Chapter 571 Sharpening the Knife
“Pop, fly!”
"Pop, fly!"
Deafening shouts, overwhelming heat waves, the world is burning.
Seeing it on the TV screen or in news reports is shocking enough; but only by actually being in it can you feel the charm of competitive sports, and your heart will surge involuntarily and uncontrollably.
Mahomes' breathing was a little disordered. A mixture of excitement, anticipation, uneasiness, busyness, excitement, and nervousness were rotating 360 degrees in his mind at high speed. The whole world was shaking, and his heart was almost rushing out of his throat and between his eardrums. A roaring pulse can be heard above -
The stadium is still the same stadium; the game seems to be no different from last season; but the experience of being an official starter and shouldering the important responsibility of the team's quarterback is completely different. Everything is different.
Accelerate ten times; magnify ten times.
"Sherlock..."
"Sherlock!"
Catching the call, Mahomes turned his head sharply and looked over.
It's Levi.
There are no words, just a look. The smile hidden in the helmet is fully blooming, confident and calm, and the high morale is burning——
Face challenges head-on and enjoy them.
Involuntarily, a smile crept onto the corner of Mahomes's mouth. He raised his right hand and gave Levi a high-five. All the noise and roar in his body turned into combustion, burning in his blood vessels, and his voice rushed out of his mouth.
roar!
Let them play some rugby.
Our own twenty-five yard line, ten yards on first gear.
Adjusting his breathing and bending his knees, Mahomes has entered the quarterback state. Where can he still see the young and nervous rookie look?
Sure enough, newborn calves are not afraid of tigers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers directly opposite were also ready. Mahomes saw TJ Watt gearing up at a glance. The friend who trained with him during the offseason was now standing opposite, ready to sack the quarterback.
Their eyes briefly crossed, and the two people exchanged a smile with perfect understanding——
We are friends off the field, but we must go all out on the field.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive frontline has not changed significantly after offseason adjustments. In the "3-4" configuration, seven players have completely continued the content from last season; the only change is that TJ Watt and Bud Dupree ( Bud Dupree) and the two outside linebackers switched positions.
Last season, TJ was on the right side and Dupree was on the left; now, TJ is on the left and Dupree is on the right.
What's the difference?
Sack opportunity.
On the right side of the defense, the opponent is the left side of the quarterback, which is the blind side.
Overall, the offensive linemen on the blind side of the offensive team have only one responsibility in the tactical list, which is to protect the blind side of the quarterback. This makes them more focused and concentrated. The confrontation on this side tends to focus more on strength and speed. , agility, instant burst and other breakthrough skills can play a relatively small role.
Last season, TJ faced blindside offensive guards, and his breakthrough advantage was not fully utilized, so he "only" contributed seven sacks.
This season, TJ was moved to his left side, facing the right side of the quarterback. Although the linebacker's tactical intentions are easily exposed, he can give full play to his talents and abilities.
The changes are very, very subtle, but they can give a glimpse of the partial adjustments of the Pittsburgh Steelers' tactical strategy.
At the first moment, Mahomes noticed the change in TJ's position and subconsciously looked at Levi. Levi also happened to look over. The two confirmed each other's guesses, which made Mahomes slightly excited——
The results of the day-to-day tactical training during the offseason can now be seen.
Similarly, there seems to be no change in the Kansas Chiefs offensive team. Although the player at the quarterback position has been replaced by Mahomes from Smith, they are still in the familiar pistol formation, with Levi standing parallel to the right side of Mahomes. Switch freely between passing and running the ball.
However, this is just an appearance.
Compared with the small changes made by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas Chiefs, who replaced their main quarterback, are more elusive and have a completely new offensive strategy.
Faintly, the position of the Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive front line is obviously pressing forward——
So, raid?
At that point, Mahomes called the kickoff.
"attack!"
Bang, bang, bang, bang.
The sound of solid punches hitting the flesh sounded again, and the familiar sound finally kicked off the 2018 season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive front, led by defensive end Hayward, started a stalemate; at the same time, the linebackers TJ and Dupree on the left and right sides were like two sharp knives bypassing the outside and directly piercing the soft ribs of the pocket. In no time, a fierce defensive offensive broke out. Raid!
However, TJ had just crossed the line of scrimmage when he saw a smiling face——
Levi.
Bend over, bend your knees, and lower your center of gravity.
He has been waiting in place, seizing the opportunity for TJ to take a step forward, waiting at the same place with ease, and taking the initiative without giving TJ time to breathe.
Kick on the ground, jump, fly and hunt rabbits.
A pounce.
Levi grabbed TJ's waist and struck hard.
Just as TJ leaned back, he could see a reddish-brown arc passing over his head and falling quickly. It was a little irregular, but a pair of big hands easily picked up the rugby in mid-air and completed the control.
Kelsey.
TJ: Damn, it was a quick short pass.
This also means that the Pittsburgh Steelers' raid tactics were seen through in advance, and Mahomes quickly connected with Kelsey with a short pass to crack the raid tactics.
Levi, on the other hand, formed gates on the left and right sides with blind-side offensive guard Cameron-Erving to gain valuable time.
In the offseason, Levi is also sharpening his skills.
A running back secretly practices his grappling skills. What the hell is this?
TJ didn't have time to pay attention to Levi. He quickly got rid of Levi's weak grasp, turned over, and rushed towards Kelsey on his hands and feet.
really!
The tight end and cornerback matchup has a clear advantage.
Cornerback Artie Burns was unable to withstand Kelsey's powerful collision. He clung to Kelsey like a piece of paper, but Kelsey continued to exert force. They retreated steadily.
TJ stumbled forward, and from the corner of his vision he noticed Levi who was chasing after him - the prey and hunter switched places, and the offensive team chased the defensive team. TJ didn't have time to prepare for a grapple, so he simply kicked off the ground and flew out.
A bump.
Died together with Kelsey and Burns, the three of them rolled into a ball and fell out of the boundary.
Finally, Kelsey's further advancement was stopped.
However--
The first attack was successful.
The Pittsburgh Steelers arrived in Kansas City with great ambitions, but it was clear that the Kansas City Chiefs were not to be outdone and showed great style.
TJ turned over and saw Levi in front of him, extending his right hand to him.
Snap.
TJ held Levi's right hand and stood up. The two exchanged glances. Their burning fighting spirits collided head-on, and they pushed away without giving an inch.
Levi knew TJ wouldn't relent.
Similarly, TJ also knew that Levi would not let go.
Letting go, turning around, the two of them walked towards their teammates and continued to form.
The collision in the first round was short but rich, and the smoke had begun to fill the air. The Kansas Chiefs used quick short passes to break the five-man pass rush of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game between offense and defense immediately became tense.
There was no time to breathe before Mahomes called the kickoff again.
Ten yards in first gear.
Mahomes didn't fake, and turned around and handed the football to Levi.
This time, break through from the ground.
(End of chapter)