Chapter 931: Distracted
Randy Moss was focused on the game.
According to the plan before the snap, Moss, Crabtree, and Vernon Davis were all decoys, using their routes to disrupt the defense and create a relatively open space for Ted Ginn to catch the ball. But after three months with the team, Moss knew his quarterback, number 14, well enough to know that if there was a passing lane, Lu Ke wouldn't miss it.
So, when Moss noticed the many holes in the zone defense, the Saints' defense clearly had a miscommunication. After the 49ers' offense used a mix of short passes to open up the game, they suddenly faced deep routes, and the communication and coordination between the defensive players broke down.
Some moved forward, and some moved back.
The rhythm and positioning of the zone defense were like gears that didn't fit together, causing them to stutter. This was the perfect moment for Moss to shine.
With light and agile steps, he quickly weaved through the crowd. After getting past two defensive players, Moss found a receiving window. There were no defensive players within about five yards in any direction. He quickly turned to the side and saw a bullet pass flying toward him.
It was like a cannonball.
To be honest, Moss was starting to like this quarterback, but only on the field.
His hands perfectly caught the football at his chest. The placement and spin were perfect. The only thing was that the force was a little too strong, but it didn't matter. Moss easily controlled the football with his hands and, using the force of the ball hitting his chest and his body's forward momentum, he quickly ran forward.
He looked back, and the entire field came into view.
On the right, two defensive players were tangled up with Ginn, and one defensive player was rushing toward Ginn. The area in front of him on the left was completely open. He could vaguely see a figure in the back trying to get back on defense, but he was at least 11 or 12 yards away from Moss.
The end zone was about 20 or 21 yards in front of him.
In a flash, the defensive players only saw Moss make the catch and didn't have time to react before Moss took the lead.
Moss didn't run toward the open space on the left. Instead, he ran toward the defensive player he had just passed on the right.
One person was making an emergency stop and a second move, and the other was being unreasonable and rushing forward. The rapidly closing distance made all his muscles tense up, causing the defensive player to hold his position and make quick, small adjustments to meet Moss's rush, like a riot police officer's shield.
But to his surprise, Moss only made the motion of a collision. Before he could fully release his speed and power, he made a sharp, right-angle turn, using his pure muscle power to stop and turn, and broke through toward the left.
The defensive player on the back left was also fooled. After seeing Moss's steps, he also shifted his weight, trying to trap Moss with his teammate in a pincer move. But now that Moss had suddenly changed direction, his second move was a little slow, which became a fatal mismatch in the game.
Moss sprinted forward along a small 60-degree diagonal line on the left. The little "tails" behind him were still following closely, but in just about 20 yards, one second! Two seconds! In just a breath, Moss's feet were already in the end zone before he could be overtaken and tackled by anyone.
It was easy, without any physical contact or resistance!
"Touchdown!"
"Randy Moss! Moss scores a touchdown again! This is Moss' seventh touchdown of the season! Who would have thought that after retiring for a year, Randy Moss, now 35 years old, whose performance has been declining since 2008, would return to his prime under Lu Ke! Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!"
"The route running in zone defense, seizing the opportunity in crucial plays, and the talent to beat the defender. The nightmare of all cornerbacks in the league is finally back! Do you see it? All you cornerbacks and defensive coaches in the league, do you see it? The unstoppable Randy Moss is back!"
"That's a touchdown! An undeniable touchdown! A flawless touchdown! From the timing to the control of the pass, from the tactical plan to the blocks, the New Orleans Saints' defense was completely helpless. No one could even touch Randy Moss' jersey and could only watch as he ran into the end zone!"
"God, oh, God!"
"After the New Orleans Saints scored a touchdown on their first drive, the San Francisco 49ers immediately responded with a powerful and efficient offense to get a passing touchdown! The smooth offense showed the audience in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome that they are not afraid of this matchup! This season, the young and strong San Francisco 49ers are the team with the advantage in this game!"
"Although both the Saints and the 49ers scored a touchdown on their first drives, you can clearly feel that the 49ers' offense is better. From the efficiency of the passing and running, to the time it took to score a touchdown, to the matchup between the offense and defense, this top-ranked offense in the league is still unbeatable!"
"Now the only question is, can both teams' defenses get back on track quickly?"
Every professional commentator could see that the key factor in this game's outcome wasn't the two teams' offenses, but the San Francisco 49ers' defense.
With both teams' offenses being so strong, the quality of the defense would change the course of the game.
The New Orleans Saints' defense has never been their strong suit. It was the same last year, and this year, after the heavy blow of the "Bountygate" scandal in the off-season, they were in chaos. Their defense is currently ranked 31st in the league, second to last.
They have allowed the most passing yards, the most rushing yards, and the most first downs in the league. The only reason they're not dead last is that their red-zone defense is slightly better than the Tennessee Titans and the Philadelphia Eagles. They are currently third to last in the number of touchdowns they have allowed.
Facing the San Francisco 49ers' offense, which has been the best this season, the Saints' defense was having a hard time. From the defensive line to the linebackers, from the cornerbacks to the safeties, they were completely outmatched. Now even Crabtree and Vernon Davis are getting their catching feel and confidence back. In the first drive, they didn't have a single effective defensive play and were completely picked apart by Lu Ke. This was a one-sided matchup.
So, all the pressure was on the San Francisco 49ers' defense.
So far, the San Francisco 49ers' defense is still ranked first in the league. Their run defense is at the top, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers' run defense, which is considered the two great mountains of the NFC and AFC. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also showing great competitiveness and are right behind them. Their pass defense is ranked third, only behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks, with the Chicago Bears also not far behind.
However, the 49ers' defense has a clear weakness, and the cornerback position has become the main target for other teams. In addition, in the past few games, the defensive line and linebackers have been inconsistent. This is partly due to minor injuries and partly a natural phenomenon in a long season.
In their first defensive drive of the game, the 49ers' defense started slowly. There were a few miscommunications, a few unnecessary penalties, and two missed tackles. As a result, the Saints, who also started slowly, managed to score a touchdown.
The focus now is whether the 49ers' defense can get back on track quickly, whether they can raise their tempo and intensity in time, and whether they can put enough pressure on Drew Brees. This will be the key to the outcome of the entire game.
No one should forget that in last season's playoff divisional round, Brees, against the 49ers' defense ranked third in the league, had one of the most beautiful and powerful offensive performances of all the playoff games.
Similarly, in the Monday night game last week, Lu Ke, against the Chicago Bears' defense ranked second in the league, also had a smooth and fluid offense, completely overwhelming Charles Tillman.
In other words, data is just data. Different opponents and different games are all different. If the San Francisco 49ers' defense is a little distracted against one of the four elite quarterbacks in the league, Drew Brees, things could get ugly. What's more, their defense has been a little inconsistent in the past few weeks.
Commentators know that the intensity of the defense will determine how exciting the game will be, and the team coaches and quarterbacks also know that their performance against the opposing defense will determine the momentum of the game. This is the Saints' home field. Once Brees gets his offense going, things will go in an unpredictable direction.
And that was exactly what was happening.
"Ingram! Mark Ingram!"
"My God, Patrick Willis missed a tackle! He had already held his position, but at the last minute, he was thrown off by Ingram's body movement and missed a tackle he shouldn't have missed! This is a rookie mistake! This is a mistake that should not have happened!"
"Patrick Willis is getting back on defense! Aldon Smith is coming in for the tackle!"
"But... it's too late! Ingram has already sped up! My God, Ingram! Ingram is in a full sprint!"
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