Chapter 911: Right Where I Want Them

"Upon review, we can confirm that after completing the catch, offensive player number 88 maintained control of the football before falling to the ground. This is ruled a successful catch. Furthermore, defensive player number 33 did not make contact with offensive player number 88 after he landed, so the play was not dead. Number 88’s subsequent advance was legal, and the final spot of the ball is..."

The head referee’s announcement was not even finished, but the crowd at Candlestick Park was already erupting.

It wasn’t just because the call was in favor of the 49ers, but also because Lovie Smith, the Bears’ head coach, had challenged the play, which was a blatant disregard for sportsmanship and genuinely infuriating. The ruling now cleared the home team, and directly or indirectly, it taught Smith a small lesson, a slap in the face that was returned to him.

The fans cheered and celebrated, with roars, screams, and chants filling the air.

Standing on the sideline, the Bears’ coaching staff remained outwardly unaffected. Smith kept a poker face, his arms crossed over his chest, staring intently at the players on the field. But he didn’t give any tactical commands or consult with his colleagues. His rigid posture betrayed the complexity of his emotions.

After all, this was an away game. Any misstep could trigger a chain reaction from the home team, and even an excessive reaction from the fans. The away team had nothing to gain from it. The only thing they could do was to win the game with an even better performance on the field.

The challenge was not only unsuccessful but also cost them a timeout and infuriated the home crowd. The game was already difficult, and the challenge had now pushed them further into a dark abyss. Even Smith was finding it hard to cope. Losing a game was already unpleasant; losing to a bitter rival was even more disgusting.

Deep down, Smith was cursing up a storm, but to avoid putting the Bears in an even more disadvantageous position, he had to keep his mouth shut.

But the faithful fans at Candlestick Park had no intention of letting their opponent off easy.

"Touchdown!"

"Touchdown!"

"Touchdown!"

The entire stadium began to cheer with raised arms. This time, they weren’t celebrating a touchdown but rather demanding that their team score one. It was a show of gratitude for Logan’s long run, and a powerful retaliation against the Bears. They were now at the goal line, and a touchdown was their only objective.

Since the Bears had started to resort to any means necessary for a victory, the 49ers would not hesitate to kill them off.

The mighty roar of the crowd created an unparalleled wave of sound, and the entire stadium erupted.

Meanwhile, in the stands, You Ning Jiang still looked worried. "Will Logan be okay?"

Austin and Tiffany, standing next to her, looked more at ease. Tiffany patted You Ning’s shoulder lightly. "We’ve seen countless injuries, big and small, since they were kids. We’re used to it. The way Logan reacted just now, he seems fine. Don’t worry."

You Ning felt a little embarrassed. She could sense Tiffany’s own anxiety and tension. She turned and gave Tiffany a hug, patting her friendly neighbor on the back. "I’m sorry, we’re supposed to be comforting you. How did this get reversed?"

"It’s because you care about Logan, isn’t it?" Tiffany smiled. "Although I’m worried about Logan too, I’m even more hopeful that the team can win this game. If not, Logan’s hard work to get to the goal line would have been for nothing, and that would be truly heartbreaking, don’t you think?"

It was just like the NFC Championship game.

Every one of them had to grow, not just the players, but their families as well. They might never get used to injuries, but they couldn’t be defeated by them. They had to overcome them with an even stronger will. This was the essence of the unyielding spirit of competitive sports.

Even though it was very, very difficult.

You Ning nodded in agreement, clenching her fists tightly. "I hope Lu Ke can keep his spirits up." As parents, they knew Lu Ke and Logan’s friendship better than anyone.

The pressure on Lu Ke right now was unimaginable, but the only thing they could do was to look at the number 14’s back and silently pray.

You Ning joined the cheering. Tiffany joined the cheering. Austin and Zhengze Lu also joined the cheering.

"Touchdown!"

"Touchdown!"

"Touchdown!"

The roars were even louder, more intense, and more passionate than the celebrations for the previous two touchdowns.

Logan was temporarily off the field, and Vernon Davis was back in.

Standing in the pocket behind the offensive line, Lu Ke took a few deep breaths. He still lacked enough experience to handle unexpected injuries, and this time, it was Logan. His mindset was inevitably affected, and his emotions were a bit turbulent. He needed to calm down, and fast.

After steadying himself, Lu Ke bent his knees and got ready for the snap.

The 49ers’ offense was now at the three-yard line, and the Bears’ defense was blatantly compressing their formation, stacking players in the tight, thirteen-yard space. Every corner was sealed off.

Normally, the 49ers would line up with four receivers, using their routes to draw defenders and open up space for either a pass or a run.

But in reality, they once again lined up in a two-running-back set, a stance for a powerful run. Even the players’ positions were exactly the same as the first time they used the formation. Especially with Logan and Vernon having switched places again, it was an exact replica.

What... what did this mean?

Was this a response to Smith’s challenge? A provocation to the Bears’ defense? Or a declaration of war between two bitter rivals?

The entire defense, including Urlacher, Tillman, and Peppers, was holding back a surge of energy. This was a clear sign of disrespect. After successfully breaking through with the same tactic twice, they were trying it again. It was like throwing the Bears’ defense into a sewer.

This arrogant act completely enraged every player on the Bears’ defense.

If they could, they wouldn’t mind the game turning into a boxing match so they could teach the opponent a lesson with their fists. But they couldn’t. So they had to respond with a powerful defensive play. If possible, they even wanted to turn the game around and leave a footprint on the opponent’s smug face.

It was very difficult, but if they could stop this red-zone play, it would be a start.

"Hut!"

At least on the surface, Lu Ke was completely unaffected by Logan’s injury. He announced the snap without a moment’s hesitation.

Immediately, Lu Ke saw six of the Bears’ players rush forward together, charging the offensive line and setting up their run defense. The other five players were spread out, using their numbers to cut off all three receivers’ routes in the limited space.

At that moment, Marcus Lynch, on Lu Ke’s right, made the first move. Unlike the first two times, he lightly ran around Boone and into the end zone, where he turned and got into position for a catch.

This time, Peppers didn’t fall for it. He completely ignored Marcus’s run and focused on crashing into the offensive line, doing his job. He left Marcus for the secondary defenders.

Then, Peppers broke through Boone’s defense and appeared in the pocket again, only to see:

Lu Ke wasn’t running away. He was charging right at him?

Was he walking into a trap?

Wait, no. Lu Ke lowered his center of gravity and got into a shoulder-first, blocking stance. Was this... a block? 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Lu Ke? Blocking?

To every team in the league that knew the 49ers, this was an absurd sight. But Peppers was prepared. He knew that Lu Ke had served as a practice player in college and his blocking skills should not be underestimated. Even if they weren’t great, he wasn’t a complete amateur either.

This meant Lu Ke was intentionally charging forward to block.

Peppers reacted immediately, his eyes quickly scanning up and down, especially at Lu Ke’s hands. He instantly made his judgment: First, Lu Ke didn’t have the ball. Second, Lu Ke hadn’t made a throwing motion. This meant...

The ball was with Frank Gore!

It was a run! This was really a running play! After three two-running-back formations in a row, they actually chose to run the ball! The smoke screen had finally worked on the Bears.

But even knowing he was "deceived," Peppers wasn’t worried. He was actually happy. The Bears’ front line was solid, a human wall. There would be no room for a running back to exploit. Whether it was a run up the middle or to the side, Gore wouldn’t have many options!

This was exactly what he wanted!

Peppers’ steps became lighter and more proactive as he ran toward Lu Ke, his peripheral vision following Gore’s movements. In his mind, he could already see Gore hitting a wall and falling down, maybe even getting pushed back for a loss. He lightly dodged Lu Ke and charged toward Gore.

He was ready to show off after Gore went down.

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