Chapter 387: Explosive Form

Chapter 387: Chapter 384: Explosive Form

“Touchdown! Touchdown! That’s a beautiful passing touchdown! WHOA! Not even three minutes into the game, the home team San Francisco 49ers have scored a touchdown on their very first drive, showing the visiting Cleveland Browns the power of The Force at Candlestick Park!”

“Facing a second-and-four, after the snap, inside a chaotic and collapsing pocket, the 49ers’ rookie quarterback showed no signs of panic. He adjusted his footwork while scanning for a target, and just before the defensive linemen could get the sack, he launched a seventeen-yard bullet pass to find his most trusted number one receiver, Logan Newman!”

“Facing one-on-one coverage from cornerback Joe Haden, Newman shook off the defense with a quick stutter-step, easily plucked the football out of the air, shrugged off Haden’s second tackle attempt, and charged straight into the end zone for the touchdown! Beautiful, just absolutely beautiful! The Browns’ entire defense was still trying to figure out what happened, and they’re already behind on the scoreboard!”

As listeners across California once again heard Troy Ball’s passionate, machine-gun-like commentary, they knew: the San Francisco 49ers, who had delivered countless surprises this season, were back at home to face this week’s opponent.

In Week 8 of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers, returning from their bye week, hosted the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns are a rather unique team in the league. Founded in 1946, they have a long and storied history of strength.

In 1966, when the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference officially merged to form a single, unified league—what is now the NFL—they were one of the first teams to join.

In February 1996, the league office, the cities of Cleveland and Baltimore, and the Browns’ team owner—the four major parties—sat down to negotiate. In the interest of expanding the league and preserving the Browns’ tradition in Cleveland, they reached a mutual agreement.

The Cleveland Browns, then owned by Art Modell, would relocate to Baltimore and become what would later be known as the Baltimore Ravens.

Meanwhile, for the three seasons from 1996 to 1998, Cleveland would be absent from the NFL. The city would focus on building a brand-new stadium for a new Cleveland Browns team, and this successor team would carry on all the traditions of the original Cleveland Browns: the jerseys, slogans, logos, and so on.

In 1999, Randolph Lerner came to Cleveland and established a brand-new Browns team—the very same one in the league today.

In other words, although the current Cleveland Browns continue the rich history of the city and the franchise, they are, for all intents and purposes, a completely new team. They are a team that is both old and young.

Before the NFL merger, the Browns were a powerhouse in their conference, winning four conference championships and producing numerous Hall of Fame legends. After joining the NFL, the Browns were placed in the AFC North division of the American Football Conference, sharing it with the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals.

The new Cleveland Browns team, established in 1999, has had a rocky and faltering journey in the NFL. Over the past thirteen seasons, they made the playoffs only once, in 2002. Besides that, they have come up empty every time.

In the eight years from 2003 to 2010, the Cleveland Browns won fewer than five games in seven of those seasons. The only exception was 2007.

That year, the team achieved an excellent 10-6 record, identical to that of their division rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, they lost both their home and away games against the Steelers that season, finishing second in the division and narrowly missing the playoffs.

With abysmal results and no signs of a return to glory, the Cleveland Browns were perennial contenders for the number one pick in the draft each year. Rumor had it that the current owner, Randolph Lerner, was losing faith and considering selling the team.

However, since the start of this season, the Browns have shown some faint signs of a resurgence. Before their bye week in Week 5, they had a 2-2 record through four regular-season games. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible either, igniting a flicker of hope.

After returning from their bye week, the team went 1-1. Last week was especially noteworthy, as the Browns, playing at home, defeated the visiting Seattle Seahawks 6-3 in an ultra-low-scoring defensive battle, which further boosted the team’s confidence.

This week, with a 3-3 record, the Cleveland Browns are on the road to challenge the San Francisco 49ers, who have been in excellent form this season. Although the commentators favored the 49ers before the game—marking the first time since the start of the 2011 season that the San Francisco 49ers were considered the favorites to win—the Browns weren’t about to give up easily. The outcome would only be decided after the game.

However, it now appeared that the San Francisco 49ers were not only far from complacent but were also in perfect, unified form. Rookie quarterback Lu Ke was firing on all cylinders. On the opening drive, he completed all four of his pass attempts, which, complemented by three running plays, allowed them to effortlessly march down the field and reap a touchdown with unstoppable momentum.

Even Troy, sitting in the commentary booth, could clearly feel it. With smooth play-calling, decisive execution, and precise ball distribution, Lu Ke was showcasing an excellent feel for the game and an unwavering will to win.

Last week, the Browns’ defense completely stifled the Seahawks’ offense. Their tough run defense, in particular, completely neutralized Marshawn Lynch’s Beast Mode, and their stunning performance had raised expectations. But this week, on the very first drive, Lu Ke made it look like a walk in the park. With ruthless decisiveness, he pocketed a touchdown.

…

Although the 49ers’ entire pocket had broken down, the Browns’ defense was just a step too slow. At the last possible second, Lu Ke got the pass off. He dodged a defensive player who couldn’t stop his momentum, his eyes glued to the high arc of the football. Only after he saw Logan shake his defender and make the catch did his heart finally return to his chest.

But the play wasn’t over.

After watching Logan charge into the end zone, Lu Ke clenched his fists and pumped them twice, shouting, “Yeah!” Then he narrowed his eyes, staring right back at the Browns’ defensive linemen without a hint of weakness. He had answered their tough defense with a tough play of his own, securing the first passing touchdown of the game.

‘This is the start. The start of winning my first game since becoming a captain!’

In an instant, Candlestick Park erupted. Elated roars and shouts rained down like a sudden storm. Faces beamed with joy, and fists were pumped high in the air. Cheers, cheers, and more cheers—a simple celebration that was the most wonderful affirmation for the players.

Over by the end zone, Logan, having just scored the touchdown, casually tossed the football to the nearby referee. Then he took off, accelerated, and in a burst of energy, leaped up into the stands. The screaming fans instantly lost control. They all swarmed forward, enthusiastically patting Logan’s body and roaring with abandon. The pure joy erupted like a volcano.

“Logan! Logan! You’re so fucking cool! I love you!”

The rough roar surged over him, and then Logan felt a firm kiss planted on his cheek. He immediately jumped back. “Hey, hey, this handsome face of mine is reserved for my future girlfriend! If you infringe on her rights now, she’s going to be angry.”

His serious yet flustered expression sent the fans into roaring laughter. One young female fan even shouted, “Logan, what about me then?”

Logan turned to look, his eyes immediately lighting up. “Hey, have we met before?”

“We’ve met now! And please tell Bambi for me that he’s just so handsome.” The female fan shrieked after she finished, and soon all the surrounding fans joined in the chant, “WHOO! Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!”

Logan was dumbfounded. He grumbled in frustration, “Who says! I’m obviously ten times more handsome than Bambi—no, a hundred times!” With that, he jumped down from the stands, muttering to himself, ‘What kind of taste is that? Seriously. What’s so handsome about Bambi? He’s not handsome at all. They have no taste whatsoever.’

Grumbling and complaining, Logan indignantly walked back toward his teammates.

“Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!”

Before he knew it, a vast and mighty chant began to echo throughout the stadium. Lu Ke, who was about to leave the field, couldn’t help but turn and look up, searching for the source of the sound.

Candlestick Park was packed to the rafters again today, a sellout crowd composed entirely of home fans. Forget visiting fans—even local fans had trouble getting a ticket. This red-hot market was something that hadn’t been seen in a long time, a throwback to the glory days when the entire city was mad for football.

The home team’s red jerseys were like a vast ocean, dyeing the entire Candlestick Park in a boundless sea of red.

Lu Ke scanned the stadium but still couldn’t pinpoint the source of the sound. It was as if every corner was calling his name, the voices merging into a mighty wave to show the visiting Cleveland Browns the powerful energy of the home crowd. It was exhilarating, enough to make one’s blood boil. Yet, Lu Ke still didn’t understand what was going on.

Just then, Lu Ke saw Logan walking toward him. He called out and shot him a questioning look, gesturing toward the stadium-wide chant.

But Logan didn’t answer. Instead, he gave Lu Ke a serious, top-to-bottom look, then started shaking his head in disapproval. Finally, he made a face at Lu Ke, lifted his chin haughtily, and turned to walk toward the sideline where the defense and backup players were gathered, celebrating with high-fives.

Lu Ke stood there, completely baffled. ‘What just happened?’