Chapter 748 Minesweeper Scene
"... Audience friends, welcome to NBC, it is game day again, the 2018 NFL divisional round is about to begin, and we are one step closer to the Super Bowl."
"But... today doesn't look like a good day to play rugby."
"It's snowing in Kansas City right now, and you can still see flakes falling in the sky as we speak."
"The temperature isn't too bad, currently 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero Celsius); but the real problem is the continued falling snow."
"If this is a snowball fight, it's not good news for either team."
"Snow is just like rain. In addition to the objective effects of temperature and humidity, passing vision, passing feel, and moving steps will all be affected, which directly affects the quality of passing and is a big blow to the passing offense."
"Cold temperatures are already bad news, snow is another."
"There are still fifteen minutes left before the start of the game. Let's see if the snowflakes can become smaller next."
In fact, when it snows, the body temperature is not that cold. It is not until the snow melts that it is really cold.
But the point is that snow, like rain, can become a disruptive factor, leading to a series of unexpected conditions that are beyond your control, and that's the problem.
Not only the quarterback, but also the receiving player may slip the ball or slip and fall, and even the running back may run the ball on the ground.
These emergencies are like minesweepers and require constant vigilance.
Because of this, in order to reduce the risk probability, teams often focus on running the ball on the ground. Not only is the probability of accidents lower, but even if an accident occurs, the loss is more controllable.
This may disrupt the overall strategic layout.
However, whether it is the Kansas Chiefs or the Indianapolis Colts, both teams are teams that can burst out with amazing energy in passing offense. Everyone is looking forward to a head-to-head offensive battle with the Maiden, and the result is——
That's it?
Especially the Indianapolis Colts.
In the past two decades, the Indianapolis Colts have been Manning, and Manning has been the Indianapolis Colts. The two are inseparable and achieve each other.
Under the leadership of Manning, the Indianapolis Colts have always been one of the best, most powerful and unshakable teams in the league. As long as Manning is in charge, there will be no substitutes for the Super Bowl championship every year. Kick out the Indianapolis Colts, no matter how dilapidated their roster, no matter how bad the impact of injuries and accidents, it will still be the same.
From the 2003 season to the 2010 season, the Indianapolis Colts won at least ten games in the regular season for seven consecutive years, which also created NFL history.
It is precisely because of this that in 2011, Manning was reimbursed for the season due to injury. After weighing and struggling, the Indianapolis Colts decided to give up on Manning and chose to overturn the reconstruction by selecting a quarterback from the draft. This was completely unacceptable. I believe that Manning, who has returned from injury, can return to the top without even giving him a chance, which is why he shocked the entire league.
No matter what, Manning deserves at least a chance to prove himself. This is what the Indianapolis Colts owe Manning.
This decision was criticized by Indianapolis Colts fans that year.
Later, Manning joined the Denver Broncos and performed at an epic level in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. His superb passing offense completely refreshed the league record and proved with practical actions that he is still young.
The Indianapolis Colts became a joke throughout the league.
However, the Indianapolis Colts refused to admit they made a mistake when they selected Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft.
The team firmly believes that Luck is the next Manning. No, we cannot say that. The team believes that Luck is better and better than Manning. Luck can lead the team to create more glory and peaks.
As for the fans? As long as Luck can lead the team to victory, they will turn around and abandon Manning.
At least that's what the Indianapolis Colts front office thinks.
In fact, Luck is indeed the chosen one. The first pass in the first official game of his career was a 63-yard super long touchdown, which detonated the league.
In his first year in the league, the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft led the Indianapolis Colts to 11 wins and returned to the top. He then reached the playoffs for three consecutive years, proving his talent and ability.
Although Manning is flourishing in Denver, Indianapolis has fully entered the Luck era.
This momentum continued until the 2014 playoffs, when the Indianapolis Colts upset the Denver Broncos, the top seed in the American League, in the divisional round, reaching their peak. Luck proved himself by defeating Manning.
Moreover, three steps in three years——
In 2012, they were eliminated in the wild card round.
In 2013, they were eliminated in the divisional round.
In 2014, the federation lost in the finals.
The entire Indianapolis is filled with joy and hope. Will they be able to return to the Super Bowl stage in the next season?
Unfortunately, no.
In the next three seasons, injuries disrupted the Indianapolis Colts' rhythm. They missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and hit rock bottom.
You know, Manning spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and only missed the playoffs twice during his rookie season and the 2001 season.
There is no harm without comparison. Luck's "chosen son" aura is about to expire. The self-deception of the Indianapolis Colts front office can no longer continue, but the team still bottomed out!
This season, Luck led the team to 10 wins and 6 losses, returned to the playoffs, and upset the Houston Texans in the wild card round. The chosen son of the Indianapolis Colts seemed ready to make a comeback. The trumpet of God's throne.
As a result, we encountered a magical attack from Kansas City——
The Indianapolis Colts have been a prototypical passing offense since the Manning era, with a traditional pocket quarterback leading the way.
Luck is also a standard pocket quarterback.
If Manning is a master tactician, he has been questioned throughout his career because of his insufficient arm strength, but he has proven his ability with long passes time and time again, and his tactical wisdom is comparable to that of an offensive coordinator on the field; Then Luck relies on his unicorn arm to dominate the field. His passing ability is very good, from strength to accuracy to control, including passing judgment. It may not be top-notch individually, but the point is that he is comprehensive and has excellent comprehensive ability.
In snowy and rainy weather, Luck's abilities will inevitably be limited, and Kansas City welcomed the Indianapolis Colts in such a way.
It is conceivable that this battle may be disrupted by the weather.
Unavoidably disappointing.
Before the game even started, all kinds of worries were quickly spreading.
However, once the game started, Luck proved his determination and belief with practical actions. No matter what the heavy snowfall, he was ready to conquer Arrowhead Stadium.
(End of chapter)