Chapter 798: 797 Sleeping on Brushwood and Tasting Gall

For a moment, engrossed elsewhere, the New England Patriots were sucked into the rhythm of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Belichick also failed to come up with a better response.

The situation was slipping towards the Kansas City Chiefs.

What was worse, the Kansas City Chiefs executed a bulldozer style ground offense that was not slow, methodically advancing—

One link following another.

The New England Patriots had no time to breathe, their front-line defense, which had performed well all season, was dizzy in the strange offensive rhythm of the Kansas City Chiefs, losing themselves in their breathing, footsteps, and heartbeat. They were just coming out of halftime but felt unable to keep up.

After pressing forward for over four minutes, the Kansas City Chiefs had already approached the twenty-yard line of the opposite half of the field. This was perhaps the most steady yet unstoppable offense of the entire game, reminiscent of musketeers advancing a formation of cold-weapon infantry, leaving the New England Patriots no room to retreat.

Then!

The New England Patriots, as if waking from a dream, finally managed to turn the situation around slightly. Amid a full retreat and compression in the defensive area, they showed their defensive strength twice in a row—

Capturing Li Wei and heroically grabbing Kelsey just in time, pushing the Kansas City Chiefs into a third and six situation.

Barely steadying themselves.

As the Kansas City Chiefs moved ever closer to the Red Zone, the confrontation between the two teams became increasingly fierce and hard; simultaneously, the New England Patriots exploded with energy, the Defensive group clawing back some disadvantage, with the confrontation’s smoke filling the air.

But Belichick still dared not relax:

In this wave of offense, the Kansas Chiefs Offense was highly focused. Even facing a third and long, everything was under Reed’s calm and measured plan. What seemed like a third-down crisis was actually all under Reed’s control, leaving the New England Patriots still in a difficult situation.

A slight lapse in attention, and the New England Patriots might face a counterattack at the start of the second half.

Belichick had not forgotten and would not forget the humiliation of last year’s divisional game, once was enough, there was no need to experience it a second time.

The rain kept falling.

Belichick covered his mouth with the tactic board, continually issuing orders, determined to ramp up the defensive intensity and pace before the Red Zone.

Opposite, the Kansas City Chiefs continued in their pistol formation unswervingly.

Moreover, Mahomes, without any hesitation, signaled the start of the play, seemingly unaffected by the third and long situation.

“Attack!”

After the snap, with a turn, Mahomes extended his right hand towards Li Wei—

A handoff? Or a fake play as a smoke bomb?

In that split second, the New England Patriots’ Defensive group momentarily hesitated. Their bodies, tensed to the extreme, leaned forward initially, ready to intercept Li Wei; but their strength and speed were not fully unleashed, fearing a full forward pressure might lead them all astray if Mahomes managed a well-timed fake run.

Sure enough, in the next instant, Mahomes pulled the Football back.

Adjusted on the spot, looking up to observe.

Belichick: Dangerous.

Here on the edge of the Red Zone, on one hand, the area the New England Patriots needed to cover was condensed, allowing their defensive intensity to be increased; on the other hand, the Kansas City Chiefs’ passing offense also had less area to cover, enhancing their offensive pace. Mahomes only needed quick short passes to deliver lethal blows.

At this moment, watching Mahomes’ observant actions, Belichick’s heart tightened, feeling both tension and a surge of excitement.

“Accurately predicted!”

A fake run but a real pass.

Reed was still Reed; the long ground-offensive setup ultimately pivoted back to a passing game.

If the quarterback were Smith, Reed might still rely on Li Wei, especially since crucial moments required explosive power from the rookie; but now, with Mahomes as quarterback, the passing play also had its own explosive power in critical moments. Given Reed’s personality, the probability of opting for a pass play soared.

Especially since this entire wave of attack centered on ground offense.

The only difference was, when would the stealth passing attack come?

That was all.

It was all about timing, Reed was waiting, Belichick was calculating; it was a gamble.

After losing to the Kansas Chiefs twice, and barely winning in the sixth week of the regular season, Belichick remained vigilant, repeatedly studying game footage to try and fathom Reed’s psyche and accurately predict Reed’s critical choices.

Like now.

Belichick was pleased: his prediction was accurate.

The New England Patriots’ defensive group made a noticeable stepping-forward movement, ostensibly preparing for ground defense, but they were poised, seemingly wary of Hill, Kelsey, or Watkins acting as running back beyond Li Wei’s role, and hesitant to make a move; but in reality, they were truly guarded against the pass defense.

So.

When Mahomes began to locate his passing targets, Van Noy made his move—

There it was.

They had been biding their time, honing their strategy, waiting for such a moment to deliver a shock lesson to the passionate yet inexperienced rookies of the Kansas Chiefs; a Super Bowl victory might be luck, but climbing the summit a second time or defending the title wouldn’t be that easy.

Tap tap, tap tap tap.

Van Noy quickly retreated, and it wasn’t just him—Hightower and Roberts also fully pulled back.

This wasn’t man-to-man coverage, but zone defense.

In just a second, the entire demeanor of the New England Patriots’ defense shifted, revealing sharp fangs, ready to fiercely harm the Kansas Chiefs Offense.

Retreating while observing, Van Noy quickly confirmed his judgment—

Kelsey, Hill, Watkins—all their receiving points scattered, each within just over twenty yards of the end zone, filled with red figures.

Among them, Hill led the charge, swiftly and agilely heading straight for the end zone.

Van Noy swiftly adjusted his center of gravity, his gaze shifting back to Mahomes like a rhinoceros looking at the moon, searching for Mahomes’ passing direction.

Belichick’s tactics were precise and sharp; the defensive line applied full pressure, and though it was just the basic four-man rush, this time with tactical cooperation, it pressured the opposing offensive line, indirectly impacting Mahomes to keep him from passing comfortably.

Thus, Van Noy saw Mahomes taking small steps back, trying to find space to adjust, while also widening his perspective for secondary defense reading.

Hill?

Van Noy noticed Mahomes’ gaze and reacted immediately.

The next second, Mahomes passed the ball.

Van Noy’s heart tightened: indeed, it was towards Hill.

Digging in, powering up, speed unleashed.

As Van Noy sprinted furiously trying to gain some space in the race against the football, he continued to watch Mahomes’ passing trajectory to find an appropriate defensive position.

Then.

Van Noy was astounded: …

Li Wei?

Why would Li Wei be here?

Wasn’t Li Wei supposed to act as a decoy, then become the sixth man on the offensive line to protect Mahomes, ultimately rendered useless because the New England Patriots deciphered their strategy?

Why did Mahomes turn around and lightly toss the football back to Li Wei?

What the heck!

Running the ball?

The Kansas Chiefs chose to run the ball again? Had Reed lost his mind?

…Darn.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com