"Let's move, let's move!"
"Oh ho ho, our turn again!"
"Let's go! Let's go!"
Houston, Jones, and the rest of the defensive squad lined the sidelines, shouting encouragement as they watched the offense take the field once more.
The pressure was still there—
But the mindset had shifted.
Offensive players rolled their shoulders, heads held high, lips relaxed. They entered the field loose, yet alert, fully prepared for battle.
On the other side, the contrast was stark—tense, heavy, intense. A murderous aura lingered in the air. Faces etched with grim determination stared across the line.
For the Baltimore Ravens, they hadn't lost yet, but emotionally it felt like they'd crawled through hell.
They'd taken the lead in the fourth quarter, shut Lance down, and gotten within reach of victory—only to get dragged back. First a touchdown tied the game, then a quick three-and-out, and now they'd lost possession in overtime.
Setbacks kept piling on. It wasn't raining misfortune yet, but it was close.
Now, as they stepped onto the field again, the Ravens' defense, led by Suggs and Mosley, radiated a do-or-die spirit. Their bodies burned with fighting spirit and fury. Blades unsheathed—they marched headfirst toward the Chiefs' offense.
On one side of the line stood the calm. On the other, the storm.
A paradox unfolded:
The spear didn't look like a spear. The shield didn't look like a shield.
The so-called spear gave off a defender's energy, and the supposed shield charged like a predator.
Spear vs. shield was still the game, but their roles had twisted in silence—
And with that, Arrowhead's atmosphere surged toward its boiling point.
Shhh!
Not boos—
But a hush.
Arrowhead fell silent, giving its offense room to strategize.
Mahomes locked in.
The young quarterback showed resilience. After two brutal losses and now a near-identical scenario, nerves and mental blocks were inevitable.
But with Lance at his side, he snapped back into game mode—
Even if it wasn't easy.
Then—
Silence deepened.
The only sound left was the thump-thump of hearts crashing into ribcages, growing louder and faster until the chest could barely hold it all in.
Even just standing still, their bodies trembled.
Time slowed—tenfold, a hundredfold.
All eyes were on the field.
The Ravens' defense lined up in familiar formation. Harbaugh had clearly shuffled the pieces—linebackers, corners, and safeties scattered unevenly, but all pressed within 15 yards. The idea: disorient Mahomes' reads.
Anything was possible. With linebackers blending into the shape, it was impossible to tell—blitz, run-stop, pass defense? It was the opposite of the Steelers' clear-tiered formation from earlier games.
But then came a surprise—
The Chiefs offense changed its setup.
Shotgun formation.
Reid, surprisingly, didn't have Lance beside Mahomes. Instead, Hunt was subbed in, and they rolled out a five-wide receiver set, all options pushed forward. From the alignment alone, it screamed pass play.
But… was it really?
With any other team, maybe. But this was Kansas City.
Their shotgun formation often morphed into twin running back plays thanks to Lance's versatility. Reid loved hiding layers in plain sight.
That included their Super Bowl-winning "Chiefs Special."
Offense vs. Defense.
From the first snap of OT, you could feel the fireworks between Reid and Harbaugh. Both coaches were bluffing, smokescreening, pulling out every trick.
The air was tense. A storm was coming.
Literally.
The temperature at Arrowhead was dropping.
Cold air clashed with the heat on the field—
Something was about to explode.
Just as it became unbearable—
"Offense!"
Mahomes' shout sliced through the tension.
Tap tap—TAP TAP TAP.
Like arrows loosed from bows, like horses bursting from the gate—
A red storm surged forward from Kansas City's side.
One—two—three—four—five.
Five bodies in motion.
Shotgun wasn't a bluff. It was the real deal.
Even Lance and Hunt took off instantly.
Everyone charged ahead.
And the Ravens' defense?
Unexpected—but not unprepared.
Harbaugh took a different approach but hadn't given up field control.
Four-man rush.
Instead of overloading the line, they applied light pressure up front and reallocated their strength—
Seven defenders dropped back, building a massive web in the short-passing zones.
That wide-open space where Mahomes usually thrived? Shut down.
Harbaugh's plan wasn't to attack Mahomes directly—
He cut off his options.
This same scheme had worked at the end of regulation to dismantle Jackson's offense, exposing his weak passing game.
Now, they were flipping it on Mahomes.
The short and mid-range zones were flooded.
Black and red jerseys clashed in a dizzying tangle.
Harbaugh's defense accidentally countered Reid's scheme perfectly.
But…
Was Reid's plan really so simple?
Hill—charging forward.
Watkins—charging forward.
Hunt—charging forward.
On the left: Hill and Hunt.
On the right: Watkins.
All three shot forward the moment the play began, sprinting downfield like unleashed rockets.
Hill took the lead, unleashing his signature lightning-fast vertical strike.
In a breath, he crossed midfield.
The Ravens had to react fast. With lighter pressure up front, they needed deep coverage ready—because they knew what Mahomes could do with a long throw.
That was the difference between him and his predecessor, Smith.
In a flash, Hill entered the deep zone—
Watkins and Hunt, after pushing forward, curved back into the mid-zone. Their route shifts opened space.
And just then—
Another shadow slipped out from the short zone—
Lance.
The routes were dazzling, impossible to follow. The Chiefs' shotgun setup turned into a perfect dance, weaponizing each receiver's strength.
Five players moved in sync, crashing a tsunami into the Ravens' secondary.
Like Nezha stirring the sea.?
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Powerstones?
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