance this year is exceptionally good, they have gradually fallen behind the Packers and the Saints in the second half of the season. The same is true for Lu Ke's personal performance. The two elite quarterbacks have widened the gap between themselves and Lu Ke with more stable and stronger performances. Analyzing other offenses' games is not to learn their tactics, but to learn how they read and control the game, and how they execute their tactics, especially the cooperation between the offensive line and the quarterback. To grow into a top player, one must first understand how top players play, from their game demeanor to their rhythm control, and even their adjustments to details. These are all important things to learn. Lu Ke has been watching the game footage of Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, and he has been in a constant process of learning. Now, Lu Ke also hopes that the offensive line can find a way to learn together by watching game footage together.
Snyder nodded in a daze, but he still didn't fully understand. He didn't know how to learn, but he knew that if Lu Ke could explain and teach him, he would be able to learn. Even if he couldn't learn it today, he could work overtime and study hard after he went back to catch up.
"Adam, that's not all." Just as Snyder was about to relax, Goodwin threw another bombshell, handing a stack of screenshots to Snyder and gesturing for him to take a good look. "This morning's study session was the Packers and the Saints. This is for the afternoon." Snyder looked down: It was a screenshot of the Pittsburgh Steelers' game footage. His facial expression had lost the ability to change. Snyder looked up at Lu Ke in a daze, and Lu Ke shrugged. "If we can't finish in the afternoon, there's the evening. If we can't finish today, there's tomorrow. I'm just getting ready."
The only thought in Snyder's mind now was, "Did you do all this yesterday?"
"Oh, no," Lu Ke shook his head. "I finished it all on Sunday night. I already briefly went through it yesterday, but I'm still not very familiar with the offensive line part. I was more focused on understanding the opponent's defense before, so we're going to study it together today." Snyder felt that his jaw would not be able to be put back in place after it was dislocated. The only thought in his mind was: Does Lu Ke not need to sleep?
Lu Ke patted Snyder's shoulder. "Remember, the number one defense in the league right now is our opponent next week. We can't take it lightly, and we don't have the luxury to. Even if we give it our all, we might not be able to win the game. So, to reverse this disadvantage, we must work harder!"
After 14 weeks of the regular season, the number one defense in the league is not the Baltimore Ravens, but the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Baltimore Ravens, who had made the San Francisco 49ers' offense dizzy and lost their way in their previous matchup, were only ranked second in the league. From the game data, the Ravens have a huge and unique advantage in rushing the quarterback, and their stats for sacks and hits on the quarterback are far ahead of the league. But that's all. Their defense against the run and the pass has not reached the extreme. Even in the game where they defeated the San Francisco 49ers, they still gave up a touchdown and a field goal, and at the end of the game, Lu Ke still had a chance to turn the game around.
But with the Steelers, the situation is different. They are the team that allows the fewest points per game, the team that allows the fewest passing yards per game, and the team that allows the fewest total offensive yards per game. They are also the team that allows the second fewest rushing yards per game. In all the defensive stats, the Steelers are only second in rushing yards. They are number one in all other stats. And although they are second in rushing yards, they are still number one in total yards, which means that they have a huge and absolute advantage in pass defense.
Facing such a team, even the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints would not dare to take it lightly, let alone the San Francisco 49ers. By the way, so far, the San Francisco 49ers are the team that allows the fewest rushing yards per game. This is the only stat where the 49ers lead the entire league. In run defense, the defense led by Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, and Justin Smith has delivered the best performance in the league.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, founded in 1933, are the fifth oldest team in the league and are currently the team with the most Super Bowl wins in the league. They built their legacy on defense and dominated the league, earning the nickname "The Steel Curtain." All six of their Super Bowl wins were won by their defense. They have a long and glorious defensive history, and many people consider them the number one defense in the league. At their peak, they were a terrifying force.
In history, the 1985 Chicago Bears were known as a desperate defense! Beyond that, the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense in the 1970s can be said to be invincible. They truly established a dynasty, entering the playoffs for eight consecutive years from 1972 to 1979, making it to the Super Bowl four times and winning it four times. Their dominant performance was almost unmatched. Although their offense has gradually been revitalized in recent years due to Ben Roethlisberger's rise, objectively speaking, in their two Super Bowl wins in 2005 and 2008, Big Ben was still not the main character. It was the defense that was. They were still that steel team that was so powerful that they made people feel hopeless.
Last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers made it all the way to the Super Bowl and unfortunately lost to the Green Bay Packers. This season, they seem to be in a similar pattern. Big Ben's performance has been inconsistent and not very stable, and he is also troubled by injuries, so his performance is intermittent. They currently have a record of 10 wins and 3 losses, and the scores in five of those games were below 15 points. But by relying on their excellent defense, they can still beat their opponents in low-scoring games. What's more, compared to the Ravens, the Steelers' pass defense is unparalleled in the league, and their secondary defense is top-notch. The all-around coverage of their cornerbacks, safeties, and linebackers is terrifying. The head-to-head matchup between them and Lu Ke in the next game will directly determine the outcome of the game.
As Lu Ke said, the Steelers are definitely the toughest opponent the 49ers have faced so far this season!
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