Chapter 425: The Spoiling Yellow Flag

“Focus! I need all of you to focus!”

The previous play was an incomplete pass, so the game clock stopped the moment the ball hit the ground. This works on the same principle as a quarterback spiking the ball to stop the clock—in a critical situation with no timeouts left, they can intentionally ground the ball to stop play.

With an incomplete pass or a spike, the game clock stops, but the play clock for the next down remains the same: a twenty-five-second countdown. After those twenty-five seconds, the game clock restarts, and if the offense hasn’t snapped the ball, they’ll be penalized for a delay of game and lose yards.

So, Lu Ke now had twenty-five seconds to briefly communicate with his offensive teammates.

“They’re out of ideas. They’ve stopped thinking. They can’t keep up with our pace, and they can’t adjust in time. Did you notice? Man coverage. All their defensive plays are man coverage. If we keep pushing the tempo, their defense is only going to get more and more one-dimensional. Zone coverage is totally useless against us. They’re scared! Scared of our routes! All they have left is man coverage!”

Even though the last play was an incomplete pass, Lu Ke’s mind was clearing up. He saw through the opponent’s defensive strategy—it was simple, brutish, and predictable. But the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive advantage lay in its very versatility!

“So, I need you all to get your heads in the game! The play—execute it to perfection. We’ll use our crossing routes and switches to completely wreck their scheme, and then we’ll claim the victory that’s ours! We have only one goal: victory!”

Lu Ke slammed his right fist hard into his left palm, a resolute declaration of his intent. He then quickly began calling the play. Though not a word was spoken, a deadly focus emanated from the entire offense. Under Lu Ke’s leadership, they believed they were invincible, unstoppable!

The players from both teams lined up again. The San Francisco 49ers came out in a basic two-by-two offensive formation. As expected, the New York Giants didn’t change their defensive look. They remained in man coverage; their players simply shifted their positions to match the 49ers’ formation, but the individual matchups stayed the same.

At a single glance, the 49ers offense felt their confidence surge: the Lu Ke they knew was back!

For the San Francisco 49ers, Crabtree and Ginn were on the left, with Logan and Williams on the right. Marcus and Lu Ke were still in the Pistol Formation, with Marcus lined up four yards behind the center.

For the New York Giants, Michael Boley and Prince Amukamara, a linebacker and a cornerback, were on the left, lined up against the 49ers’ right side. On the right were Mathias Kiwanuka and Will Blackmon, also a linebacker and a cornerback, matched up against the 49ers’ left.

“Hike!”

At Lu Ke’s snap count, the San Francisco 49ers’ receivers exploded off the line, fanning out like a kaleidoscope.

The outside receivers, Crabtree and Williams, both shot straight downfield, accelerating with brutal force as they sprinted relentlessly, unleashing their top-end speed to the fullest.

The slot receivers, Logan and Ginn, both charged forward. After sprinting about ten yards, they each cut sharply inward, running crossing routes toward the middle of the field. One was nimble, the other powerful, their different paths converging in the very center.

And then there was Marcus Lynch.

Despite being a running back, he was often used as a receiver. Marcus slipped through a gap near the slot, nimbly moving past the offensive and defensive lines. But he didn’t accelerate further. Instead, he settled into the middle of the short-pass zone and, with a slight shuffle of his feet, got ready to make the catch.

In the blink of an eye, the short and intermediate zones in the middle of the field became incredibly crowded!

The New York Giants defense reacted immediately. In addition to the players in man coverage, the safeties lurking in the secondary and the inside linebackers assigned to stop the run all swarmed toward the middle, leaving the area completely congested.

Just then, Lu Ke took two large drop-back steps inside the pocket, creating distance between himself and the clashing offensive and defensive lines. He kept his balance, reared back his right arm, and launched the football with the force of a cannonball. It soared majestically across the sky, tracing a dazzling rainbow.

Without a doubt, all eyes were on the middle of the field. Not only were three receiving targets clustered there, but they were also three of Lu Ke’s personal favorites: Logan Newman, Ted Ginn Jr., and Marcus Lynch. The three players had vastly different styles and exceptional talent; their similar routes held a multitude of possibilities. This was clearly Lu Ke’s best option.

But just as everyone thought that, Lu Ke’s Rainbow Pass sliced through the air and streaked toward the left side of the field!

The left side? Lu Ke had actually thrown to the left!

On the 49ers’ left—the Giants’ right—there were only two players: Michael Crabtree and Will Blackmon. Every other offensive and defensive player was crammed into the middle of the field, leaving the left sideline wide open. It was a one-on-one matchup.

“Crabtree vs. Blackmon.”

It was a switch. Ginn, who was originally matched up against Blackmon, had changed his position and route, leaving Crabtree facing Blackmon instead. Both players were tall, strong, and exceptionally talented black men. In this head-to-head battle, neither was giving an inch.

The Rainbow Pass traced a breathtaking arc through the sky, sailing unstoppably past their own thirty-five-yard line, the forty, midfield, a fearless strike into deep territory, a pass of about forty to forty-three yards. The perfectly thrown, tight spiral once again showcased Lu Ke’s precision and control.

Crabtree and Blackmon were jockeying for position, neither willing to back down. As the football began its rapid descent, Crabtree gave Blackmon a hard shoulder check, got half a step on him, and then launched his body forward, his hands outstretched in perfect catching form—

THWUMP.

The sound was soft, yet solid. Crabtree made a clean, secure catch. He stumbled but didn’t completely lose his footing. He could still feel Blackmon right on him, refusing to give up, his body pressing in and trying to close off any room to advance.

Adjusting, controlling, fighting back, and pushing off—Crabtree held his own in the struggle. He gradually regained his balance and continued to drive forward.

At that moment, there wasn’t a single defender in front of him down the left sideline. It was nothing but green grass ahead. All he had to do was hit top speed, and he could sprint into the End Zone for the game-winning Touchdown. But… but the referee blew his whistle, threw a yellow flag, and stopped the play.

Blackmon and Crabtree were still tangled up, but their steps began to slow as they both realized the play had been interrupted.

“Why? Why?” Amid the groans and boos from the entire Candlestick Park crowd, Crabtree threw his hands up and walked toward the referee, a picture of innocence, trying to get an explanation. “What’s going on? Can someone tell me what the hell happened?” He could have been the hero who won the game, but the referee had stopped the play. There could only be one reason:

A penalty on the offense.

Sure enough, the referee announced the penalty: “Holding, number fifteen.”

Crabtree stood there, fuming, and started swearing, unable to believe his ears. “A penalty? When the hell did I commit a penalty? This is a pile of…” He trailed off into a string of curses that didn’t seem to want to end.

In response to Crabtree’s complaints, Blackmon started jawing right back at him. There was no physical altercation, as a referee immediately stepped in, but the two players kept shouting at each other across the official, venting their frustrations. They both knew exactly how much this penalty would impact the game.

The reactions from the other players on both teams were a stark contrast.

All the New York Giants players threw their hands in the air, celebrating wildly. It was a crucial defensive stop at a critical moment. In contrast, the San Francisco 49ers players collectively put their hands on their heads, groaning in frustration and disbelief.

Jim Hubble slammed his playbook onto the ground, swearing furiously, completely losing his composure.

Crabtree was still heated, repeatedly insisting he hadn’t committed a penalty, desperately trying to plead his case.

But the commentators in the broadcast booth had a different opinion. “That’s a penalty. It’s definitely holding. The move was so obvious, there’s no way the referee was going to miss it. That’s the right call.”

The slow-motion replay showed that just before making the catch, in an effort to get separation, Crabtree had indeed tugged on Blackmon’s collar. It even looked like he might have grabbed his helmet. It was a clear-cut penalty, indisputable.

“But for the San Francisco 49ers, this is terrible news. The play wasted precious time, and now they’ll be penalized yards on top of it. Their situation is becoming increasingly difficult.”

Because of Crabtree’s holding penalty, the San Francisco 49ers were penalized ten yards. They were pushed back to their own twenty-yard line to try again, now facing the daunting situation of second-and-twenty.

Their situation had gone from bad to worse.

“Calm down! Every single one of you, fucking calm down!” In the critical situation, Lu Ke had to raise his voice to cut Crabtree off. “Look forward! We have to look forward. We’ll settle any problems after the game is over. Right now, I need everyone to calm down. Did you notice? They’re still in man coverage! They’re getting more and more reactive! What we need to do is stay calm and seize the opportunity!”