Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 587: 586 Fraud Tactics Chapter 587: 586 Fraud Tactics “Wow, Roethlisberger!”

“Who would have thought, the first touchdown of the second half would actually be by Roethlisberger?

This is definitely a scene no one anticipated before the season opener.”

“But!”

“The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken the lead!”

“Indeed, until the last moment, one can never easily predict the outcome.”

Layout, planning, gambling—

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally revealed their sharpened fangs from the off-season.

Oh yeah!

Tomlin clenched his fists tightly to celebrate, and for once, he showed his real emotions, his gaze piercing across the entire field towards the other side, a murderous intent flaring in his eyes, his conviction to win and soaring fighting spirit burning fiercely.

This game allows only for victory, not defeat.

There is no other option.

Tomlin knew that Bell was watching, the team management was watching, and the entire league’s related and unrelated gazes were all focused on them—

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ tough and resolute attitude towards a top running back like Bell, setting aside league benefits, was it wise?

Indeed, the season opener is just one game and cannot determine the course of the entire season; however, the pressure of this win or loss is extraordinary and might determine the team’s state for a series of games to come.

They must win.

However.

The Kansas City Chiefs were really tough to chew, undergoing a complete transformation from offense to defense, plus the fervor of the youth, everyone was eager to start the new season, pushing Tomlin to a point of no return.

Out of necessity, Tomlin had to draw his ace in the hole one after another—

Some of these were secret weapons Tomlin had prepared for the fourth week of regular season facing the century-old division rival Baltimore Ravens, now being unveiled ahead of schedule.

But, there was no other way.

The “Steel Raven Battle” is very important, but the current season opener is just as crucial.

“Ah.

Ah!”

Tomlin also roared, releasing pressure for the first time since the game had begun.

The release was also brief.

Tomlin immediately regained his reason and composure, continuing to deploy his troops.

Because Tomlin knew Reed’s capabilities and the potential of the Kansas City Chiefs, plus the fact that this is Arrowhead Stadium, the defending champions’ momentum was strong; any small break could become a turning point to overturn the situation, they must pursue their advantage and continue to expand their lead.

Starting with the Special Duty Group—

This too was an ace in the hole.

“Beautiful!”

“Clearly, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ kickoff this time was well-calculated and arranged.”

“The visiting team chose to intentionally kick short and create a rolling ball to disrupt the returner’s catch; at the same time, the Special Duty Group quickly followed up to initiate hits and tackles, refusing to let the home team touch the ball, keeping the football rolling.”

“In the end.”

“The football ended up on the five-yard line.”

“Wow, the kickoff strategy this time really brought an unexpected surprise.

After the half-time break, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still firmly in control of the game’s rhythm.”

“Now, the Kansas Chiefs Offense must start their offense from just five yards away from the end zone line, which is still a predicament for the defending champions.”

The situation became even more tangled.

Over there, the Pittsburgh Steelers were making frequent big moves to seize the initiative.

Here, the Kansas City Chiefs also had to engage in the opponent’s rhythm, forced to adapt on the fly, testing Reed’s ability to command on the spot once again.

The front of the end zone, the five-yard line.

That also means Mahomes has to kick off near the end zone line, Li Wei’s position can be parallel or retreating, but in such a position, no matter the tactic, it’s hard to fully operate freely, they must be cautious, even more cautious.

And the Kansas City Chiefs’ choice was—

the double running back tactic.

Li Wei and Hunter took the field at the same time.

For most teams, the core strategy of the double running back tactic lies in the cooperation between the two running backs, whether it’s for blocking, decoys or misdirection; ultimately, it still revolves around running the ball.

However, the Chiefs’ double running back tactic was different; both Li Wei and Hunter were dual-threats, capable of running and catching, which meant the strategy wasn’t limited to ground advancement and suddenly opened up more possibilities, creating opportunities right in front of the end zone.

Moreover, the Pittsburgh Steelers had to consider a key question:

Was Li Wei a decoy or the ball-carrier?

The air suddenly became tense, as the crowds from both teams bustled around the Chiefs’ end zone line, the space extremely crowded.

Then—

The ball was snapped.

Steelers cornerback Artie Burns held his breath tightly; from the start of the first quarter, he had been under persistent pressure from Li Wei and Kelsey.

Even though he was a cornerback, he was often taken advantage of by players larger than him, with no respite in the second quarter either.

It seemed as if he was the only one fighting a solo battle within the team.

The feeling was simply terrible.

He wanted to strike back.

He wasn’t going to be the one pushed around on the ground; he was supposed to be the master in the game of dominance, the one holding the whip.

Now, the opportunity had come.

Burns didn’t care whether the Chiefs were throwing up smoke bombs; he aimed at his side and prepared to pounce like a tiger down the mountain, seeking to overpower with momentum.

“Attack!”

With the command, Burns shoved Kelsey in front of him and recklessly broke past the scrimmage line into the pocket.

Blitz!

The Steelers’ defensive strategy for this play centered around just one core concept—

the blitz.

Firstly, there had been no blitz in the whole second quarter, and now, they sought the element of surprise.

Secondly, positioning was crucial; the spots right in front of the end zone were a rare opportunity, and this was the defensive group’s chance.

So, with a strong concentrated effort, they would overpower the many.

The Steelers’ defensive group rolled up their sleeves, completely disregarding the Chiefs Offense’s tactics, and threw themselves into the fray in an unreasonable manner, instantly unleashing tremendous energy.

An overwhelming force!

Burns was stepping up; he was momentarily deceived by Kelsey’s feint, so much so that his own move was not fluid, and a figure had already stepped ahead of him from the right, his peripheral vision capturing only a blur—

Morgan Burnett, the safety who had transferred from the Green Bay Packers this season, now acting as the fifth back, with his primary task to closely mark Li Wei.

Burnett took the lead, not choosing to wait in the short pass area for Li Wei, but instead charging like a tiger leaping over the scrimmage line into the end zone.

Burns: Damn it, my glory is going to be stolen.

Not willing to be outdone, Burns also sped up, plunging into the end zone in pursuit.

The target, Li Wei?

No, Hunter.

Obviously, the other side with Li Wei was also hard-hit, facing a triple team; the Chiefs had anticipated the Steelers would focus on Li Wei, so they cleverly used him as a decoy, and Mahomes handed the football to Hunter—

Nobody could blame Reed for being conservative.

Mahomes’ pass completion rate in the second quarter was poor, both his route choices and defensive reads were rough; he was still young and needed polishing.

After the halftime break, Mahomes’ head was still a bit confused; rather than let the Steelers go all out to capture the young quarterback, it was better to hand the football to the running back and rely on personal ability to break through.@@novelbin@@

At least, to advance three to five yards first and escape the dangerous quagmire of the end zone.

Hunter took a deep breath, his eyes lit up, showing that his moment to prove himself had come, a chance to demonstrate he was every bit as good as Li Wei and Bell.

Bend the knees, lower the shoulders, push off the ground!