In America, the winner takes all.

Chapter 314 Playoffs (2)

Although the game has just begun, Ethan can clearly feel that the level of players on both sides of this game is better than yesterday's Bills and Dolphins. If the 49ers were a little out of shape at the beginning, then after the Green Bay Packers' copy Jie, I'm afraid I need to be very energetic.

In the live broadcast, the Green Bay Packers, who were leading by three points, started a new round of offense. Quarterback Brett Favre made a prediction in advance and passed the ball when the 49ers appeared in the gap twice in a row. Passed out.

Excellent ability to read defenses.

Ethan couldn't help but sigh that watching Brett Favre play was "pleasant for the eyes".

Unlike yesterday's two aging quarterbacks, this year's Brett Favre is only 29 years old and at the peak of his career. Today, Brett Favre has lost the rawness he had when he first entered the league. He has made great progress in terms of mentality and experience. In the only few runs, you can feel that he moves very quickly.

At this time, he certainly hopes to lead the Green Bay Packers to go further and win the second Lombardi Trophy in his career.

Several consecutive rounds of successful offense allowed the Green Bay Packers' front to gradually advance towards the 49ers' zone.

"Running back Dorsey Levins was knocked down! 17 yards. This is the Green Bay Packers' first scoring offense of the game. Let's see which tactic they will choose. It will continue to keep the team in a hot state. Does the running back try for a touchdown, or does Brett Favre pass the ball?"

Madden's voice echoed through the loudspeaker in the Cowboys' large conference room. All the Cowboys players present were attentive and wide-eyed, watching Green Bay's first scoring attack.

In the picture, quarterback Brett, who received the short throw from the center, immediately began to retreat, while the fullback and running back were crossing to cover him.

At the moment when the running back and the quarterback overlapped, Ethan saw Brett use a very hidden movement to hand the ball to the team's running back Dorsey Levins, who was also in the full back position. Under the cover, the Green Bay Packers chose to rush into the zone using a ground attack.

The next second, I saw a figure running rampant. The defender tried to block it, but was knocked away by the figure. In a very short period of time, the 49ers defender had already approached the running back.

His speed was so fast that he completely disrupted the running back's route. In desperation, Dorsey Levins could only make an almost instinctive change of direction.

But the defender seemed to have anticipated Dorsey Levins's actions. He took a sharp step to the right, dropped his shoulders, and hit the running back. Finally, and most importantly, the defender The hands of the players struck out like thunder, directly towards the football being protected by the running back.

At this time, running back Dorsey Levins had no time to react...

"Interception! Chris Dorman directly grabbed the ball from the hands of the Green Bay running back!" Commentator Madden's voice trembled.

"shit!"

Ethan heard the Cowboys players beside him let out a burst of low curses in unison.

In the picture, defensive end Chris Dorman, who completed the interception, didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately ran with the ball. The offensive and defensive momentum changed, and the 49ers' defensive team immediately rushed forward to provide cover for their teammates.

The Green Bay Packers players also began to change their movements. Quarterback Brett immediately took a diagonal step, hoping to use his body to block the 49ers defensive end named forward Chris Dorman.

But Chris, who was holding the ball, made a flexible change of direction and bypassed Brett without affecting his speed at all. In desperation, Brett could only make a flying dive, hoping to drag down the defensive end, but even though he tried his best to straighten his hands, he still missed by a few centimeters.

"Boom..." Brett fell to the ground. At the same time, the defensive end had already ran three yards away.

"Chris Dorman! This veteran who has been in the NFL for more than ten years entered the league with the fourth overall pick in 1985. He has maintained excellent form for many years since then. He is currently the Vikings' single-season sack leader. The record holder, 21 sacks in a single season, which is the fourth-highest score in history. Although this veteran's career has entered the twilight years, his performance in this game was no worse than any young man." Madden did not begrudge himself. words of praise.

"Don't forget, the 49ers also conducted detailed research on the Green Bay team before this game. Now it seems that this research even includes the movement habits of each main player of the Green Bay Packers..." Another commentator Member George "Pat" Sammer added.

In addition to his excellent physical fitness and sensitive reactions, defensive end Chris's sufficient understanding of the running back was also a key factor in this interception, which allowed him to judge the running back's position in a split second, which made Chris Reese takes the lead in defence.

The game showed a certain amount of drama. After two consecutive interceptions, the 49ers regained the ball.

Stephen Young had no chance to connect with the team's top star. After trying to pass the ball to the slot receiver in the first gear, he chose to hand the ball to the team's running back Garrison Hurst in the second gear. The latter quickly penetrated the Green Bay Packers' defense under the cover of his teammates, but was dragged to the ground by the Green Bay defenders the moment he was about to enter the zone.

In the end, the 49ers' front line stopped at the one-yard line.

If it were the Cowboys, they would definitely choose the one-yard arch tactic at this time, but Stephen Young of the 49ers obviously had other ideas.

He threw the ball directly to tight end Greg Clark...

I saw Greg Clark jumping high, catching the football under the double-team of three Packers defenders, and finally landing firmly.

"Touchdown! Greg Clark showed excellent physical confrontation ability. The tight end who graduated from Stanford University two years ago has become one of the best blockers in the league."

If it weren't for football, Greg Clark might have become a software engineer working in Silicon Valley, but he decided to participate in the NFL draft.

If he hadn't suffered a serious head injury a few years later, he might have stayed in the league for a few more years. After being forced to retire, he began to suffer from a disease called "chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)" This is a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head trauma. The patient's behavior, emotions, and thinking will be affected to varying degrees, and severe cases may lead to dementia.

The disease is most common among boxers and rugby players and is even known as "boxing drunken syndrome." Greg Clark sparked a flurry of discussion after he suffered classic symptoms of the disease before shooting himself.

According to incomplete statistics, at least 345 rugby players have been diagnosed with this disease after death. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that rugby is prone to dementia.

Troy Aikman, who is seen in Ethan's peripheral vision, also suffers from the disease, and he has stage 2 CTE.

After a wonderful interception touchdown, the 49ers took the lead.

In the next round of offense, the Green Bay running back seemed to be trying to make up for his previous mistakes. He played bravely and ran two consecutive long runs of more than 20 yards, pushing the Packers' front to the 49ers' two-yard line. Shooting guard Brett sealed his throat with a sword and passed the ball to wide receiver Antonio Freeman for a touchdown.

Like the 49ers, the Green Bay Packers' advantage did not last long. Later in the second quarter, 49ers cornerback RW McQuites completed another interception at the 19-yard line and sent the ball to Back at the 47-yard line, 49ers running back Garrison Hurst ran the ball three times in a row, gaining a total of 28 yards. In the end, Wade Richie, the kicker, tied the score at 10-10.

In the little time left in the second quarter, Green Bay launched another round of attacks, gaining 83 yards in nine attacks. At the most critical moment, the 49ers defense committed a foul, which finally allowed Green Bay to score yards in nine attempts. An easy touchdown from the two-yard line.

At halftime, Green Bay led 17-10.

"It's really a long-lost battle." Although halftime came, Ethan was able to take a breath.

It can be said that the strength of both sides in this game is very close, which also makes the game very stalemate. Speaking of which, both sides made some mistakes and also showed their own special skills. The Green Bay team relied on exquisite defense and did not let it go. Jerry Rice, the 49ers' leading scorer, has no chance of holding the ball.

The 49ers used their excellent pre-game preparations to seize the Green Bay Packers' mistakes twice and cling to the score.

It's hard to say who can win this game.

During halftime, ABC also broadcast some footage of the 49ers cheerleading team's halftime performance. Ethan seemed uninterested. In the face of such a wonderful game, although these cheerleaders from California danced very hard, objectively The gap makes these players look unattractive.

Although the 49ers are located in California, the richest city in the United States, in terms of the cheerleading teams that the team has extended, the 49ers are not even a bit worse than the Cowboys. The reason is also very simple. Girls with potential in California have gone to Hollywood. Entering the NFL cheerleading team is It is not a "dazzling" thing, which is in sharp contrast to the local atmosphere in Texas, where DCC is undoubtedly the local star.

"The total number of these people is probably more than one Kelsey, not to mention that Kelsey also has Rachel and Holly standing next to her." Ethan heard Michael Myers say not far away.

He is about the same age as Ethan, and like most young Texas men, he usually pays attention to DCC.

In the minds of the audience, DCC is obviously divided into two parts, one is the brunette group represented by Kelsey, and the other is the blond group represented by Holly and Rachel.

Although Kelsey is the captain, in terms of popularity, the popularity of the blondes is no worse than hers.

The game entered the second half. After an entire half-time adjustment, the 49ers clearly found a way to target the Packers. They chose to directly replace Jerry Rice, who had not performed well in the first half. This somewhat disrupted the Green Bay Packers. The defensive arrangement of the workers. At the same time, on the defensive side, the 49ers also stepped up their attack on quarterback Brett, which caused Brett's passing time to begin to shorten.

Although Brett's rich experience did not allow the 49ers defense to take any advantage, the continuous high pressure still caused him to make forced errors.

During one of Brett's long pass attempts, the 49ers' defense caught Brett's mistake. Defender Lee Woodall jumped high, got the ball before the wide receiver, and returned it all the way for 33 yards.

The Green Bay Packers called an emergency timeout.

After the game resumed, although the Green Bay Packers successfully defended Stephen Young's passes twice in a row, in the third scoring offense, Stephen Young once again passed the ball to tight end Clark. The latter's status Still fiery, he rushed left and right into the zone and successfully helped the 49ers tie the score.

Before the end of the third quarter, the 49ers used a fake punt tactic and successfully advanced the line to 48 yards, and finally the kicker Richie completed the shot.

In the third quarter, the 49ers scored ten points in a row, while the Packers scored nothing. The 49ers once again reversed the situation of the game.

"The 49ers' on-the-spot reaction ability is top-notch in the league, and can even be said to be the strongest. The average age of the 49ers' players is the oldest among the 32 teams, and their richer experience allows them to adapt to more tactics. Coupled with the excellent tactical arrangement of head coach Steve Mariucci...this 49ers are not easy to deal with." Dave Campo made an evaluation immediately after the end of the third quarter.

In a sense, he and Ethan had the same reaction. Through this game, it seemed that he knew that it would be very difficult for the Cowboys under his command to encounter any opponent, and the 49ers may be even more difficult than the Packers. A little trickier.

Entering the fourth quarter, both sides strengthened their defensive arrangements, which meant that the head coaches of both sides had figured out the other side's offensive tactics. Correspondingly, due to the decrease in physical strength of the offensive team and other reasons, the offense of both sides began to become quite difficult. .

The Packers used eleven offensive opportunities, but only allowed the front line to advance to 60 yards, and finally had no choice but to choose a free kick.

The 49ers also encountered a similar problem. They chose to shoot at the 43-yard line and once again took the lead.

At this time, the score between the two sides was 23-20, with the 49ers slightly leading, and there was less than 7 minutes left before the end of the game.

With 6 minutes and 16 seconds left in the game, 49ers cornerback Darnell Walker intercepted Brett Favre's pass again and returned the ball to the -yard line.

At that moment, Brett Falfe fell to his knees directly. In contrast, the 49ers players and the home crowd were completely in a state of carnival.

This is almost the interception that determines the outcome of this game.

For the 49ers, they only needed to score the last forty yards and complete the offense to almost seal the victory of this game.

As for the Green Bay Packers, they are already standing on the edge of the cliff and must stop the ball.

Stephen Young did not pass the ball immediately after receiving the ball in the first gear. After discovering that there was no good opportunity in the frontcourt, he passed the ball to the running back Hurst not far away, but the latter failed to pass the ball. Completed the run and gained just one yard.

In the second offense, Stephen Young faced a similar problem. The Green Bay Packers' defense was like an iron barrel formation, which seemed airtight at the moment.

In desperation, Stephen Young passed the ball to Scott again, and this time he only gained two yards.

This was the 49ers' last chance. Before the ball was served, the hearts of the entire audience were tense.

At the beginning of the third offensive, after Stephen Young got the ball, he chose to pass the ball directly to the outside receiver. Under the continuous cover of many teammates, there was indeed a gap around the outside receiver Owens. The angle at which Stephen Young passed the ball was also very Comfortable, as long as you get the ball, you can go straight forward.

However, the high-jumping wide receiver made a fatal mistake at what was probably the most important moment of his career. He misjudged the landing point of the ball. The real landing point of the football was more than ten centimeters closer than he imagined. At this time, it was too late for him to adjust his posture. In the end, he could only forcefully open his body and "fish" the football back sideways.

Although he adjusted his posture in time after landing, for football players who pursue extreme speed, this short gap is enough to give the Packers' defensive team enough reaction time.

In an instant, the safety and defender immediately formed a double-team on Owens. Almost as soon as he landed, the receiver was knocked out of bounds.

"Catch failed!"

The referee of this game made a key penalty.

Failure to catch the ball means that the 49ers only gained three yards in the third gear of offense, and the only option in the fourth gear was a free kick. This is obviously unacceptable to the 49ers who want to directly kill the game.

They gathered around Gerald Austin, the referee of the game.

At the same time, the live broadcast screen also began to show the replay just now.

However, due to the angle, it is impossible to see whether the 49ers wide receiver completely controls the football on this ball.

Moreover, in today's NFL, there is no rule for referees to observe the video and then change the decision.

In desperation, the 49ers still chose to take a free kick.

26-20, this score is completely acceptable to the Green Bay Packers. They have one offensive ball left. As long as they complete the touchdown, they will take the lead again. Brett Falfe, who had been covering his eyes just now, finally showed a smile on his face, and other Packers players were also shocked into a cold sweat.

The Green Bay Packers' next offense was perfect. After advancing the front line to the middle of the field, Brett Falfe suddenly made a cold arrow and adopted a particularly risky passing strategy. The large number of yards directly looked for the wide receiver on the back end - Corey Bradford. Green Bay Packers rookie this year.

The latter received the ball steadily and easily completed the touchdown.

"47 yards touchdown! It's hard to believe that Brett made an amazing move at this time. In the previous regular season, the rookie wide receiver played only a handful of times. If he looks back many years later, he will find this one The touchdown was the most meaningful thing he did this season, and he kept the Green Bay Packers' hopes of winning alive!"

Madden said impassionedly.

Ethan actually felt that the ball should be passed to the newcomer. From the perspective of the quarterback, it was natural to pass the ball to whoever was easiest to complete the breakthrough. It can also be seen from the position after the kickoff. This is obviously A long-yard blitz tactic.

Now the pressure is on the 49ers again.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci actually sent Jerry Rice back to the field at this time.

Jerry Rice performed poorly in this game and was replaced by the head coach not long after the game started.

With the blessing of the team's top wide receiver, the 49ers' lineup appears more complete. What is different from the opening is that at the last moment, Jerry Rice seemed to be a different person, catching five consecutive balls. Gradually eating away at the Green Bay Packers front line...

"It's physical strength." Upon seeing this, Ethan pointed out the key point.

The cornerback who faced Jerry Rice played a full game, so his physical strength naturally declined. Jerry Rice's physical strength did not suffer any loss. The previous results achieved by relying on pressing defense have lost their meaning under this physical gap.

In the end, Jerry Rice completely killed the game with a long-distance run after the ball, bringing an end to this inseparable game between the two sides.

In the end, the 49ers defeated the Green Bay Packers 33-27, breaking the curse of losing to the Packers in the playoffs.

"This game seemed to let me see the dynasty the 49ers once created again!"

"One week later, at 1:10 pm ET on January 49, the ers will challenge the Dallas Cowboys, the No. seed in the National League, who have performed particularly well this year, on the road. This is the best quarterback in the two eras. A head-to-head battle. Don’t forget to lock in fox sports then, Pat and I will continue to broadcast this year’s NFL playoffs…”

Dave Campo turned off the TV signal directly, and then walked in front of everyone.

The light from the projector hit Dave's face, making his face look a little ferocious and terrifying.

"Everyone has seen the results of the game. The 49ers' Stephen Young and Jerry Rice are both top players in their respective positions. In addition, they also have rich experience and excellent on-the-spot adaptability. It is obvious that the match with the 49ers a week later The game will be extremely difficult, and I need you to work hard in this final week."

"Based on the situation of this game, the coaching staff will develop special tactics for the offensive and defensive teams..."

That night, after finishing the tactical meeting, Ethan once again watched the video of the game and kept replaying it. He seemed to want to master every detail of the two quarterbacks in the game as much as possible...

In the remaining days, Ethan stayed up all night watching every regular season game of the 49ers this season, including the games of the 49ers in their heyday...

A week passed quickly, and after intensive training, the Cowboys faced their most severe test so far.

·

"The last time the Cowboys played a game was in 1998, and the 49ers just defeated the Green Bay Packers at their home court last week. What preparations did the Cowboys make against the 49ers for this game?"

During the pregame press conference, Penny Weber, who was sitting in the front row of the press box, asked head coach Dave Campo a question.

"The 49ers are a very strong opponent. The Cowboys have a long preparation time before the game starts. This is an advantage for us. The boys of the Cowboys will be at their best. Regarding preparation, the Cowboys The coaching staff is the same as the 49ers' opponent in the last game, and we will impose strict restrictions on the 49ers' quarterbacks and wide receivers," Dave Campo said.

Of course, specific countermeasures cannot be disclosed at this time. This is a rather official answer.

"The next question I would like to ask is Ethan O'Connor. After the last game, Stephen Young once answered in front of me that he did not think you were a qualified opponent. What he pointed out was that the tactical tendency was too single and relatively Reliance on running the ball, very easy to target, what do you say about that?”

"I will let the results of the game speak for themselves." Ethan shook his head, obviously not caring about Stephen Young's disparagement.

"And I think it's too early to say this. If the 49ers lose this game, these words will look very stupid." Ethan looked at Penny not far away, nodded towards her, and said with a smile. .

Ethan's words caused a burst of laughter from the audience.

"Last question, the current mainstream view is that this year's team has the potential to reach its peak. They defeated the Super Bowl champions of the previous year. The outside world thinks that the Cowboys' chances of winning are not high. What is your comment on this argument?"

"Don't forget, the Cowboys are the No. 49 seed in the National League this year. We have achieved good results that we did not achieve in the most glorious period a few years ago. In comparison, the ers only won games in the regular season. Field." Ethan reminded.

"Well, come on, Ethan." Penny whispered to Ethan before handing the microphone to other reporters present.

This sentence is obviously private goods.

Ethan's closed training continues to this day without contact with anyone from the outside world.

Ethan saw that there seemed to be a sparkle in Penny's eyes...

After the Cowboys' press conference ended, the 49ers' press conference was urgently held.

"The Cowboys have a longer preparation time than the 49ers, and Ethan O'Connor is the most dazzling star this season. How are you going to beat him?"

Reporter Michelle Besna from ESPN asked Stephen Young, who attended the press conference with the head coach.

"As you said, Ethan O'Connor is a very talented young player. I think there is no need to elaborate on his various qualities at this time, but he is still too young and has never participated in any playoffs before. Only those who have experienced it know the difference between the playoffs and the regular season, and the Cowboys' lineup is not at all complete. They lost two of their main wide receivers not long ago, which is a big surprise for any team. It’s a very fatal problem.”

Stephen Young mentioned the key to the problem. The current Cowboys do not have a complete lineup.

"In other words, you are very confident that you can beat the Cowboys led by Ethan?"

"It may seem that we underestimate our opponents too much, but compared to the other three teams, the Cowboys are indeed the opponent we most want to face." The head coach answered first at this time, and his words did not conceal his feelings for the Cowboys. contempt.

At the same time, the Cowboys players who returned to the locker room to make final preparations before the game welcomed a special visitor.

Old Jones, wearing a cap with the Cowboys logo on it, led his family to the lounge, followed by several photographers.

After experiencing several unsuccessful seasons, the Cowboys have finally improved in terms of performance, and may even go further. As the team's owner, Old Jones naturally has to be present in person.

Old Jones shook hands with all the players one by one, then raised his head and looked around.

"Where is Ethan?" Old Jones asked Dave Campo beside him.

Everyone also followed and asked around, and then Ethan returned from the bathroom.

"Young man, come here." Old Jones immediately waved to Ethan.

He hugged Ethan enthusiastically, and then patted Ethan's back repeatedly, like a grandfather meeting his grandson who had not seen him for a long time and was away in college.

Because of his height, Ethan had to lean forward. He was a little flattered to see his boss being so enthusiastic.

From the angle where Ethan stood, he could just see Charlotte standing behind Old Jones.

Seeing Ethan's gaze coming over, Charlotte immediately looked away, obviously because of Kelsey's lingering anger.

"Young man, you shoulder the most important responsibility and mission. I'm waiting for your triumphant return tonight." Old Jones whispered.

Then Jones Sr.’s two sons talked to Ethan one by one, and even Sr. Jones’s wife, Charlotte’s mother, shook hands with Ethan.

"We will pray for you young man," Genie Jones said with a smile.

Then only Charlotte Jones was left, and she had no intention of coming forward.

"It's best to win. Even if you have to lose, don't lose too badly." She muttered.

"As you command, Ms. Jones."

When Old Jones saw this, he showed an expression of relief on his face.

Daughter Charlotte once had a short marriage. Her former husband was an incompetent idiot who squandered his wife's money and was caught dating other women more than once. The daughter took the initiative to file for divorce, and Jones Sr. also supported this decision.

He felt that it would be best for his daughter's husband to be an outstanding young man like Ethan O'Connor.

The Jones family then left the lounge and headed to the court where they took photos with several distinguished guests.

Jones Sr. is good at using the Cowboys to expand his family's influence. Hollywood bosses, local political and business figures from Arkansas and Texas have all come to watch games at the invitation of Jones Sr.

"Charlotte, I heard what your brother said. You asked that player to go to DCC to help you? Is this the case?" Charlotte's mother immediately inquired as soon as she left the lounge.

"It's just some insignificant things. Now I have no contact with him." Charlotte shook her head.

"Every big thing starts from an insignificant little thing. You should communicate with Ethan O'Connor. He is a very good player. He may not only be a player in the future, he may even become the flag of the Cowboys." Jones thought for a moment and said.

It's always right to get in touch with others. Charlotte must have come out by this time. She can't stay single forever. There are not many outstanding single men.

"Have you forgotten the rumors about him? I will never say another word to such a man." Charlotte shook her head, her expression looking very decisive.

"Those are just rumors, do you take them seriously?" Mother frowned slightly.

"Who didn't have a few relationships when they were young? I was..." Old Jones wanted to say something else, but noticed his wife's gaze and immediately chose to remain silent with a smile.

"This is not as simple as a few relationships." Charlotte whispered.

"He's all related to..." Charlotte thought for a while, but still didn't reveal the relationship between Kelsey and Ethan. She was afraid that her father would interfere if he knew about it. She thought it would affect the Star Glory Project.

Seeing that their daughter knew something inside, it was inconvenient for Mr. and Mrs. Jones to say anything more...

At this time, the Jones family had also arrived at the stadium, exposed to the eyes of the fans, and there was a burst of cheers.

"Jerry, it's really lively here." The man in suit and leather shoes turned around.

"George, I will build a bigger and more magnificent stadium nearby in the next few years." Old Jones shook hands with the opponent warmly.

"Where's your son? Why didn't he come?" Old Jones asked.

"He is busy. Don't forget that a month ago, he just became the governor again." The man named George smiled.

As a former head coach, he is actually a solid Cowboys fan and will throw a coin for the Super Bowl kickoff in the future.

Charlotte noticed at this time that the group of people behind George included some young juniors. The young woman standing on the edge caught Charlotte's attention.

While taking photos with each other, Charlotte asked for their name.

"Catherine, Catherine Walker." The other party answered.

(End of this chapter)