Chapter 907: A Series of Blows

Not only did Charles Tillman notice it, but the commentators in the booth and the Chicago Bears’ coaching staff also noticed the change in the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive formation: a two-running back set.

The NFL is now a passing league through and through. The passing game is the primary weapon, and the quarterback is the core of the strategy. A retro offensive tactic like a two-running back formation, or even a two-tight end formation, is far from mainstream because it lacks flexibility and versatility.

What exactly is Jim Harbaugh up to?

Clearly, such a bold and crazy tactic must be a strategy conceived by Harbaugh and his coaching staff. In the last two seasons, the 49ers’ offense has been ranked among the top in the league, yet Harbaugh is still considering even more possibilities for change? They haven’t even maximized their existing tactics, and they’re already thinking about going further? Is this confidence or arrogance?

On the sidelines, the Chicago Bears’ coaching staff was in a heated discussion; on the field, players led by Peppers and Urlacher were quickly trying to figure things out.

Should they stick to their existing strategy?

The problem now was that the opponent’s change had far exceeded their expectations. It was a huge question mark whether their "unchanged" strategy could withstand the pressure. As they exchanged glances, the defense, which had just managed to calm down a bit, had no answers. But their only chance was this:

If they weren’t familiar with this tactic, then the 49ers’ offense was bound to be just as unfamiliar. Plus, the quarterback was only a second-year player, so his ability to adapt to an entirely new tactical system during a game must be lacking. That meant their experience and maturity were their opportunity to turn things around.

Although slim, they could still give it a shot.

As the defensive captain, Urlacher used the simplest and quickest of calls to change their strategy—

Throughout the game, the Chicago Bears’ defense had maintained the initiative, and this was no exception. Since the opponent had made such a drastic change, they would cut off their options at the source.

They would blitz the quarterback.

A tough blitz would tear through the offensive line’s pocket protection. On one hand, it was to sack the quarterback—if it was a passing play, sacking Kaepernick would solve the problem. On the other hand, it was to strengthen their ground defense—if it was a running play, stacking enough players on the defensive line would help to contain the opponent’s running variations.

In other words, they needed to further compress all defensive space in the short passing and line-of-scrimmage areas. By engaging in close quarters combat, they could preemptively shut down the play before the changes could even unfold.

The on-field defense just needed to hold up for a few plays, figure things out, and buy more time for the coaches on the sidelines and in the press box. This was a chess match, with both sides adjusting their moves throughout the game until a winner was determined.

This was the first time the 49ers’ offense had made such a bold change this season. Did that also mean the Chicago Bears’ defense had cornered them?

Urlacher was a middle linebacker, Peppers was a defensive end, and Melton was a defensive tackle—these three players were the absolute core of the Bears’ front-line defense.

Now, they hadn’t moved their feet, but their weight was visibly shifted forward. There was no hiding it; they were openly saying, "I’m ready to blitz the quarterback, what are you going to do about it?" They wanted the opponent to clearly see this, demonstrating unwavering confidence and a strong, unyielding spirit.

Urlacher focused completely:

As expected, the 49ers lined up in a shotgun formation, with versatile options for both passing and running. At the same time, because they had taken off a wide receiver, there was only Crabtree on the left side, while Moss and Vernon teamed up on the right.

Logan, who had just scored a touchdown, had also been rotated out.

What... what’s going on?

With the current receiving lineup, Moss was the only reliable receiving option. Vernon and Crabtree’s status hadn’t been at their best, and they were used more as tactical blockers and decoys. This further proved that the two-running back formation was more than just a bluff.

So, was this a mind game?

Urlacher pushed all thoughts aside. Overthinking wasn’t a defender’s strength, and now the opponent was clearly trying to play a game of cat-and-mouse, to confuse the defense, make them hesitate and become timid, and ultimately lead to mistakes and openings. He needed to clear his mind and execute the pre-determined plan.

Wait, why did the number 14 quarterback stand up?

After carefully surveying the defensive alignment, the quarterback moved two steps forward, changing the shotgun formation to an "I" formation—a traditional running formation. What was this about? Was it to further commit to the running game? Or was it a quarterback option play? Or something else?

No, don’t analyze it, don’t overthink. Focus. Stay focused.

Urlacher took a deep breath. He still hadn’t moved forward, but his body was swaying from side to side, shifting his weight, ready to charge.

From a top-down view, the middle linebacker is positioned opposite the quarterback. This is the position with the most complete defensive vision. Perhaps a middle linebacker isn’t always the defensive captain or the brain of the defense, but it is a position with more mobility for making adjustments compared to other defensive spots.

Generally, the middle linebacker’s duties can be divided into three parts: first, covering the running back; second, rushing forward to become part of the defensive line and blitz the quarterback; and third, dropping back to be a supplemental defender in the short passing zone.

So, after the snap, a middle linebacker either completes his assignment based on the defense’s pre-planned strategy, or he stays in place for a moment, adapting to the offense’s changes to complete his coverage assignment.

Ultimately, the middle linebacker can be seen as a pivot in the tactical battle.

Now, Urlacher needed to stay calm and focus entirely on the Chicago Bears’ defensive strategy, otherwise his hesitation and confusion could affect the entire defense.

"Attack!"

Number 14 called the snap, and almost simultaneously, Urlacher charged straight forward. The two defensive tackles moved to the outside, creating an opening, and Urlacher became the fifth defensive lineman, colliding head-on with the opposing center, Jonathan Goodwin.

As he started, he watched.

Urlacher immediately noticed number 14’s movement: after taking the ball, he took a quick step back, without turning or looking back, like he was reversing. At the same time, the two running backs sprinted forward, one to the left and one to the right, both adopting a stance to receive the ball and initiate a run.

The distance between number 14 and the two running backs was about six or seven yards, and they would pass each other in about a second of moving toward one another. It was a space of only three or five steps. Urlacher hadn’t even had a chance to collide with Goodwin when he saw number 14 make a throwing motion.

This was bad!

Forget the quarterback blitz and ground defense. The number 14’s throwing motion was practically instantaneous. One second? Two seconds? Urlacher was sure it was less than two seconds, and the pass was already completed. Such a quick pass didn’t give the defense much time to react.

Even if the defense was set up for a pass, they could only rely on the cornerbacks and linebackers to cover the short passing zone, trying to shut down all forward progress. It was extremely difficult to prevent a pass from being completed; the strategic significance of a quick short pass isn’t the continued progress after the catch, but the short-distance gains of two, three, or five yards, breaking the defense’s collective strategy with a fast tempo.

And what about now, when the defense had committed all its strength to blitzing the quarterback and defending the run?

Bang!

Urlacher didn’t have time to think further before he collided heavily with Goodwin. Almost as he felt the force of the collision, the football left number 14’s hand. There were no fakes or misdirections; it was just a quick, short pass.

"Damn it!"

Urlacher suppressed the urge to curse. In the midst of the collision, he quickly scanned with his peripheral vision, looking toward Peppers with a sliver of hope.

Peppers had already pushed past Alex Boone, making a small arc to rush into the pocket. And Marcus Lynch, who had been on that side, suddenly turned and charged toward Peppers. At the same time, Boone, who had appeared to lose his balance, quickly regained his footing and teamed up with Lynch to double-team Peppers.

"Shit!"

"F"-bombs rained down. This was a complete trap, even the "mistake" in the offensive line’s coordination was part of the trap, luring all the defensive players to rush forward to create space for the pass.

But who could number 14 even throw the ball to?

Urlacher didn’t have time to turn his head. He could only shout one name in his mind: Charles Tillman. He was their only hope.

Tillman, whom Urlacher was calling for, was also cursing. What was going on? Why was Kaepernick’s target not Vernon Davis, but Randy Moss? Why? All the signs pointed to Vernon being the target. Where did it go wrong?

In the moment of shock and frustration, Moss had already successfully caught the ball.

The curses continued to pour out. Tillman no longer had time to think, because if he didn’t get back on defense, Moss was going to replicate Vernon’s feat from the previous drive!

Damn it.

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