Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 200 199 Little Surprises

the air was burning, and in just a fleeting moment, dreams returned to bryant denny stadium, as a surging heat wave from arrowhead stadium ignited the crimson tide storm within.

then, li wei took off.

with one step forward, he moved towards mahomes, and the two freshman rookies coordinated as mahomes handed the football to li wei.

in the periphery of his vision, li wei could see the pressure coming right at him—

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a blitz.

the san francisco 49ers used a "4-3" defensive formation, with four defensive linemen often employing blitz tactics; however, their current head coach, kyle shanahan, is the typical offensive-minded coach who is not as skilled in defense, so the key lay in his cooperation with the defensive coordinator.

robert saleh, from the 2011 to 2013 seasons, had served as the defensive quality control coach for the seattle seahawks, a team known throughout the league as the "bombing corps." but this season was his first as the defensive coordinator, and whether the tactics that worked on paper would evolve into strategies effective in actual combat was a big question mark.

at least, the preseason was a platform for testing.

coming from a linebacker coaching background, saleh was very skilled at utilizing linebackers to cover short pass areas, and this time was no exception. with a blitz tactic, he brought up a linebacker to join the defensive line, instantly breaking through the pocket's protection.

moreover, significantly, the san francisco 49ers dedicated a player specifically to guard against the running back, not targeting li wei in particular but to prevent the kansas city chiefs from faking a pass and making a real run, using the quarterback as a decoy to subvert their blitz tactics.

a single blitz revealed that nfl game strategies are not only complex but also meticulous. every zone was divided up like a sand table, with the whole forming an interconnected system, greatly testing the players' contingency handling abilities and their understanding and application of their team's tactics.

li wei remained focused. since the opening kickoff, he had been catching the movements of the defensive line, linebackers, and cornerbacks, keenly grasping the key amidst the dynamic interplay—

number ninety-four.

san francisco 49ers' number ninety-four, solomon thomas, had a hint of savagery in his eyes, ruthlessly and bloodthirstily locking onto the figures of li wei and mahomes, determined to showcase his abilities on either of them.

li wei?

thomas, noticing the handoff between mahomes and li wei, felt pleased:

perfect timing.

his steps quickened, arms spread wide, and he pounced like a hungry tiger, stirring up a wind of carnage.

wait, a fake run, true pass?

the kansas city chiefs had incredibly chosen a fake run, true pass strategy instead of a fake pass, true run. wasn't that playing right into the hands of the san francisco 49ers?

thomas was flipped over the shoulder, performing a 360-degree mid-air flip before landing on his back, every muscle in his body howling in agony, and even before he had time for shame or anger, his mind was blank, utterly clueless about what had just happened, with a flock of sparrows circling above his head.

li wei, dusting off his clothing, with an easy look on his face as if it hadn't taken much effort, turned back to look at the figure sprawled on the ground with a scattered gaze, and lightly shook his head:

i told you, you're not up to it.

"li wei! li wei, li wei!"

mahomes called out cheerily, high-fiving li wei once again to celebrate.

it was only then that li wei looked up and noticed, after mahomes had just secured enough time for observation and adjustment, he courageously sent out a long pass, and after the football flew a full thirty-five yards, it connected with the wide receiver.

one strike, a heavy punch.

the kansas city chiefs rarely seen explosive power was on display, an attacking style not seen when smith was the starting quarterback; commentators in the broadcast studio were buzzing, reassessing mahomes.

"...however, the real surprise is li wei."

"the focus is on his blocking, providing time for the quarterback; it's also about the head-on confrontation. since the rookie training camp, people have been worried about li wei's combat ability, but at least from what we've seen now, li wei isn't afraid of confrontation and is prepared to face it."

"wow."

"who would have thought that this top scholar in his first appearance would showcase his blocking skills? the future performances of li wei are highly anticipated."

thomas finally came to his senses, clumsily getting up off the ground, and the look he gave li wei this time contained something more complicated.

perhaps, he had underestimated li wei?

in their first collaboration, mahomes and li wei pushed forward thirty-five yards, crossing the midfield to reach the forty-yard line of the san francisco 49ers' side.

the wave of heat at arrowhead stadium ignited in an instant.

then, without any hesitation, the kansas city chiefs immediately lined up ready for the next offensive play.

this time, it was a quick short pass; right after the snap, mahomes quickly released the ball, aiming to shorten the san francisco 49ers defensive group's reaction time as much as possible, and found the backup tight end, advancing neatly for five yards.

second and five.

the kansas city chiefs' combination of fast and slow, long and short passing tactics, just like a combination punch, had the san francisco 49ers defensive group struggling to keep up; mahomes then declared the snap once more and handed the football directly to—

li wei.