Chapter 404: Fifty-Fifty

After every game, the quarterback rating is undoubtedly one of the most valuable metrics among all the stats. But just as Charles said, controversy surrounding the quarterback rating has always existed.

The quarterback rating is calculated by plugging five key stats into a formula: passing attempts, completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, and interceptions.

In other words, quarterbacks like Tom Brady—who uses short passes to build a rhythm and boost his completion percentage—or Aaron Rodgers—who excels at deadly long passes in crucial moments, making his passing yardage skyrocket—often end up with high quarterback ratings.

Within the quarterback rating system, Aaron Rodgers is a perennial favorite, as his stats frequently set new records.

In other words, the quarterback rating is just another statistic. It’s impossible for it to be 100% balanced, and it has its biases, which has led to a lot of controversy. But overall, by cross-referencing the quarterback rating with the PFF score, one can still reach a relatively objective conclusion about a quarterback’s performance.

In Lu Ke’s games so far, his excellent long passes and his careful avoidance of interceptions were undoubtedly key factors in his high rating. So, you couldn’t say Charles’s words were complete nonsense.

Facing the astonished gazes before him, Charles had no intention of stopping. The emotions he had suppressed for so long erupted like a volcano, all released at once.

“This season, the San Francisco 49ers have had tremendous success; that’s a fact. But all the credit goes to head coach Jim Hubble,” Charles stated, drawing his conclusion. “Hubble built a powerhouse at Stanford University, and now he’s implemented his West Coast offense with the San Francisco 49ers. With the right personnel and adjustments, they’ve been racking up one victory after another.”

Charles could clearly feel the gazes converging on him from all directions—a messy tangle of mockery, ridicule, sarcasm, surprise, and disbelief. But he didn’t show the slightest fear, giving a firm nod to reaffirm his stance. “You heard me right. That’s exactly what I said. Lu Ke is a system quarterback. It’s the system that’s winning games, not him.”

When people talk about a “system quarterback,” it’s almost always used as a derogatory term.

Within such a system, the quarterback is more like a chess piece, strictly executing plays under the coach’s control. Even if that piece is the king, it’s still just a piece—one component in the machinery of victory, like a puppet on strings. In other words, the credit for the win goes to the coaching staff, not the quarterback.

But every coach knows that a game is fluid and can change in an instant. Standing on the sidelines, they can’t possibly control every variable. That’s when they need a quarterback to step up, to be the brains and the leader of the team, and guide them to victory. A truly great quarterback can’t just be a cog in a system; he needs the ability to think for himself and the decisiveness to take charge.

Looking at the nearly crazed, irrational Charles before him, Spencer shook his head in disbelief.

‘Whether or not Lu Ke is a great quarterback remains to be seen; the second half of the season will be crucial. But one thing is for sure: Lu Ke is not a system quarterback. His ability to read defenses, his command of the plays, and his interpretation of timing during games have all left a deep impression—’

‘Those are definitely not abilities a system quarterback possesses.’

He was so shocked that Spencer couldn’t immediately retort, and he just listened as Charles continued his non-stop tirade.

“They beat the Lions Team, we all know that.” For the first time, Charles faced his wound head-on; the shock and pain from that game still lingered. Then, his tone shifted. “But that game wasn’t decided until the final moments. Now, facing the New York Giants, who have been outstanding this season, the 49ers’ chances of winning are incredibly slim.”

“This is a team that just beat the New England Patriots! Let me tell you what’s going to happen this Sunday: the Giant Team will walk out of Candlestick Park unscathed, take the win, and end the 49ers’ four-game winning streak,” Charles said decisively.

Spencer suddenly realized that all arguments were meaningless at this point.

The matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants was, in essence, a toss-up. Both teams were in peak form and didn’t shy away from facing strong opponents. In a way, the Giant Team’s tendency to rise to the occasion against tough competition was even more pronounced than the Lions Team’s. This week’s game was guaranteed to be thrilling.

For analysts, choosing to support either team was perfectly justifiable. It wasn’t a matter of “fifty-one percent versus forty-nine percent”; it was a 50-50 game. What truly tipped the scales of victory was the analyst’s personal feelings and preferences, becoming that “one percent” that broke the fifty-fifty balance.

Spencer chose the 49ers, and Charles chose the Giant Team. It was as simple as that.

So, Spencer suppressed all the debates and rebuttals in his mind and said simply, “My opinion is the exact opposite of yours. The New York Giants have been too inconsistent this season, on both offense and defense…”

Seeing Charles ready to charge like a bull and start arguing, Spencer held up his right hand to stop him. “You’ve had your say,” he said sternly. “Now it’s my turn. So, would you please be quiet?” The retort left Charles speechless, his words caught in his throat. His frustrated and furious expression made the other analysts struggle to hold back their laughter.

This kind of confrontation was exactly what the show’s producers loved.

“Comparatively, the San Francisco 49ers’ defense is still untrustworthy; they’re prone to mistakes at critical moments. But the offense, under Lu Ke’s leadership, has won my vote. Besides, the fervor at Candlestick Park this season has been unprecedented. It’s becoming a new Devil’s Home Court.”

Spencer stated his view—simple, clear, and firm. “So, I believe that in this week’s game, the 49ers will defeat the visiting Giant Team at home and keep their winning streak alive.”

“What a joke.” Charles shook his head repeatedly, a look of disdain on his face. “Think back. When Tony Romo first burst onto the scene, what was the entire Alliance’s attitude? To this day, people still question his ability. And Lu Ke, just like Romo, is an Undrafted Player. You should know, going unselected in the draft, that’s an ironclad fact! It means every single scout and team passed on this rookie!”

“In the entire Alliance’s history, spanning nearly fifty years, we’ve had one Kurt Warner and one Tony Romo. Do you really think there’s going to be a Lu Ke now? Maybe he’s just another Tim Tebow!” Charles’s aggressive demeanor intensified, the conviction in his voice unshakable. “I’ll bet you. This week, the victory will absolutely belong to the Giant Team.”

Spencer found it both infuriating and laughable. Looking at such a childish Charles, an impulse surged through him, and he raised his chin high. “Fine, I’ll bet you. I believe the victory will absolutely belong to the 49ers. So, what are the stakes?”

“If the 49ers win the game this week, I’ll crawl all the way from Hollywood to the Great Wall.” The entire Alliance knew about Lu Ke’s Chinese descent by now, so Charles blurted it out. The Great Wall was clearly a dig aimed at Lu Ke.

Seeing Charles’s smug, savage expression as he spouted his tirade, Spencer’s own anger ignited. “You’re on! If the Giant Team wins, I’ll get on my knees and kiss Eli Manning’s shoes.”

“Wait, wait.” Edward, who had been watching the drama unfold from the sidelines, finally noticed something was wrong, but he was a beat too slow to stop them. He quickly raised both hands, made a ‘time-out’ gesture to the camera, and stopped the show’s recording. “Charles, Spencer, are you sure? Once this airs, things will get out of hand.”

If they regretted it now, the production team could re-edit the content or re-record it, nipping the commotion in the bud.

Honestly, Spencer was feeling a twinge of regret. The game was a toss-up. Was it too risky to make such a high-stakes bet all of a sudden? It really didn’t suit his personality.

But Charles waved his hand dismissively. “No problem. Air it just like this. I have no objections.” Then, he looked provocatively at Spencer. “Or is someone having second thoughts?”

“If you’re getting scared, don’t try to act tough. Back out now, and it’ll just be an inside joke. Otherwise, you’re going to become the laughingstock of the Alliance,” Spencer retorted, his neck stiffening with defiance.

With that back-and-forth, the bet was officially set.

Edward stared, dumbfounded. His gaze drifted to the other eight analysts on the panel, his eyes full of confusion. ‘How on earth did this episode get to this point? Why did things suddenly spiral out of control?’

After a brief discussion, the show’s recording resumed.

For the production team of ‘Inside the Alliance,’ this couldn’t have been better. They welcomed it with open arms. A bet like this was a golden ticket for boosting ratings. In any case, it wasn’t them who would have to pay the price. All they had to do was sit back, watch the show, and reap the rewards.

Sure enough, after the show aired, it caused a huge uproar across the country. In an instant, the showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants sensationally surpassed the week’s three night games, once again becoming the center of attention.

As one of the most talked-about figures in the Alliance, Lu Ke’s ability to stir up animosity was apparently far greater than anyone had imagined.