Chapter 432: Not Knowing Whether to Laugh or Cry

A game-winning attempt with three seconds on the clock, a dropped pass.

A critical penalty, a play with zero seconds on the clock.

The final timeout, disrupting the rhythm.

In the span of less than a dozen seconds, this clash between heavyweights—the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants—was once again rocked by multiple surprises.

Surprises, surprises, and more surprises. It was reminiscent of the game’s chaotic opening, which had been a string of unexpected events. Now, as the game neared its end, it was happening all over again. Was this… a bookend?

Furthermore, amidst the chaos of the opening, the San Francisco 49ers had carved out a path and ended with a Touchdown. Did this mean the final drive would end the same way?

For the New York Giants, the game clock had already expired. Keeping a timeout in their pocket was now pointless. They had to pour all their energy into their defensive strategy, so Tom Coughlin decisively used the team’s final timeout.

But for the San Francisco 49ers, they had unbelievably been granted a lifeline amidst the chaos.

According to the rules, a defensive penalty on the final play meant the 49ers were granted one untimed down. They also got time to strategize. What’s more, a Touchdown now would give them a chance for the extra point, potentially winning the game without ever going to overtime.

As for Lu Ke, he wasn’t quite sure. ‘Is my luck in this game good, or is it bad?’

But there was no time to think now; Lu Ke had to get into the zone quickly. He had one more chance. Running the ball was impossible; it had to be a pass! One play. The entire game hinged on this one pass!

The home team, the away team—it didn’t matter. Both were a bit dazed at this point. The game had been too thrilling, too full of twists and turns. After reaching the peak of tension, they now drifted in a state of bewilderment. Only the players on the field and the coaching staff could remain calm—because they had to. The game wasn’t over yet.

Even the commentators were at a loss for words, unsure how to evaluate the performance of the teams and players in these final moments. Likewise, no one could predict the outcome. For neutral fans, this was undoubtedly a festival of football!

The thirty-second timeout felt like thirty minutes to the spectators, an agonizing wait. The entire Candlestick Park was restless and anxious. The cheers were sparse and scattered, failing to form an effective wall of sound, leaving only a cacophony of noise. But for those involved, it felt like an instant. Lu Ke didn’t even have time for a sip of water before he had to take the field again.

“This… This is truly… beyond commentary. Both sides are making mistakes. Both sides are squandering opportunities to put the game away.” During the timeout, Teddy and Kirk had to fill the dead air, rewatching the roller coaster of the last few downs again and again.

“Now, the chance for a game-winning play is in Lu Ke’s hands. For this rookie quarterback, this might just be the most important play of his career,” Teddy offered his opinion.

Kirk agreed, adding, “If he succeeds, he might make a breakthrough, a true transformation. If he fails, he might fall into a slump, unable to recover from the setback. Anything is possible, anything! This is the moment that defines a quarterback’s success or failure!”

As players from both teams took the field, Teddy couldn’t help but chuckle. “All the players are trying to adjust to the situation. They’re asking the coaches, asking each other, where they’re supposed to line up. The New York Giants’ defense is undoubtedly under immense pressure, but now Lu Ke is gathering his teammates to lay out the play. It’s a curious sight!”

On the field, Lu Ke had no time to encourage his teammates, not even enough for eye contact. After quickly calling the play, everyone was already in formation. Everything was happening too fast, faster than imaginable.

Reading the defense.

Lu Ke’s gaze was as focused as ever, as if this were just another ordinary down, nothing special at all. As soon as he saw the New York Giants’ defensive formation again, his mind began to race.

…

From his high vantage point in the booth, a gasp escaped Kirk as he saw the New York Giants’ defensive formation.

“Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. The New York Giants have come out in a man-to-man defensive formation again!”

As a professional commentator, it was his job to analyze the situation on the field. “What is Perry Fewell doing? What is the Giants’ defensive coordinator thinking? Choosing man-to-man coverage is understandable, but at least adjust your alignment, change the matchups! The entire strategy is unchanged. They look like a high school team stubbornly sticking to one play!”

Kirk and Teddy exchanged a look, a hint of amusement in both their eyes.

…

To Lu Ke, the defensive formation itself was meaningless. The player matchups within that formation were what mattered. In a flash, Lu Ke had already made his judgment and decision in his mind. Then, without hesitation—there was no need for hesitation—he decisively called for the snap.

Snap. Catch. Drop back.

Just as he’d expected. The Giants had completely abandoned any blitz or run defense. They sent only three players to rush the Offense Line, applying token pressure on the 49ers. The other eight players were all packed tightly within the six-yard line—after the defense was penalized five yards, the 49ers’ line of scrimmage was now on the six-yard line.

Lu Ke moved as if he were on a leisurely stroll. During his drop-back, he unhurriedly adjusted his footwork with small, choppy steps, quickly scanning the player matchups for openings. Then, he raised his right arm.

A light toss. He used the power of his wrist to put a little extra zip on the ball, which suddenly accelerated as he threw it. The trajectory, however, was relatively flat. It shot forward, then seemed to run out of steam after a certain distance, stalling before dropping abruptly.

…

At this very moment, Ted Ginn Jr.’s mind was a complete blank. Or perhaps, it was completely serene.

The tension and anxiety seemed to have vanished. Lu Ke hadn’t given a detailed play call; everything followed the route-running habits from their usual practices. The receivers were responsible for running their routes to create separation, while the choice of target and the timing were left to the quarterback. It was a test, but it was also an opportunity.

A six-yard space wasn’t exactly ideal for a speedster like Ginn to excel in.

In the 40-yard dash, his long-speed acceleration was more impressive, while his initial burst in the first ten yards was relatively less dazzling—it’s like the start, acceleration, mid-race, and sprint phases of a 100-meter dash; the 40-yard dash has corresponding distinctions.

But obviously, Lu Ke’s play-calling wouldn’t be that simple.

With the shifts Lu Ke had called, the receivers’ positions had all changed. Ginn was now matched up against Mathias Kiwanuka, the player who had been covering Crabtree earlier. Kiwanuka’s traits were being heavy, slow, solid, and powerful, like a human wall, because he weighed a hefty 267 pounds.

That was a bit heavy for an outside linebacker; in a defensive scheme, he was more often responsible for run defense. But the New York Giants had now abandoned run defense, so Ginn had no idea what the Giants’ defensive coaches were thinking. Kiwanuka was somehow still on the field, with no substitution sent in for him.

The two of them stood in the middle of the field. The left and right sides were crowded with countless bodies, but the central area seemed relatively clear, with just a one-on-one matchup.

Ginn already had a plan for this.

After the snap, Ginn exploded off the line, instantly accelerating and recklessly pushing his speed to the absolute limit. It was as if he wasn’t looking at a six-yard End Zone, but a sixty-yard journey to a Touchdown. The sheer threat of his speed caught Kiwanuka completely off guard.

Before Kiwanuka could even react, Ginn shot past him like a tornado. But his physical instincts and Tactical Awareness still kicked in reflexively. He subconsciously tried to keep up with Ginn’s steps, trying to jam him or make a tackle, but it was too late. He had already lost his position.

The next second, Kiwanuka saw Ginn turn around, adjust his feet with small steps, and the football appeared in his line of sight. Ginn leaped lightly, his hands forming a basket to receive the ball. And then, Kiwanuka just brutally crashed into him, practically abandoning his own body and launching himself forward like a siege catapult.

…

“Pass! After the snap, Lu Ke just adjusted his feet and threw! The target is—Ted Ginn! Ginn used his absolute speed advantage to tear open a receiving window! He made the catch! God, Ginn made the catch! That’s a catch to save the whole game! My God, that was beautiful! Absolutely breathtaking!”

But in the next moment, Kirk’s voice came to an abrupt halt. “Uh, no, wait, that’s not right… There’s a yellow flag on the field, and the referee has stopped the play. The End Zone judge is signaling that it wasn’t a Touchdown, but an incomplete pass? What’s going on?”

While Kirk was still trying to analyze the play, Teddy, sitting next to him, had already burst out laughing. “The game isn’t over. The game is still not over! We now have another offensive down. This is truly never-ending. God, this game is just one surprise after another. This script must have been written by a top Hollywood screenwriter, right?”

It was a situation beyond laughter or tears. Truly. One time, then another, and another again. The game clock was at zero, but the offense just couldn’t finish its drive, and the result of the game couldn’t be decided. Now, judging by the referee’s signal on the field, the yellow flag was on the Defense Team. This meant the offense would get yet another play.

Just a few minutes ago, Lu Ke had thought that was his “last chance.” But apparently, the definition of “last chance” was “last several chances.”

Even Lu Ke himself couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from turning up. Everyone else’s heart was about to stop beating, yet Lu Ke still had time for a smile. This…