Chapter 389: An Easy Victory

Chapter 389: Chapter 386: An Easy Victory

“INTERCEPTION!”

Troy’s passionate voice exploded. The Cleveland Browns’ offense had just started to show some signs of life—you couldn’t even call it a comeback yet—but it was immediately followed by an interception that buried all their previous efforts. Their momentum came to a screeching halt.

“Rookie outside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, number ninety-nine, Aldon Smith, cut off the passing lane and made the grab! He dove for it and completed the interception at his own thirty-nine-yard line! A beautiful interception! That diving leap was absolutely gorgeous!”

“Cleveland Browns’ second-year quarterback, Colt McCoy, has just thrown his first interception of the game, and his fifth of the season. On that play, not only was his intention read, but the arc on the pass was too low. It was an easy pick for the defense.”

“This is not good. The situation for the Browns is really not good. They’re down 14-0, and now this interception allows their opponent to start their drive at the thirty-nine-yard line. For a quarterback as hot as Lu Ke, this starting field position is undoubtedly a golden opportunity. The Browns can only hope their defense steps up and prevents another touchdown before the end of the first quarter.”

“Oh, the referee has saved the Browns! Lu Ke only had time to complete one short pass for four yards before the referee blew the whistle to end the first quarter. Next up, we head into the second quarter. It will be exciting to see if the momentum of either team changes.”

The first quarter was finally over.

The Cleveland Browns had finally won themselves a little breathing room. The nightmarish start seemed to be over, a page turned. After a full quarter to warm up, they had finally gotten into game mode. They had to rally and finish this game. Being two touchdowns behind wasn’t the end of the world.

In their last game, they completely shut down the Seattle Seahawks’ offense. They could do it in this game, too!

But… apparently not.

Facing a Lu Ke who was on a rampage, the Browns’ inconsistent defense completely fell apart, reduced to mere wallflowers. As the second quarter began, the Cleveland Browns were hit hard once again.

“Jesus Christ! Unbelievable, truly unbelievable! The Browns’ defense has completely lost its discipline. They hadn’t even found their footing before their opponent landed another clean, fatal blow!”

“After the snap, Lu Ke and the entire offensive line quickly rolled out to the right. It was a play-action fake. Marcus Lynch’s superb blocking completely fooled the defense, buying Lu Ke precious time to throw. The number fourteen rookie quarterback did not miss this opportunity.”

“After a pump fake toward Logan Newman in the short-pass zone, he changed his throwing motion and, at the last moment, fired a fourteen-yard bullet to an open Ted Ginn Jr. The secondary failed to cover him in time. Ginn left them in the dust, a sudden burst of acceleration shaking off the defenders as he galloped into the end zone, effortlessly reaping another touchdown.”

“God, oh, God, this is a complete disaster for the Browns. The third touchdown of the game, also by the San Francisco 49ers. The Lu Ke we’re seeing today is absolutely on fire and unstoppable! Brilliant, just brilliant! But what I’m more curious about is, what on earth happened during the bye week? A Lu Ke like this is dangerous. He’s radiating danger from head to toe!”

…

For the third time, a full-throated cheer erupted throughout Candlestick Park!

Just a little over one quarter into the game, the home team had already scored three touchdowns and held their opponents scoreless, still stuck on a big goose egg. It was such an outstanding performance, even smoother than their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week five of the regular season. The whole game was exhilarating and immensely satisfying to watch.

For the home fans, this was a festival, a true carnival. The fans in the stands began to celebrate in all sorts of ways. Some sang, some screamed, some banged together thundersticks, and others jumped up and down relentlessly. That vast sea of red surged with a fiery energy, as if you could feel the very heartbeat of the Earth.

Standing in the middle of the field, Lu Ke could feel himself completely enveloped by that sea of red. He could feel its pulse with every pore, his own heartbeat starting to sync up with the rhythm. THUMP, THUMP, THUMP. It was so wonderful he couldn’t help but want to lose himself in it.

In a daze, Lu Ke had an illusion. He knew it wasn’t real, but his surging heart couldn’t help but start to cheer:

‘This is my game. This is my home field. This is my team.’

…

“The first half of the game is over. The referee has blown his whistle.”

In the commentary booth, the announcers could finally take a small breather, have a sip of water, and calm down a bit. Troy promptly summed up the first half, “For the Cleveland Browns, the hope of winning this game is growing increasingly slim. It’s because of the score, but even more so because of the difference in performance between the two teams.”

“Just before the end of the first half, Lu Ke once again led the San Francisco 49ers’ offense into field goal range. David Akers made it with ease, extending the lead to 24-0. Strictly speaking, that’s a huge deficit, but it’s not an apocalyptic one. If the Cleveland Browns can find their form, anything is possible in the second half.”

“But that’s the question: can the Browns do it? The answer has a big question mark hanging over it.”

“In the first half, the Cleveland Browns’ lack of offensive explosiveness was magnified to the extreme. They could never break through the defense, managing only three first downs. Quarterback Colt McCoy’s performance was also far from satisfactory, completing only five of eleven passes, with one interception. Even their running game, which had been decent before, was almost completely silent. Their offense never got going and didn’t even have many opportunities.”

“Likewise, the weaknesses of the Cleveland Browns’ defense were further exposed. The San Francisco 49ers’ rookie quarterback, Lu Ke, leveraged his superior Tactical Awareness to the fullest. He made several pre-snap audibles, completely reading the Browns’ defensive formation and intent. By staying one step ahead, he completed his passes with ease and comfort. The entire offense flowed seamlessly, leaving the defenders scrambling just to keep up.”

“You just have to look at the stats. In the first half, Lu Ke only faced pressure on one throw. He wasn’t sacked, he wasn’t even hit. He completed sixteen of seventeen passes. A stat line like that is nothing short of dominant. It’s not normal, not normal at all. If the Browns don’t wake up in the second half, this game is going to turn into garbage time very quickly.”

It wasn’t just Troy; the other commentators all shared the same view.

Although the Cleveland Browns weren’t a strong team and had been inconsistent this season, the one-sided nature of today’s game was still surprising. It was less about the Browns playing poorly and more about the 49ers being a cut above. The rest of the game didn’t seem to hold much suspense, and the commentators all started to relax and just watch the show.

And that’s exactly how it played out.

…

“Touchdown! Another touchdown! It’s the San Francisco 49ers again, but this time it’s not a passing touchdown. It’s a six-yard rushing touchdown from running back Marcus Lynch!”

“Under Lu Ke’s leadership, the San Francisco 49ers continued to display excellent form. After converting on third down twice, they marched into the red zone with unstoppable momentum. Facing a second-and-goal, Marcus Lynch took the handoff, found an opening, and successfully scored the team’s fourth touchdown of the day.”

“The Browns’ defense, which completely neutralized Marshawn Lynch in their last game, has totally lost its spirit in this one. Between Lu Ke’s precise passes and clever schemes, they’ve never found their rhythm, and as a result, their run defense has completely collapsed. The situation is becoming more and more difficult for them.”

After yet another touchdown, the home fans were starting to get used to it. There was no wild ecstasy, just routine celebration. But the passionate roar of the crowd didn’t diminish in the slightest. They began to sing, as if this wasn’t a game but a party, a wild festival. It was like a summer rock concert where everyone shed their inhibitions, let loose, and completely immersed themselves in the atmosphere.

…

「A few minutes later.」

“Stunning, absolutely stunning! It’s Marcus Lynch again! The San Francisco 49ers have scored another touchdown, bringing the score to 38-0! Unbelievable, truly unbelievable!”

“After moving past midfield with a series of passes, Lu Ke called a surprise run, handing the ball off to Lynch. The Browns were caught completely off guard. Their entire defense was wide open. Lynch broke through the defensive line, shed a would-be tackle, and found nothing but open field in front of him.”

“Forty-eight yards! Marcus Lynch just completed a forty-eight-yard touchdown run, rubbing more salt in the Cleveland Browns’ wounds. With less than a minute left in the third quarter, the score is now 38-0. This means the fourth quarter will be complete garbage time.”

“Wait, or could the Cleveland Browns pull off a miracle, turn the tide in the fourth quarter, and mount a comeback? Even for a team led by Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers, that would be incredibly difficult. Because the exceptionally brilliant Lu Ke playing today would absolutely not allow it. The question now is, can the San Francisco 49ers keep scoring touchdowns?”

There was no suspense. The fourth quarter was pure garbage time. When the referee blew the final whistle, the San Francisco 49ers had easily secured their sixth win of the season at home!