Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 487: Shatter my body into pieces Chapter 487: Shatter my body into pieces U.S.

Bank Stadium was like a pressure cooker, with tension gradually climbing to its zenith, seemingly on the verge of explosion at any moment.

First and ten.

Pederson took advantage of the Kansas City Chiefs’ wary mindset, going against expectations with a clean and straightforward choice to run the ball, maintaining the initiative tactically.

Blount, the number one running back who had hardly had a chance to perform in the game, was not willing to let Clement steal the limelight.

Finally, he demonstrated his bulldozer-like strength by pushing forward against the Chiefs’ stiff resistance on the ground, managing to forcefully advance three yards.

Although the progress was limited, Blount fully exhibited the solid and substantial characteristic of the ground game, holding out in a deadlock and effectively consuming game time.

Reed called their first timeout.

Second and seven.

Foles faked a pass and went for the run, handing the ball to Blount for the second consecutive time.

But this time, the Kansas City Chiefs Defense clearly caught up to Pederson’s tactical rhythm, with three men stopping Blount in his tracks.

Blount tried to replicate his earlier move, refusing to go down and to stop the play regardless of the yardage gained, clenching his teeth and continuing the standoff in a bid to consume time.

However, this time he could not withstand the mounting pressure and collapsed, ultimately failing to burn much clock.

Reed used their second timeout.

Third and six.

The situation suddenly shifted.

So, what would Pederson choose to do?

Would he continue with the ground game to consume time, playing it safe and avoiding taking risks at this point; or would he shift to a passing offense to break the deadlock, attempting to secure the first down and keep the Philadelphia Eagles’ Offensive group on the field, pushing the opponents towards desperation?

Prediction, positioning, the gamble.

Revis believed that both coaches, Pederson and Reed, were definitely calculating each other’s moves, their brains working at high speed; but for him, the matter wasn’t complex.

Looking at tonight’s game, choosing to power through twice on fourth and one, with the “Philly Special” transforming the Super Bowl into a Pro Bowl showcase, and opting for risk on third and long more than three or five times, trusting unknown players such as Clement and Burton, every strategy and tactic was filled with ambition.

Moreover, the plan was perfectly executed.

The Philadelphia Eagles truly played their boldest, most confident, craziest, and most passionate game of the entire season.

In Revis’s eyes, the tactical setup for a third-down offense had no room for debate—
Pederson would opt for a passing offense, a hundred percent.

And targeting either Clement or Ertz as the passing option aimed at breaking through on Revis’s defensive side would probably be the likely scenario.

This time, Revis was ready.

Taking a deep breath, Revis concentrated his attention fully, momentarily casting aside all distractions, feeling the slight trembling in his knees and the burning heat in his muscles.

No longer afraid, he instead began to relish the signals his body was sending, the sensation of burning fueling him to return to his peak form of five years prior.

He was enjoying the confrontation, welcoming and embracing it with open arms.@@novelbin@@

“Attack!”
Foles announced the snap.

The Kansas City Chiefs opted for a blitz, with five charging to pressure the quarterback, all moving up aggressively.

Clearly, Reed also chose a forceful approach to deal with the crisis—
What did this imply?

Simple and straightforward, it meant the linemen stepped up, targeting the quarterback, naturally leaving them unable to provide zone support.

The secondary defense’s strategy thus shifted to man-to-man coverage.

This tactic had not been frequently used by the Chiefs tonight, and the underlying reason lay in the Cornerbacks’ frailty—they could not handle man-to-man coverage, forcing the defensive coordinator Sutton to rely on zone support several times.

Hence, the Kansas City Chiefs Defense had not managed to sack Foles even once tonight.

In fact, Revis is a top-tier man-to-man Cornerback the League sees once every ten years.

Generally, Cornerbacks possess the ability to man-mark Wide Receivers and persist in close vertical coverage.

There are many such Cornerbacks in the League; Revis stands out because his lateral defensive capabilities are as exceptional as his vertical coverage.

He has no issues on either side of the field, top-of-the-line agility, explosive power, and tight coverage steps—all of which are amongst the most elite.

It is for reasons such as this that Revis has earned the nickname “Island King.” He can cover the entire field and render any top-tier Wide Receiver thwarted and defeated.

At his peak, Revis reveled in the thrill of one-on-one battles with the opposing team’s number one Wide Receiver, growing stronger against tougher opponents and becoming the nightmare of all top-tier Wide Receivers in the League.

Over the past few years, many have claimed that Sherman has surpassed Revis during his prime; that is not the case.

Sherman’s abilities are confined to the left side of the defensive zone, but Revis can cover the whole field and follow the Wide Receiver to the ends of the earth.

Of course, that glory is now in the past.

In recent years, with severely diminished physical capabilities, Revis has relied more on his judgement, touch, intuition, and experience for defense.

He can’t keep up with the fast-paced man-to-man coverage, shifting from a typical man-to-man cornerback to a hybrid zone cornerback.

Revis has been constantly adjusting his style of play.

And now, Revis had to cover a man again.

So, who?

Ertz.

Of course, Ertz.

Is there even a doubt?

He, “Island King” Revis, always matches up against the opponent’s top wide receiver, even if that’s a tight end.

The difference is, Revis didn’t rush recklessly, didn’t rush to close the gap immediately.

It wasn’t that he was worried about Ertz’s size, but rather he was enticing Foles to throw the ball.

Otherwise, if Ertz were being used as a decoy and Foles passed to Clement, the Philadelphia Eagles could easily achieve a third gear conversion.

Such scenarios had occurred more than once or twice that day.

With continuous short steps for adjustment, Revis focused intently, scrutinizing Ertz, observing Foles, all the while not forgetting Clement.

This was a basic requirement of zone defense; however, Revis remained patient until the moment Foles released the ball.

Foles felt the pressure too; the Kansas City Chiefs’ five-man rush exuded a do-or-die intensity, as Houston tore through the pocket towards Foles.

Danger!

Foles didn’t risk trying to escape the sack; a fumble at this moment would have been disastrous, so he let the ball fly.

The passing target was—
Ertz.

Without hesitation, Revis sparked into action, took a step forward, stretched across in front of Ertz, cutting off the connection between Ertz and Foles, and leapt early.

Ertz was startled.

Clearly, Ertz hadn’t anticipated that Revis wouldn’t be closely interfering but instead would step in early to intercept the pass.

It was a judgement made from experience, given that Revis was not in optimal physical condition.

Ertz was somewhat panicked.

He watched helplessly as Revis jumped in front of him.

Revis’s body fully extended, leaning back, arms stretching to their limits.

The football, quivering unsteadily, fell just beyond Revis’s fingertips, continuing to fly.

Missed it.

Ertz: Here it comes.

Revis: Damn it.

If he were at the peak of his physical condition, how could Revis have possibly missed that interception?

But alas, there are no ifs.

But Revis still refused to give up, refused to surrender—
Thump thump, thump thump.

His heart was still beating furiously.

Feeling the pull of gravity, he performed a Thousand Pounds Drop to the ground, supporting himself on one leg, using the strength of his waist and abdomen to complete a 180 degree turn mid-air without hesitation, recklessly throwing his body forward as if drawn to a flame.

Fight, as if burning your very life.

Burst forth, as if shattering into pieces.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

The roar, surging powerfully.