Chapter 815: Adding Fuel to the Fire
Monday ended, and Tuesday began.
For Lu Ke, he had to temporarily put the Vance and Nike situation aside, as a new round of preparations was about to officially begin. He had to fully dedicate himself to preparing for the next game. He couldn't underestimate any opponent, especially a division rival.
Before they officially began preparing for this week's game, the San Francisco 49ers received some bad news:
Kyle Williams suffered a torn ACL and was out for the season.
The team had to move Kyle from the 53-man roster to the injured reserve list and call up another player from the practice squad to fill the empty spot on the roster.
This season, the San Francisco 49ers' special teams had been outstanding, currently leading the entire league in overall ratings and playing a crucial role in two head-to-head matchups. Kyle's absence was undoubtedly a heavy blow. They had to find a reliable and strong kick returner again.
After a discussion, the coaching staff announced the new kick returners:
This year's first-round wide receiver, AJ Jenkins, the 2008 undrafted wide receiver, Chad Hall, who came over from the Philadelphia Eagles during the offseason, and main roster players Ted Ginn and Randy Moss. They would take turns as kick returners, and the special teams would continue to find the best combination.
After the recovery training on Tuesday, Lu Ke and his teammates went to the hospital to visit Kyle.
Kyle wasn't in good shape, neither physically nor mentally. He seemed very depressed. Even though Lu Ke and the others tried to comfort and encourage him, it had a limited effect. The hospital room felt gloomy and suffocating. Although Kyle tried his best to cheer up and encourage his teammates, hoping they would continue to win, he still...
"I'll be back. I'm still looking forward to standing on the playoff stage." Kyle said jokingly, but the bitterness and heaviness of his smile lingered.
When they left, Kyle was lying on the hospital bed, turning his head away, not daring to watch his teammates leave.
This was Kyle's second injury this season. Although it wasn't in the same spot, it wasn't far from his previous injury. The recovery process would be even longer and more difficult. No one knew if Kyle would be able to return to the field, and even if he did, his condition couldn't be guaranteed.
Only time could slowly heal his injuries, both physically and mentally. This was a war against himself. No one could help, not his teammates, not his family, and not the doctors and nurses. Only when Kyle overcame himself could he accept help and stand up again.
And for the San Francisco 49ers players, fighting for the next victory with all their might was the best way to support him.
During the team's official press conference on Wednesday, Kyle Williams' injury, Michael Crabtree's condition, and Randy Moss's performance became the focus of the reporters' questions. Not only head coach Jim Harbaugh, but Lu Ke, as the starting quarterback, was also asked many questions.
On one hand, the Atlanta Falcons were on their bye week, which meant that the San Francisco 49ers were expected to become the first team in the league to get seven wins this season, leading the charge for the Super Bowl.
On the other hand, all four teams in the NFC West had a great season. The division's overall record was currently ranked first among the eight divisions in the league, and it was considered the league's "death division" in the 2012 season. Starting this week, the San Francisco 49ers would play a series of division games against the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and St. Louis Rams.
In other words, the real test was about to begin. This was true for the San Francisco 49ers and the other three teams in the NFC West. The division games would show whether their excellent records so far were just for show or if they were a result of their genuine strength.
Naturally, the regular press conference became very lively.
Besides the news about the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks also became the most frequently mentioned team, but not in a welcoming way.
"A lot of people in the league now think that Russell Wilson is like you last year. What do you think about that?"
Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks' rookie quarterback, was selected in the third round with the 75th pick in this year's draft. Compared to the much-hyped Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, Russell's draft process was calm and uneventful.
Russell wasn't favored during the rookie training camp for one reason: he was short.
Russell was "only" 5.9 feet (180 cm) tall and weighed 215 pounds (98 kg). His body was relatively stocky and heavy. He was a new type of running quarterback, and along with Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, and Colin Kaepernick, he was a representative of the new generation of quarterbacks in college. Some fans jokingly called them the "Four Running Backs," which, of course, wasn't a positive name.
For a quarterback's passing, Russell's height wasn't enough to clearly see the defense and the space to advance. He could be compared to Drew Brees. Even though Brees was one of the four elite quarterbacks now, his height was still a topic of ridicule, and Russell was 1.2 inches shorter than Brees.
And for a quarterback's running, Russell's body wasn't strong enough. He didn't have the height of Griffin and Kaepernick, or the weight of Cam. His physical talent didn't seem to be enough. For a running quarterback, he was more likely to get injured in collisions with defensive players. The rate of attrition was definitely a cause for concern.
Of course, Russell still had his strengths. His passing accuracy was outstanding. Compared to the other three running quarterbacks, Russell's passing accuracy could even be compared to that of a traditional pocket quarterback. His footwork was also excellent. Due to the limitations of his physical talent, his running was more flexible and cunning, often finding more open space.
His pros and cons were very obvious.
In the end, Russell's draft stock fell, and he was picked by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round.
After working together during the offseason, the Seattle Seahawks surprisingly chose Russell to be their starting quarterback.
In his first game against the Arizona Cardinals, Russell was completely out of it. From passing to running, from reading the defense to choosing plays, he completely collapsed and suffered an insignificant loss. The offense and defense were not in Russell's hands. With Robert Griffin III's meteoric rise, Russell was almost forgotten by everyone.
Perhaps because of the lack of attention, Russell's pressure was reduced, and he was able to play more freely.
In the following five games, Russell gradually showed his strengths and truly played to his advantages. He was especially impressive when he escaped a sack with his excellent footwork in the pocket and relentlessly looked for open space to complete a pass, gritting his teeth and leading the offense forward. His performance was truly eye-opening.
In the end, the Seattle Seahawks had an excellent record of four wins and one loss. Especially in the third week of the regular season against the Green Bay Packers, Russell had his best passing performance of his career at home, completing a "Hail Mary" pass in the final seconds to win the game "14-12," which caused an uproar.
Last week, the Seattle Seahawks played at home again against the New England Patriots. Although Russell wasn't the star, their running back Marshawn Lynch dominated the game. They still managed to get a narrow "24-23" victory, handing the opponent their third loss of the season and showing that they truly had the ability to win tough games.
In many ways, this young Seattle Seahawks team reminded people of the San Francisco 49ers last year—
Their overall strength hadn't reached its peak yet, and they were still a team that was rebuilding. But with a new leader at the quarterback position, the team had the ability to have the last laugh in close matchups. As a result, the team was slowly starting to transform.
Russell also reminded people of Lu Ke last year. Although their playing styles were completely different, their on-field demeanor had many similarities. What's more, their draft experiences were very similar, so it was inevitable that people would compare Russell and Lu Ke.
Currently, the Seattle Seahawks had a record of four wins and two losses, which was a decent performance.
It's worth noting that their two losses were against the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams, both of which were division games and away losses. At the same time, only one of their four wins was on the road. Coincidentally, that was an away victory against the Carolina Panthers, in which Russell Wilson completely outplayed last year's number one pick, Cam Newton.
It could be said that this young team had a clear difference between their home and away performances. For now, they were better at playing at home.
Naturally, Russell became an unavoidable topic in the press conference.
"I don't think so," Lu Ke said humbly. "I'm still a quarterback who is constantly learning and working to improve. I'm not in a position to be a benchmark for comparison. I think in this game, I'll still have the mindset of a challenger and will try my best to learn."
"But Russell said in an interview that he doesn't like your playing style and that he thinks the Seattle Seahawks have the ability to beat the San Francisco 49ers. Do you have anything you'd like to say in response?"
"I'll respond on the field," Lu Ke said with a smile. His simple words were full of confidence and determination.
"So what do you think of Russell's playing style?"
"At least I wouldn't choose to play like that." In this back-and-forth, Lu Ke also showed his sharp side, fighting back without backing down.
"So, you don't like him?"
"That's your opinion, not mine."
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