Third and five. Lu Ke showcased his tactical superiority, outsmarting the defense in his reads, play design, and passing choices. He completed the difficult drive, culminating in a touchdown, like a tiger snatching prey from its mouth. This familiar pattern had become the San Francisco 49ers' trademark this season. As the tenth week of the regular season began, everyone was marveling and realizing what a perfect score on the Wonderlic Test truly meant for a quarterback.
Although Lu Ke's physical abilities and talents were average at best, he had undoubtedly shown the demeanor of a top-tier quarterback in his tactical and passing skills, establishing himself firmly in the league. As a rookie quarterback, Lu Ke's mastery and understanding of the playbook were so outstanding that they were almost enviable. He had even surpassed many veteran players who had been in the league for years. Lu Ke had now surpassed Aaron Rodgers in quarterback rating, leading the entire league. While some may still question the fairness and objectivity of this rating, the defensive players on the field facing the 49ers' offense could deeply feel the strain and pressure.
More importantly, the stereotype of Lu Ke's physical abilities came from the rookie training camp and the preseason. As the regular season progressed, Lu Ke's improvements were not obvious to the naked eye. After all, games were played weekly, and subtle changes in his weight and muscle explosiveness were not immediately noticeable. But for his opponents, they were facing an upgraded version of Lu Ke who was getting better every week. This was a heavy blow.
In this week's first drive, the New York Giants felt this firsthand. In the last play of that drive, two yellow flags were thrown on the field, both against the defense for holding penalties. One was for holding Logan Newman, and the other was for holding Ted Ginn Jr. If Ginn hadn't been held, his speed would have allowed him to break free from the double coverage and enter the end zone, making him another potential target for Lu Ke on the left side. It was clear that the San Francisco 49ers' offense was a serious threat, with firepower all over the field. Even with the Giants resorting to fouls, they couldn't stop them.
Since both penalties were against the defense and the 49ers had already scored a touchdown, Jim Harbaugh chose to decline the penalties and keep the result of the play, which was a touchdown. The special teams, led by David Akers, came out and successfully kicked the extra point. After a rocky start, the home team San Francisco 49ers took a 7-0 lead.
Then, Eli Manning took the field! From the stands at Candlestick Park, Li Monian stood up, urging the five hundred Chinese fans to stand up and hold up their signs, which once again formed the words "King of the Bay Area." They started to cheer in unison, "King of the Bay Area! King of the Bay Area! King of the Bay Area!"
The cheers of five hundred people were barely noticeable, instantly swallowed by the noise of the seventy thousand fans in the stadium. But they didn't give up and continued to cheer relentlessly, becoming an important part of the crowd and causing more trouble for the opposing offense. Jiang Youning couldn't help but look up at a red-faced Lu Zhengze. Her husband was so unfamiliar in this state. He was much calmer when they watched games at home. Right now, he was like a completely different person. But a smile couldn't help but form on Jiang Youning's face. All of his passion and enthusiasm were on full display in the sea of red. No wonder people always say that being there in person is a completely different experience from watching a game on TV.
Jiang Youning also raised her hands and joined in the cheering. She turned and saw a fan sitting in a wheelchair next to her. He couldn't stand up due to a physical condition, but their eyes met, and a similar sparkle of excitement was in their eyes. They both clenched their fists and cheered, "King of the Bay Area!" Even though they were complete strangers, their pulses and heartbeats were in sync at that moment. It was a wonderful feeling.
Standing in the middle of the field, Manning couldn't help but look up at the vast and surging red ocean. The cheers gradually came together, and the entire stadium chanted the same name, "King of the Bay Area." The shock of it, transmitted through the air, made even him feel his blood boil. However, Manning knew that these were not his allies but his enemies. Even so, this Candlestick Park was a sight to behold. He couldn't help but smile, then refocused and shouted to his teammates, starting to call the play.
But it was not easy; the difficulty of playing on the road was now evident. Candlestick Park was slowly becoming another "House of Horrors" in the league. Not only Manning but all the players on the Giants' offense could feel this interference. After the excitement and close call of the first drive, the home crowd's enthusiasm seemed to have reached a new high, and they were venting it all. It boosted the home team's morale and dampened the away team's ambition. As the tides shifted, their emotions began to become frustrated.
This frustration was evident in the subsequent drives. The Giants' first time on the field was choppy and disjointed. In their first drive, they were faced with a third-and-three situation. In a crucial moment, Manning decisively found wide receiver Victor Cruz. As an undrafted rookie last year, Cruz had a breakout season, becoming the most important target for the Giants, and this time was no exception. Cruz made a spectacular catch with his individual physical talent, but he was immediately double-teamed and couldn't advance any further. Even so, they barely managed to get a first down, just crossing the line.
In the second drive, the Giants' offense wasn't as lucky. After three sloppy plays, they went three and out. On third and six, Manning's pass was so off-target that it flew out of bounds, looking like a penalty kick that went wide of the goal and into the stands. In a highly anticipated game, after being on the field for less than three minutes, the Giants' offense went off the field, returning possession to the San Francisco 49ers. But that wasn't all. Because the offense hadn't gained many yards, the special teams' punt also went poorly. The ball landed around the 49ers' 30-yard line. Marcus Lynch, who was returning the kick, once again showcased his returning ability, dodging and weaving all the way to the 45-yard line before he was tackled by three opposing players.
Although he didn't score a touchdown on the return, Marcus's excellent return gave his team a great starting position. For the home team, they were clearly on a good track, and the fans in the stadium started to cheer again. In this strong matchup today, despite the bumpy and difficult start, the home team had stabilized and successfully taken control.
After taking the field again, Lu Ke was completely calm. After the chaos at the beginning, he had gotten into the rhythm of the game, focused and single-minded. Standing on his own 45-yard line, just five yards from midfield, Lu Ke was not going to take this opportunity lightly.
First and ten, Lu Ke handed the ball to Anthony Dixon—Marcus had just finished his return, so Dixon was brought in to change the running rhythm and give Marcus a rest. With excellent offensive line blocking, Dixon gradually found his rhythm and successfully gained five yards, a solid performance.
Second and five. Lu Ke snapped the ball quickly and threw a quick, three-yard pass. After connecting with Crabtree, Crabtree found an opening and continued to gain yards, running for another eight yards before being pushed out of bounds, stopping the drive.
The San Francisco 49ers were now on the opponent's 42-yard line, and the offense was like a flood, giving the opponent no time to catch their breath. The New York Giants' defense, which had been under constant pressure and getting hit from all sides, seemed to have finally found its "last straw." They exploded in desperation, showing some fight.
First, they fiercely tackled Dixon before he could get going, costing the 49ers two yards. Then, without any warning, they sent a five-man blitz, brutally collapsing the pocket. Jason Pierre-Paul rushed forward and fiercely tackled Lu Ke. In fact, Lu Ke immediately dropped back, quickly creating some distance, but his speed in the pocket was still not enough. Jason Pierre-Paul arrived at lightning speed and sacked Lu Ke hard. He not only got the Giants' first sack of the game but also cost the 49ers fifteen yards, truly showing some back-and-forth energy.
This time, Lu Ke had no chance. He didn't even have a chance to throw the ball away to avoid losing yards. He was just sacked hard. As a result, the San Francisco 49ers were faced with a difficult third-and-seventeen situation, pushed back to their own 41-yard line.
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