Chapter 969: A Crucial Defensive Stop
"Fourth down conversion! The New England Patriots have chosen to go for it on fourth down!"
The broadcast booth erupted. As neutral commentators, what they wanted to see most was a thrilling showdown. The more risky and bold the choice, the more exciting and exhilarating it was. When Bill Belichick signaled to the referee that they would go for it on fourth down and the offense was staying on the field, all the commentators went wild.
Gillette Stadium also went wild. The home fans were confident in their offense and firmly believed that Belichick and Brady could still lead them to victory.
"In fact, this is a very high-percentage choice."
"No one should forget that Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks in the league at 'pushing for one yard.' All the teams and opponents have ignored his running ability—his running with the ball is indeed not worth mentioning. But in his ability to find a gap in a close-range situation and make a bulldozer-like push, he has his own unique way. The New England Patriots have repeatedly used Brady's 'push for one yard' play in the past to open up the situation and resolve crises."
"So, what about this time?"
A so-called gambler is someone who dares to take a risk, even if the risk is far beyond imagination. The same was true for Harbaugh and Belichick.
The New England Patriots' offense and the San Francisco 49ers' defense did not leave the field and lined up again.
The offense lined up in a power running formation. Five offensive linemen and Rob Gronkowski, for a total of six players, lined up. Brady stood in the "I" formation, and four yards behind him was the running back, Stevan Ridley. Ridley could run forward and push Brady forward like a bull to add to the pushing force.
In addition, the three receivers were lined up with two on the left and one on the right.
This was a typical "push for one yard" play. They would use a human wave to push forward, and the quarterback would find a gap between the defenders in the dense crowd to get the one yard and a first down.
The defense did not dare to be careless. Even if this was a fake, a trick play, they had to focus more on the confrontation with the offensive line. Even if the opponent only gained one yard, it was a failure for the defense.
In fact, "fourth and one" can often be seen as a test of a defense's strength and foundation.
This was because fourth and one itself seemed a bit ambiguous. It seemed very easy, but also incredibly difficult. If the defense could increase its intensity, it could instantly stop the fourth and one conversion. But if the defense was a little careless, even without getting distracted or making a mistake, the opponent could still convert.
One step to heaven, one step to hell. This describes the fourth and one conversion. It's true for both the offense and the defense.
Now, the defense was fully focused on stopping the run.
The three defensive linemen and two outside linebackers all stepped forward and stood in a line, ready to confront the offense. One cornerback and two inside linebackers also moved up their positions. Once the ball was snapped, if the opponent started to push for one yard, they would fill in the space behind the defensive linemen, forming a layered defense, building a wall to block the opponent's ground attack.
In addition, the two safeties and one cornerback were lined up against the three receivers.
Brady was not nervous at all. After lining up, he calmly used fake snap counts as a cover, hoping to bait an offside penalty. Unfortunately, the defense did not move. Even Aldon, who had been fouling repeatedly before, was as steady as a rock. For a moment, the air was still.
"Attack!"
Mixed in with a bunch of fake snap counts, Brady announced the actual snap. But after holding the ball with both hands, Brady did not choose to push forward for one yard. Instead, he quickly ran back and faked a handoff to Ridley. At such a critical moment, Brady still had the guts to execute a fake run and pass play. This courage alone was enough to be admirable.
However, the speed at which the 49ers' defense moved up was surprising.
The entire defensive line charged forward like tigers coming down a mountain. Regardless of whether it was a "push for one yard" play or not, they put incredible pressure on the offensive line. Then Aldon went right through.
The offensive line and the defensive line were in a confrontation. Aldon became the "extra piece" with the numerical advantage. So, he had barely had time to take a breath when he had already bypassed the most intense line of scrimmage, and he could already see the back of Brady.
Brady, who had just completed the fake handoff, was about to turn around when he caught sight of Aldon's unstoppable steps to make a sack. This made him break out in a cold sweat. He quickly turned around and, while stepping back to create distance, threw the ball to the far left at a 30-degree angle without any hesitation.
Almost at the moment the ball left his hand, Aldon's hands had already touched Brady's chest. It was not a sack, but a push. This was because Aldon also realized that Brady was about to throw the ball, so he changed his sacking motion at the last moment to avoid a "roughing the passer" penalty.
Then, Aldon pushed Brady back repeatedly, which also prevented Brady from completing his throwing motion.
In the next second, Wes Welker, who was originally on the right, made a horizontal run, crossing the channel between the quarterback and the running back and appearing on the left. He was ready to catch the ball after a quick adjustment of his steps.
The reason he chose Welker instead of Gronkowski was, on the one hand, to surprise the opponent. Everyone thought that if they chose to pass on fourth and one, Gronkowski's physical advantage was not to be ignored. On the other hand, it was because Welker had the highest catch rate on the team. His light footwork and quick movements could create more opportunities in a chaotic area.
Sure enough, Welker immediately adjusted his steps and saw the ball coming. The other two receivers had already started to run forward on their own, pulling their defenders away and creating a space for Welker to catch the ball.
Then, Welker noticed that Brady's pass arc was too high and the distance was not far enough. After Brady took a few steps back, he was already about six or seven yards away from the line of scrimmage, but the pass was only about five yards. This was clearly a mistake in his pass control under fierce pressure.
Welker didn't have time to run forward further. He jumped lightly, raised his hands high, and brought the ball into his arms.
But before his feet could touch the ground, he had already caught a glimpse of a defender in his peripheral vision. "D*mn it!" Welker could only gasp in surprise. In the next second, he was heavily tackled and "planted" on the ground like a wrestler's finishing move.
Welker still didn't give up. He was short, but his advantage was that he could still twist and break free in a small space when facing taller people.
But Welker didn't get a chance. Then, three other defenders arrived and once again tackled Welker, who had just broken free from the embrace of a defender and hadn't had time to stand up.
"Fourth and one conversion fails!"
"My God, the San Francisco 49ers' defense has made the most crucial stop of the entire game! In this offensive and defensive battle, the New England Patriots' offensive strategy was completely exposed."
"First, Tom Brady's fake run and pass was met with a sack from Aldon Smith, and he had to throw the ball in a hurry. Then, the blocking by the two receivers was also seen through. Dashon Goldson and Chris Culliver, who were defending that side, were not fooled and held their ground. Goldson immediately tackled Wes Welker, and the other two defenders, including Culliver, arrived in time and tackled Welker behind the line of scrimmage."
"The New England Patriots not only failed to convert the fourth and one but also lost two yards!"
"Completely dominant! The San Francisco 49ers' defense was completely dominant! They have earned their offense a chance to turn the game around. It's as if the game has just begun now. My God, it's so exciting! It's really exciting!"
"Ahhh!"
"Ahhh!"
San Francisco, on the other side of the North American continent, was in an uproar. For the first time, it was not because of their offense, but because of their defense. They were celebrating wildly and cheering like crazy. Although they had not yet won the game, and they were still the team behind, the familiar San Francisco 49ers were finally back!
From offense to defense, a complete revival!
No matter what the outcome of this game was, they would all hold their heads high and welcome the playoffs!
San Francisco was completely crazy. It had nothing to do with winning or losing. They were just cheering wildly. Meanwhile, Foxborough was in a brief state of shock.
All the fans at Gillette Stadium were in a state of disbelief and frustration. They couldn't help but hold their heads and let out a painful groan. How did all this happen? Why did Brady's "push for one yard," which he was so good at, fail? Why was Belichick's fake pass play exposed? Why did they, who had always had the upper hand, suddenly fall into a difficult situation?
Yes, the game was not over yet.
But at this moment, the home fans were briefly lost. The most trusted and stable part of their team had suddenly made a mistake. So, what should they do now?
That feeling of helplessness made the stadium sigh in frustration. "Oh!" They were even more frustrated and upset than the players on the field.
Could this shift in momentum become the key to turning the game around?
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