Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 628: 627 Soaring Hurdles Chapter 628: 627 Soaring Hurdles “Brady Gronkowski,” in third gear, ten yards to go, the New England Patriots offensive group’s most legendary and powerful duo took the stage once again.

But this time, the Kansas City Chiefs had anticipated this, surrounding him with three players, completely blocking him, instantly engulfing Gronkowski in a quicksand.

However!

This tight end, at the peak of his career, displayed his adaptability in a flash, breaking away from Fuller, squeezing past Houston, and then jumping on the spot to compete for the ball with Regland.

Four people.

Eight hands.

Not just Regland, Houston also stretched out both hands trying to disrupt the catch.

Yet Gronkowski resisted the pressure, forcefully snatched the football from the chaos; pushing and shoving, maximizing his physical advantage, clumsily dragging along Fuller who was clinging to him, forcefully making his way past Houston, like a bulldozer.

He pushed forward five yards.

Five yards, just five yards, ultimately failing to convert on third gear, the New England Patriots faced fourth and five, but Gronkowski’s toughness and ferocity amidst being surrounded by three players once again ignited the passion at Gillette Stadium, with a thunderous roar descending from the stands.

The New England Patriots advanced to near the thirty-yard line—

The outcome of the game was now in the hands of the special duty group.

With only five seconds left in the game, no matter what happened next, the Kansas Chiefs Offense had no chance to reenter the field and attempt a “Wanfu Mary,” unless the Kansas City Chiefs could intercept or recover a fumble for a touchdown in the upcoming special duty group’s play; otherwise, it all depended on the kicker now—

Stephen Gostkowski.

The New England Patriots had a chance to win the game, Gostkowski was preparing to try a forty-seven-yard field goal.

It was challenging, risky, with many variables.

Last season, Gostkowski’s attempts from beyond fifty yards were all successful in his four tries; however, for field goals between forty and forty-nine yards, he hit eight out of eleven tries.

It seemed odd.

Not just last year, but since entering the league in 2006 and becoming the starting kicker for the New England Patriots, Gostkowski had always been this way, performing exceptionally well on either shorter or much longer field goals, but often missing within the forty to forty-nine-yard range.

Currently, he faced a forty-seven-yard field goal.

Every gaze in the packed stadium focused on Gostkowski.

“Timeout!”

Reed had been observing and waiting all along, not waiting for Gostkowski to start his run-up but calling for a timeout before he adjusted his breathing, prepared to start, in an attempt to disturb Gostkowski’s breathing rhythm, since keeping the timeout served no purpose—

If Gostkowski missed the field goal, the teams would remain tied, and overtime would see timeouts reset, with each team getting two new opportunities to call a timeout.

So, there was no point in saving it.

Clearly, Belichick thought the same, not sending Gostkowski back onto the field after Kansas City Chiefs’ timeout had ended, but instead using one immediately himself, allowing Gostkowski to continue adjusting his breath and state off-field.

From a strategic analysis perspective, overtime was equally opportunistic for both teams, with similar waves of offense and defense for both.

Likely another intense battle was in store; however, the younger Kansas City Chiefs had a slight edge in stamina, so Belichick did not want to prolong the game; they needed to seal the win.

After back-to-back timeouts, Gillette Stadium was more boisterous than ever, with the temperature and pressure continuing to rise.

Then, the special duty group finally took the field again.

There was Li Wei, conspicuously present.

Though Li Wei was not a defensive player and rarely appeared in the special duty group, at this crucial moment, he reappeared.

Childres looked towards Reed with slight concern.

Reed, expressionless, spoke slowly, “Be patient.

Maintain patience.

He knows what he’s doing.”

Gaze, calm and steady, looking towards Li Wei—

This young team, led by sophomores and juniors, needed to endure a trial, an examination.

Those experiences did not come out of nowhere and had no shortcuts; they had to accumulate through game after game, eventually evolving into the nourishment for a transformative championship.

Li Wei was no exception.

So, Reed believed in Li Wei, believed in these youngsters, letting them go all out.

Gostkowski, noticing Li Wei entering the field, was slightly taken aback, clueless about what this guy was doing running onto the field.

But that didn’t matter.

Keeping calm, focusing on oneself, that was the kicker’s core strategy, no matter who the opponent was, the kicker must focus entirely on himself.

Taking a deep breath, Gostkowski was ready.

Directly ahead, the confrontation line was still in place; the offensive lines of the New England Patriots and the Kansas Chiefs stood on the thirty-yard line, all bending down to lower their centers of gravity, supporting themselves with one hand on the ground, their eyes sharply fixed on the opponent, ready to charge like bulls.

“Kickoff!”

The center, calling out the signal.

Bang, bang, bang.

In an instant, everyone started with a frontal collision, stirring up a roaring air wave.

However, there was an exception.

A figure stood up, stomped on the ground, exerted force, and leaped—

With just three steps of adjustment, the whole person, in a standard hurdling posture, incredibly leaped over the substantial barriers formed by the confronting offensive lines.

Stunning!

Astonishment!

Fear!

The entire stadium fell silent, the heartbeat seemed to be cut off, no one dared to believe their eyes, everyone’s mouth agape, watching this scene like frogs.

The Special Duty Group’s offensive line of the New England Patriots was no exception, even without looking up, they could feel the looming crisis overhead.

A shadow, like a bomber flying low overhead, was unmistakably White Twenty-Three.

Li Wei.

Accelerating, exerting force, leaping!

Hurdling!

Such a fantastical, incredible move was actually successful.

Li Wei crossed the barrier, completely disregarding the opponent’s offensive line as if it were a fence, completed the leap in no time but had no time to rejoice.

His toes touched the ground, continuing to dash forward, his arms fully extended, swinging left and right like windshield wipers, obstructing Gostkowski’s line of sight.

Charging forward while blocking.

The next second, a blur of reddish-brown streaked past.

Li Wei already felt the pull of gravity, his body falling, but Li Wei didn’t give up, still stretching out his palm, his upper body reaching its limit, trying to complete a block.

So close, just a tiny bit more.

Fingertips, seeming to touch the football yet seemingly not.

Then, a surge of air swept past his fingertips as the current whirled by.

Li Wei was already unable to turn his head, feeling the pull of gravity.

His body, heavy like a chunk of metal, sank rapidly, a flood of green surrounding him.

The next second, a roar of cheers and screams flooded his ears.

Li Wei agilely rolled over, propping up his upper body with his hands, watching helplessly as the football grazed the left goalpost and smoothly entered the goal.

It was just that small difference, yet ultimately it was close but no cigar.

“45:48”.

The score, finally set, the away team ahead, the home team behind.

Another epic game had come to an end.