Chapter 452: The Absolute Worst

In Week 11 of the regular season, a major upset occurred: the San Francisco 49ers lost at home to the Arizona Cardinals. Just like the New England Patriots’ stunning loss to the Buffalo Bills or the Pittsburgh Steelers being swept home and away by the Baltimore Ravens this season, divisional matchups never lacked for sparks and upsets. The unexpected never stopped coming.

More importantly, there were no guaranteed weaklings in the Alliance.

It was an unexpected outcome that broke a series of records. The San Francisco 49ers’ undefeated home record for the season was officially shattered, and their five-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt. Lu Ke’s rookie record of throwing a touchdown pass in nine consecutive games was also snapped—in this game, the 49ers’ only touchdown came from a running play. On top of that, Lu Ke’s three interceptions set a new season high.

On his show, “Inside the Alliance,” Charles Davis gloated, “Everyone knows Lu Ke’s idol is Peyton Manning. Now, they finally have something in common.”

Big Manning still holds the record for the most interceptions in a rookie season, which was what Charles was alluding to. Now, Lu Ke and Big Manning were finally in sync—interceptions were about to become Lu Ke’s nightmare in the games to come.

For the San Francisco 49ers’ supporters, it was a bitter defeat. But for Charles, it was sweet revenge, especially after the “cross-Pacific” humiliation of the previous week. Charles could finally hold his head high, feeling even more jubilant than he had after the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory in Week 4.

“I said it. I’ve been saying it all along: don’t get too hasty, don’t build him up too much. He’s just a rookie. The sample size is too small. We need to watch and wait; time will tell all.” The words were similar to what he’d said before, but coming from Charles now, they carried a completely different meaning. His gloating, high-and-mighty posture was truly infuriating.

Spencer was the first to counter, “It’s just one game. The San Francisco 49ers are far from facing a crisis. Not long ago, they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, but they immediately followed that with a huge home victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”

“I know, I know.” Charles put on a magnanimous expression, waving his hand languidly, in no hurry at all. “We can analyze the future later. But for now, let’s just look at this week’s game, shall we? As for next week, I’ll give you a little spoiler: that opponent is no Arizona Cardinals.”

This was Charles’s moment. After suppressing his feelings and waiting for so long, he was like a golden retriever that had been cooped up at home for weeks and was finally let out to run wild. He was wagging his tail and bounding about with abandon; even his steps turned into jaunty little skips. He was simply unstoppable.

Just as Spencer said, this wasn’t the end of the world for the San Francisco 49ers. It was only their second loss of the season; never mind the end of the world, it was still a long way from being cause for despair. But, just as Charles said, losing the game on interceptions, with an overall performance that fell far short of expectations, was a harsh test for Lu Ke’s career.

It was the same for every quarterback. They carried the whole team on their shoulders. In victory, they enjoyed the cheers and adoration; in defeat, they had to bear the pressure and the blame.

From Peyton Manning to Tom Brady, from Drew Brees to Aaron Rodgers, even the four most elite quarterbacks in the Alliance had faced the same predicament of costing their team the game with interceptions. It wasn’t just them; almost every quarterback had to face the same situation.

Because quarterbacks are responsible for moving the ball, the weight of a comeback in a crucial moment rests in their hands. Such risks are simply inevitable.

Was there a way to avoid such a risk? Yes. The coaching staff could choose to hand the ball to a running back to deliver the final blow, but that would simply transfer the risk onto the running back’s shoulders.

In Week 2 of the 2014 regular season, the Denver Broncos hosted the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was in its final moments, and the Chiefs held a 17-14 lead. All they needed to do was run out the clock to secure the win. They chose to hand the ball to running back Jamaal Charles, but he fumbled at the critical moment. The Broncos’ defense recovered the ball and returned it for a touchdown, completing a comeback victory.

Sports are always this way. To enjoy the glory, one must bear an equal amount of risk. No one is exempt.

However, this was the first time in Lu Ke’s professional career that he had single-handedly thrown away a victory. The feeling was absolutely wretched. There was nothing that could ease it; anger, vexation, regret, indignation, frustration—all the negative emotions were caught in his throat. He could neither swallow them down nor spit them out. It was suffocating.

If he could help it, he never wanted to experience a defeat like that again. He loathed losing, and he especially loathed throwing a game away in such a manner. It was utterly detestable!

On the path to becoming an elite quarterback, Lu Ke still had a great deal to learn. This game was an incredibly important lesson.

Without a doubt, this lesson would be seared deep into Lu Ke’s memory.

However, Lu Ke had no time to quietly lick his wounds and reflect on the loss. The regular season was like a high-speed train that wouldn’t stop until it reached its final destination. Everything moved forward at a relentless, breakneck pace.

After a win, they had only one day to savor the joy. After a loss, they had only one day to recover. Then, it was on to a brand-new week and another game. The cycle repeated, week in and week out, until the season’s end.

But what was worse for Lu Ke and the San Francisco 49ers was that this week, they wouldn’t even have a single day to recover. For Week 12, the San Francisco 49ers were slated for their first Thursday night game of the season, an away game against the Baltimore Ravens.

A nationally televised Thursday night game was one of the highlights of the season. For both the team and the players, it was the best stage to make a name for themselves, as well as an opportunity to reap greater rewards and create a better future.

This marquee Thursday night game seemed to be coming at the worst possible time.

Because it was an away game, the team didn’t even have time to dwell on the loss after Sunday’s game. After quick showers and packing their bags, they immediately headed to the airport to fly to Baltimore and begin preparing for the week’s game.

Monday was for recovery practice, Tuesday was for tactical analysis and regular practice, and Wednesday was the official media day and tactical walkthroughs. And then, it was Thursday.

Game preparations that normally took six days now had to be crammed into three. Everything felt like it was on fast-forward, moving at double or triple speed. It all flew by in a blur, and before they had time to fully process or even react, Thursday was upon them.

For Lu Ke, and for every rookie, this was all completely new. They had to adapt to the rhythm and intensity of a Thursday night game, as well as its unique and strange nature. Moreover, the Thursday night stage was especially significant. For the rookies, it was their first time standing in front of a national audience to showcase their skills.

The expectations and the pressure, the attention and the scrutiny, the buzz and the hype—everything was on a completely different level.

After the loss, Lu Ke didn’t even have time to properly analyze what had gone wrong in the previous game, nor could he properly reflect on his late-game passing choices and his reads on the defense. He had to immediately throw himself into preparations for the next game—

daily practice, film review, tactical planning, improving his form, and boosting morale.

This was no easy task in such a limited time, and he also had to ignore the disruptions from the endless swarm of reporters outside the hotel and the interference from the ubiquitous cameras. The whole world was a chaotic mess; there wasn’t a moment of peace to be found.

This demanded that Lu Ke be more focused, and then focus even harder.

With no other choice, Lu Ke could only force himself to put the loss aside for now, look ahead, and keep moving. Besides, this week’s opponent was not to be underestimated; they were one of the most dangerous teams in the Alliance.

The Baltimore Ravens were formerly the Cleveland Browns before they relocated to Baltimore and became the American League powerhouse they are today.

There was a common saying: the American League’s top three were ironclad, while the National League’s contenders were ever-flowing. The American League’s “Big Three” specifically referred to Tom Brady’s New England Patriots, Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts, and Ben Roethlisberger’s Pittsburgh Steelers. The American League championship hadn’t gone to any other team for eight straight years.

But beyond those three, the Baltimore Ravens were without a doubt the most consistent fourth-best team.

In the 2000 season, the Baltimore Ravens fought their way to the Super Bowl and defeated the New York Giants, capturing the first Vince Lombardi Trophy in team history. Ever since, they have been a force to be reckoned with in the American League.

After unexpectedly missing the playoffs in 2007, they had successfully returned to the postseason for the last three years. This season, with Big Manning sidelined due to injury, the Colts had quickly fallen off, while the Ravens had swiftly risen to join the Patriots and the Steelers, forming a new “Big Three” to dominate the American League.

Facing a team like this, the slightest carelessness could cost them the game. What’s more, the San Francisco 49ers were coming off a heartbreaking loss. They had to pull themselves together, reset, and face this game with a completely new mindset, leaving no room for even the smallest error.

Otherwise, a two-game losing streak was a strong possibility. Compared to the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants, the Baltimore Ravens were a much tougher opponent.

People often say that in the Alliance, one loss is bad, but two in a row is a catastrophe. Therefore, to avoid doomsday, the San Francisco 49ers had to give it their all!