"This was a tactical medium-pass play," Gruden said, immediately clearing his thoughts in the commentary booth. "From the moment of the snap, Lu Ke took a step forward and completed the pass as quickly as possible. We can see the control of the pass arc and the placement. From timing to location, including angle and power—wow, it was really beautiful."

"He accurately found the exact spot 13 yards downfield, where Logan and Ginn were doing a cross-run." Gruden drew an X on the TV screen, like a treasure map. "And by using Logan and Ginn to screen each other, and using Logan's blocking ability and Ginn's receiving ability, they not only successfully got another first down but also once again dismantled the Steelers' defensive strategy."

"This is definitely a play that perfectly combines wisdom and strength. Now, I'm even more curious: was this Jim Harbaugh's choice or Lu Ke's choice?" As a former head coach, Gruden easily saw the essence of this play and couldn't help but exclaim.

"What do you think?" Tirico asked with a smile.

Gruden was stunned for a moment, then said with a big smile, "I'm putting my money on the quarterback."

Then Jaworski also felt Tirico's gaze and added, "I can't argue with that. I think Gruden's choice is correct. From this pass's control, Lu Ke's form has recovered to at least 70%. His tactical reading and pass control are both on point. Now the Steelers' defense is facing greater pressure."

"Indeed, the Steelers' defense is still excellent. If it wasn't for Polamalu's timely second burst of speed, this would have been a touchdown pass. And the front line players also put incredible pressure on the 49ers' offensive line. Next, we'll see how they match up. This drive is crucial for both teams," Gruden agreed.

As they were talking, the exciting matchup on the field had already begun again. It was clear that Lu Ke was speeding up the pace of the offense, one play after another, refusing to give the Steelers any breathing room. The offense started again. After several successful passes, this time Lu Ke handed the ball to Marcus Lynch. Unexpectedly, the 49ers' offensive line actively pushed forward, disrupting the rhythm of the Steelers' defensive line. Mike Lupati and Jonathan Goodwin opened up a small gap, and Marcus took the opportunity to rush out, pushing past the off-balance James Farrior and continuing to advance.

Clark and Polamalu, who were in a slightly retreated position, were immediately shocked. They worked together to provide backup coverage and tackled Marcus in time, preventing a greater tragedy. But... Marcus had rushed for a full 11 yards! 11 yards! They not only got another first down, but they also made the longest running play of the game and brought the 49ers' offense to the 23-yard line. After the passing offense opened up, it distracted the defense, and the running offense accurately found a gap to advance, revitalizing the entire offense's momentum.

Step by step, they were closing in. From passing to running, the 49ers were slowly opening up the game, while the Steelers were slowly losing their advantage. But this was a hard-fought battle, and no one would give in easily. Now, the pace of the game had picked up. The time for careful thought was limited, which meant that the game would rely more on the players' instincts and accumulated training. The true test for both teams had arrived. This was a true test of their depth and strength!

On first and 10, Lu Ke quickly snapped the ball. The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense still didn't relax at all. They came down like tigers from a mountain, quickly squeezing the pocket. Although they didn't break through the offensive line's defense, they completely crushed the pocket's circle, and Lu Ke looked like the filling in a dumpling. Although Lu Ke had made a pre-judgment and moved in advance, he passed the ball in the first instance, but this time he couldn't find the right rhythm. Logan was trapped between two defenders, lost his position, and the pass was incomplete.

On second and 10, the front line pressure was still there. Lu Ke successfully found Vernon Davis in the short-pass area, completing a four-yard short pass. Unfortunately, Vernon was surrounded. Although he pushed past Harrison's tackle at the first moment, he was still tackled by Polamalu and Ike's double coverage and was unfortunately only able to advance two yards after the catch, unable to truly break through the blockade. In the blink of an eye, the San Francisco 49ers were facing a third and four situation.

Although this was not a big yardage for a third-down conversion, it was obvious that the Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive intensity had increased instead of decreased. To be precise, this was the expected outcome. Unlike other defenses, even after giving up a touchdown and several big-yardage drives, the Steelers' defense remained unphased. The execution and advancement of their tactics were still decisive, and they had strengthened the weak points and gaps. Overall, it was still a force-of-nature defense, relentlessly executing their pressure and destroying their opponent step by step. After all, standing on the other side was just a rookie quarterback.

Lu Ke was out of breath again and coughed twice. He was still not at 100%, and after a series of high-intensity, fast-paced drives, his brain was a little oxygen-deprived, but the feeling of bone-chilling cold had completely disappeared. In other words, his physical condition still hadn't fully recovered, but his mental state had entered a selfless state. Lu Ke took a deep breath of the cold air. The cold moisture cooled his burning lungs, and his brain calmed down a bit. He knew that the situation was critical now. The opponent was doing their best to completely crush the young 49ers, but as long as they could get through this stage, or even make a breakthrough, the scales would tip even more in their favor. The outcome of a game is often decided by a single breath.

On third and four, Lu Ke chose to snap the ball quickly. He made a simple short pass to Logan, hoping to use a quick and flat rhythm to advance and convert the four yards. But Logan only advanced three yards, and then the defenders piled on layer after layer. The offensive players also piled on layer after layer, trying to use the advantage of their collective strength to force their way through the one yard. Neither side would give an inch. It was like a silkworm cocoon wrapped in circles, a magnificent sight. Unfortunately, they couldn't succeed.

Fourth and one.

Lu Ke didn't leave the field. He stood there and quickly communicated with Harbaugh. He wanted to go for it on fourth down. Because the offense's momentum was rising, and the opponent's defense was not giving an inch. This fourth and one wasn't just a fourth-down conversion. It was a battle of momentum. Regardless of winning or losing, if the 49ers gave up here, the rest of the game would only get more difficult. The offense's momentum had to be held onto tightly.

This was not an easy decision. Because the San Francisco 49ers were now in field goal range. They could completely choose to have David Akers come on and kick a field goal. The score would become 10-24, and the difference would be two touchdowns, which would undoubtedly be more favorable for the fourth quarter. If they took the risk of going for it on fourth down and missed, it would be over, and the final quarter would be incredibly difficult.

"Are you sure?" Harbaugh struggled for a moment and asked. Because there wasn't much time to argue and analyze slowly, the 40-second countdown was still ticking. Opportunities during a game are fleeting. They had to be decisive and firm.

"Yes," Lu Ke answered concisely and powerfully, without hesitation. Then Harbaugh's voice came through the headset, "Don't make me regret this." Lu Ke knew that Harbaugh had agreed. So, Lu Ke turned around and gathered his teammates. He said quickly, "We're going for it. The opponent might be worried that we'll use a fake snap or try to draw them offsides, but we're not going to worry about them. We're going for it, so when the ball is snapped, be decisive in your routes. Don't hesitate. The specific routes are..." Without a pause or a breath, Lu Ke quickly completed all the tactical arrangements. He didn't even have time to give them a pep talk. He just clapped his hands and had his teammates quickly line up because the snap countdown was down to only 22 seconds and was still ticking down. 21 seconds, 20 seconds...

Succeed or die trying.

Lu Ke rubbed his fingers. Through his gloves, the feel was still not fine enough. It seemed to lack that telepathic touch, but he couldn't worry about that today. This pass had to be completed. There was no turning back and no other option. He refused to accept any other possibility! Standing in the shotgun formation, he took a stance for a powerful one-yard run. Lu Ke's eyes were fixed on the opposing defenders. The air seemed to tighten in an instant. He knew that in order to avoid a false start and giving up a first down, their nerves and muscles were taut to the extreme. This could also be their opportunity.

So, without any fancy snap count, Lu Ke decisively called for the snap. As expected, the Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive line and linebackers paused for a moment. Their reaction speed was a quarter of a beat slower than the offensive line's. This gave the offensive line a slight advantage in the confrontation, building a calm pocket and giving Lu Ke enough time and space to observe and pass. But the problem was that the secondary defense was not affected at all. As the receivers started, they also started. Lu Ke scanned the field and found that he couldn't find a single target. Every matchup was being tightly covered, and there wasn't even the slightest gap.

"Damn it!"

"Falcon Eye!"

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