Chapter 228 Clean and Clean
A question, the team is ahead and has the ball, and there are still 63 seconds left before the end of the game. How should the offense be played next?
Any football fan will give the same answer: run the ball. Run the ball. Run the ball.
To put it simply, it is to use ground advancement to consume game time.
Moreover, at this time, the starting position of the Kansas Chiefs' offense is 43 yards from the New England Patriots' half. This is a perfect offensive position——
If the third gear running ball can advance a certain number of yards, then the Kansas Chiefs can try a free kick to kill the game; if not, it doesn't matter, they can choose a more reliable and safer way to use up all four gears of offense. It might use up the game time.
Of course, is there any possibility of an accident?
have.
More than one.
For example, if the opponent uses timeouts continuously, all four ground attacks are used up, and the game time is still not used up. Even if there is only one or two seconds left, the New England Patriots offense can still come on and challenge Hail-Mary.
The so-called Hail Mary originated from the NCAA in 1922, from the University of Notre Dame, a traditional football school. This is a Catholic school. The Hail Mary was originally their prayer and was widely circulated in games, but it was not used in the league until 1975. Spread widely.
At that time, in the NFL game, during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach completed a long pass during the countdown of the game. He was a pious man. A Catholic said in the post-match interview:
At the moment of passing the ball, I silently prayed "Hail Mary" in my heart.
After that, "Hail Mary" was given a unique meaning, specifically referring to the super long pass aimed at the opposite end zone by the quarterback in the countdown before the end of the game, meaning a pass that requires the blessing of God to complete.
Generally speaking, only long passes of more than 40 yards and aimed at the end zone can be called Hail Marys.
Even in the NFL, Hail Marys are very, very rare, and the success rate is even lower.
The reason is very simple. The Hail Mary is a helpless attempt in the countdown phase, aiming directly at the end zone. This means that the defensive team can easily complete the marking, create an absolute numerical advantage, easily cut off all routes, and even complete interceptions. The quarterback There is no secret to the tactical intentions.
Among active NFL professional players, Green Bay Packers quarterback Rodgers is known as the "Hail Mary King" and has staged miraculous moments more than once.
And Brady?
Hail Marys were not his strong suit and he rarely even attempted them.
But not trying doesn't mean you can't try. As long as the Kansas City Chiefs leave a window, the New England Patriots will definitely seize the opportunity.
For another example, the Kansas Chiefs running back dropped the ball himself, resulting in a change of possession. This not only gave the New England Patriots a chance to return the ball for a touchdown, but also gave Brady a chance to play again.
The possibilities are endless.
Accident is always an unknown variable in competitive sports. Even though the Kansas City Chiefs have 99% of the initiative, they still cannot ignore the 1% possibility.
"Drop the ball!"
"Drop the ball!"
At this moment, the entire Gillette Stadium was united, and all the bustling eyes were focused on Levi, expecting an accident and a miracle.
Including Brady is no exception.
Clearly angry and dissatisfied, Brady sat on the bench and tried to keep his cool, which was not an easy task.
Involuntarily, his eyes always lifted up, drifting towards the direction of the match on the court, and he accurately found the figure of No. 23 in the turbulent crowd.
First gear, running the ball. Belichick used the timeout.
Second gear, running the ball. Belichick used the timeout.
Third gear, run the ball. Belichick used the timeout.
Everything was done step by step, the same picture, the same pattern, repeated over and over again, Levi did not drop the ball, and no accidents occurred.
Then - four yards, two yards, twenty seconds on the clock.
It was still too far away from the free kick attempt, but if the kick was punted like this, the New England Patriots offense would still have a chance to make an appearance.
In other words, a Hail Mary is still possible.
Reed made a decisive decision and chose to force the fourth gear. The outcome was in suspense, maybe at this moment.
The New England Patriots defense has made it clear that the opponent will choose to run the ball, and it may be tough to gain a yard. They only need to intercept it to get Brady a chance to play again, but what if they can't stop it?
There is no more.
Shh.
The boos were overwhelming. Gillette Stadium tore off the mask and launched a brutal and brutal public attack. The call of "rookie" was mixed with a bunch of adjectives and adverbs, and it was vented like swords, guns and clubs. The ferocious face with teeth and claws was eager to play directly. Tear Levi to pieces.
Then, unexpectedly, happened——
Dropped the ball?
Suddenly, Brady stood up, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. In his sight, he could see a bustling group of figures entangled together, completely swallowing Levi's figure. There was a burst of noise and noise over the entire stadium, magma, meteorites , flowing fire flowing in the air.
The next second, a figure emerged from the crowd, stumbling and stumbling out of the sea of people. The graceful and light steps turned into a streamline in the wind and rain, dragging out an afterimage, like a ray of light, a stream of people. Qi Juechen just left the dark blue waves behind him.
The strong wind, hunting, carrying the number twenty-three on his back, running faster and farther in the field of vision.
Brady's heart sank and he froze in place.
It's over, everything is over——
No. 23 of the Kansas Chiefs made a strong play on fourth down and two yards. Not only did he complete the conversion strongly, but he also drove straight into the far end zone.
Moreover, No. 23 was very calm and rational. He knew that consuming time was the first priority, more important than the touchdown, because after the touchdown, the New England Patriots' offensive team could come on the field, which meant variables.
Therefore, he did not increase his speed to the extreme. Instead, he played a dodge game with the safety in the red zone, wasting up the game time, and only entered the end zone and scored a touchdown when it was about to run out.
Relaxed and freehand, strolling leisurely, the graceful and elegant steps are like a high-spirited and graceful tango, sealing the throat with a sword, killing the game cleanly.
At this time, there are still two seconds before the end of the game.
The Kansas Chiefs only need to intentionally delay the game time foul when kicking the extra point, and they will be penalized five yards before trying the extra point again, and they can also use up all the time.
Everything is under the control of the Kansas Chief——
That No. 23, who was so experienced and calm, did not receive his achievements ecstatically, nor did he get carried away in showing off. Is he definitely a rookie?
finally--
The final buzzer sounded, extinguishing the last ray of hope at Gillette Stadium.
The whole game is over.
"49:34".
In the season opener, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the defending champion New England Patriots away from home, ushering in an incredible start to the season and officially announcing the start of the 2017 season.
At the same time, it also announced the birth of a new star.
Who would have thought that the biggest highlight of the opening game of the new season would actually be...a running back?
(End of this chapter)