Chapter 646: The Collective Aura
"Enhancement Aura: When used, it boosts the condition of all members of the offense by 10% for a duration of five minutes."
With five minutes left in the game, Lu Ke had already started using it.
Because of the numerous injuries and the turbulent nature of the game, Lu Ke realized they had to use more than one trick to win. The game-winning touchdown with no time left on the clock in Week 10 of the regular season was a one-time thing and was almost impossible to replicate. So, without any hesitation, Lu Ke used the special skill, activating the Enhancement Aura.
However, the effect was far from as powerful as he imagined.
A 10% increase in athletic performance wasn't a very noticeable boost. What's more, Kyle Williams, Brett Swain, and Alex Boone's skills were already not up to the rhythm of the offense. Even with a 10% increase, their improvement was limited.
It was evident from the previous few drives that they could still advance, but they always lacked that final push at crucial moments. The lack of absolute skill wasn't something the "Enhancement Aura" could make up for.
Now, Lu Ke could only hope that as the game progressed, the effect of the "Enhancement Aura" would improve step by step, and the offense's chemistry would gradually build up, allowing them to unleash a skill effect far beyond 10% in their final, desperate play.
Now, the game had come to an end, with twenty-three seconds remaining. Success or failure depended on this moment!
First and ten.
The New York Giants' defense didn't retreat. Instead, they chose to move forward. This was an unexpected yet reasonable choice.
All four defensive linemen were lined up on the front line. Behind them, three linebackers stood in a triangular formation, with two in front and one behind. Two cornerbacks, one on the left and one on the right, were basically at the same level as the linebackers, with a slight staggered difference. One safety stood parallel to the lone linebacker. The last safety was a full fifteen yards back, all alone.
Overall, there were four players on the first line, four players on the second line, and two players on the third line. The gaps between these three lines were only about two to three yards. The fourth line only had one player, standing very lonely at the back.
It was clear that the entire defensive formation was pressing forward very aggressively, displaying an unstoppable momentum. They weren't setting up for a pass defense; they were blitzing the quarterback. They weren't even leaving any gaps for a pass. The entire defense exuded a strong, determined presence.
Clearly, the New York Giants had learned their lesson from the last-second defense in Week 10 of the regular season. They wouldn't take anything for granted, even with only twenty-three seconds left. The game had truly entered a high-stakes, do-or-die phase. A single moment of hesitation could cost them the game.
"Hut!"
Lu Ke didn't hesitate or flinch. He decisively called for the snap.
The moment he caught the ball, he immediately backpedaled to create distance. Then, he saw the New York Giants' feint. They only sent four defensive linemen to rush, and the other players who had moved forward quickly retreated. The backward defensive movement was very decisive—this meant that from the beginning, this wasn't a blitz; it was a pass defense, a deceptive tactic.
Lu Ke completely cleared his mind and focused entirely on the game. He showed the composure of a top quarterback. Whatever came, he was ready. Based on the opponent's defensive strategy, Lu Ke quickly took two backpedals, instantly opening up his field of vision and getting a full view of all five of his receivers.
On the left, Swain and Vernon were quickly running in a straight line, heads down, running a deep route with all their might, not caring about anything as they sprinted toward midfield. The simple and clean route created a gust of wind, forcing the man-to-man defenders to retreat quickly.
On the right, Logan and Williams both rushed toward the sideline, but their routes were different. Williams chose a short-pass route, and after running eight or nine yards, he immediately adjusted his steps and turned to catch the ball. Logan chose a deep route, sprinting along the right side. After running fifteen yards, he moved to the outside, sprinting toward the sideline.
Marcus, who was in the right slot, made full use of his agile feet. After running out of the slot, about five or six yards, he immediately adjusted his steps, cut toward the center, and continued to rush forward. Without any warning, he suddenly made a sharp turn and sprinted directly toward the left sideline, as if he was ready to catch the ball and go out of bounds.
Five players, five routes.
Lu Ke couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but the cumulative effect of the "Enhancement Aura" seemed to be becoming more apparent. The running routes were noticeably clearer. Even Swain and Williams' runs perfectly matched the ideas in his mind, as if he could once again glimpse the versatile offensive combinations that had allowed the team to succeed.
But the problem was that the New York Giants had sent a full seven defensive players to cover the routes, three on the left and four on the right.
The absolute numerical advantage was an insurmountable barrier. All Lu Ke could hope for was that with the Enhancement Aura, the routes and matchups would create a gap, but the difference in raw skill still seemed unable to compensate for the numerical disadvantage.
There was no passing gap! Absolutely no passing gap!
Lu Ke's peripheral vision caught sight of Marcus, who was the only open receiver.
But Marcus was a distraction in the short-pass zone. He was at least fifteen yards away from the left sideline. Given the time consumed and the yards gained, this wasn't a good pass. The Giants' defense didn't fall for it and didn't send a player to cover Marcus.
Even though it was a shame, Lu Ke couldn't throw the ball.
Just then, the pocket broke!
Alex Boone's position couldn't withstand the continuous pressure. Because there were no passing gaps, Lu Ke held the ball a little longer, for almost three seconds, and then Boone lost his position, and the offensive line's pocket was torn apart. As the saying goes, a thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant's nest. When the first opening appears, the entire dike falls apart.
Lu Ke realized that he had held the ball for too long. Even with the effect of the Enhancement Aura, it wasn't a cure-all. The offensive line's pocket protection had completely collapsed. Lu Ke had no time to hesitate or think.
As he backpedaled and looked around, Lu Ke could clearly see the defensive player rushing from the right. He didn't need to sense him, as the player's massive body was charging toward him like a black bear. He could only awkwardly run sideways two steps to the left, pulling the opponent's momentum with him, and then suddenly turning back and rushing toward the front-right.
First to the left, then to the right. This seemingly simple running route successfully avoided the crisis.
In a moment of desperation, even without a special skill, Lu Ke's pocket-running footwork still showed his solid fundamentals, but he still lacked the ability to withstand contact.
Then, Lu Ke took two quick steps forward, raised his right hand, and with a swift swing of his arm, the football was sent out. The target was none other than—
Logan!
Logan, who was running quickly along the right side, ran fifteen, sixteen yards out, then made a turn and quickly moved sideways toward the sideline. Just as he was about to get close to the sideline, he made another ninety-degree turn and started running in a straight line along the sideline. He accelerated, accelerated, and accelerated again. For a full three seconds, Logan ran with all his might, and his feet were almost on fire.
He charged past midfield and was about to get close to the opponent's forty-yard line. Then, with a turn, he could see the arc of the football that Lu Ke had thrown.
He continued to run forward while making small adjustments. The football was getting closer and closer, its speed suddenly increasing. Logan turned his body slightly, getting ready to catch the ball.
Just as the football was about to land in his chest, a defensive player flew through the air like a fish leaping over a dragon gate, intercepting the path between Lu Ke and Logan. At the same time, another defensive player rushed from behind, hitting Logan hard in the shoulder with his own shoulder.
"Incomplete pass!"
Kirk's voice came from the broadcast booth, "Just a little bit, just a little bit more! In that play, Lu Ke and Logan were almost going to make a connection again to save the team, but unfortunately, at the last second, the pass was just a quarter of a beat too slow. The Giants' defensive players managed to make the stop together before the pass was completed!"
"Seventeen seconds. There are seventeen seconds left in the game."
The entire stadium fell into a suffocating silence. Even the sound of breathing and the wind had completely disappeared. Seventeen seconds, not enough time for a single play, but the San Francisco 49ers were still on their own sixteen-yard line. Even if Lu Ke wanted to try a Hail Mary, it was still an impossible task.
His heart suddenly stopped.
Second and ten.
Lu Ke looked at his teammates in front of him. Since the last pass was incomplete, they had twenty-five seconds to plan their next play.
This time, Lu Ke didn't waste any time with words. He only conveyed his unwavering determination with his eyes. Then, he quickly relayed Harbaugh's play call and constantly waved his hands, "Push forward. Be decisive. Don't worry about the pocket behind you. Run the routes with determination and create a sense of forward momentum! Just do it!"
He had to calm down, temporarily set aside the effects of the Enhancement Aura, and also temporarily set aside the differences between Swain and Williams. He couldn't be timid with his play calls. He had to go all out!
After the play call was finished, Lu Ke clapped his hands. Without a team cheer, they lined up again.
This time, it was clear that the New York Giants' defense was starting to retreat. Because Lu Ke had just shown his long-pass resolve and ability, a forty-yard pass was almost successful. The pressure on the defense suddenly increased. They didn't need to play any more tricks. They simply gave up on blitzing the quarterback, and all their strength was concentrated on defending the long pass.
So, the defensive formation spread out.
The formation in front of him was a... bucket defense? A bucket defense specifically for defending long passes?
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