Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 1454: Confrontation Escalation
In a rugby match, don't be afraid of getting into trouble, because this is one of the core elements of the round-based game, but how to face the difficulties is the key.

At this time, Shanahan showed his coaching talent, braked in time, stayed awake, deployed troops continuously, and controlled the situation in the first place.

Less than a minute after losing the ball due to an interception at the edge of the end zone, they turned the tide and got back into the game before sliding further into the abyss.

Shanahan's inside-out study of the Kansas City Chiefs finally came in handy, as the Kansas City Chiefs faced one of the toughest and most suffocating defensive opponents of the season.

Short pass. Ground. Pace.

Without exception.

It felt like being trapped in a fishing net. Although I was still free and could breathe and move, I couldn't completely get rid of it no matter how hard I struggled.

Too annoying.

Neither Mahomes nor Levi encountered direct pressure, which gave Mahomes enough time to pass the ball and Levi enough space to start. However, as long as they crossed the line of scrimmage, they would immediately face an airtight zone defense and fall into a passive position in an instant.

Every confrontation seems sticky and gummy.

The San Francisco 49ers defense played with extreme patience, not rushing to make a fatal blow, but playing steadily and unhurriedly, not being greedy, impatient or reckless, and slowly dragging the Kansas City Chiefs into the mud step by step.

then……

The pace of the game continued to slow down and the stalemate continued.

The first quarter was over in a blink of an eye, and the Kansas City Chiefs' offense had only pushed a short distance past the half court. The two sides had only played three waves of offense and defense, and the third wave had not yet been completed. This was completely different from the past two Super Bowls, but the intensity of the confrontation had risen to a whole level -

Real veteran and professional football fans can see that the two teams are evenly matched in the fierce battle, with one exciting match after another.

Sure enough, it lived up to everyone’s expectations!
Entering the second quarter, the confrontation continued to be stalemate, the San Francisco 49ers were still resisting tenaciously, and the Kansas City Chiefs were still advancing slowly.

however!
Despite the difficulties, struggles, and stalemates, the Kansas City Chiefs showed their patience and strength in this wave of offense, proving with practical actions:
They are not only good at blitzkrieg, but also have strength in positional warfare. It is a difficult task for any defensive team in the league to defend them.

Six minutes and 47 seconds after Mahomes and Levy's offensive wave came on the field, the Kansas City Chiefs finally advanced into the red zone with great difficulty.

Then, the San Francisco 49ers also demonstrated their league-leading red zone defense, raising the entire rhythm, intensity and momentum to a higher level.

On the first down, Mahomes' fake pass and run tactic did not work. The San Francisco 49ers' defense was highly focused and set up a tight net near the line of scrimmage. Levi was trapped in a human wall composed of five overlapping players. He could not find space to break through and crashed into the wall.

Bang!
Hit the wall head-on!

Kelsey came over immediately, stretched out his right hand, and pulled Levi up, "Hey, man, I'm sorry."

When the defense team uses the human wave tactics to build the Great Wall, the offensive team's opening will play a more important role in the ground offense.

Just as the San Francisco 49ers rely on tight end Kittle to open the way, Kelce also needs to step up and complete the task.

Kelsey knew Levi, and a gap was enough, but he failed to stay in position, causing the opposing defense to close the door in time, which led to Levi hitting the wall.

Levi smiled and patted Kelsey on the shoulder, "I was just sweating."

Just one sentence made Kelsey smile.

Levi turned and looked at the sidelines of the court, and had a brief conversation with Mahomes, who immediately completed the conversation with Reid through the helmet headset - in the red zone, Levi's threat factor was slightly reduced. After all, he was not a bulldozer like Henry, and he needed space to start and change direction; however, the San Francisco 49ers did not let down their guard at all. In fact, Shanahan even focused on defending Levi.

Because Shanahan knows Levi's position in the Kansas City Chiefs, Reid also relies on Levi's big heart at critical moments to some extent.

Sure enough, Shanahan successfully blocked a ground attack by the Kansas Chiefs.

Now, all eyes and pressure are focused on Levi. Anyone with a discerning eye can feel the stalemate, and the air is almost burning.

The confrontation between the two teams continued to heat up. From the last wave of offense and defense to this wave of entanglement, on the surface, the game has been stalemate and there has been no obvious progress. However, the confrontation between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs is continuing to escalate. Reid and Shanahan frequently made moves and the game was fully in shape.

After all, this is already the second quarter of the game.

On second down, the Kansas City Chiefs were in the red zone at this moment, only eight yards from the end zone, so first down and second down were still there.

Without warning, the San Francisco 49ers pounced.

So far this season, Shanahan has only used the quarterback raid tactic twice. This is the third time. Because the San Francisco 49ers are not good at rushing the pass, and also because the San Francisco 49ers need to consider the threat of Levi, the "raid" needs to remain sudden and appear at unexpected times.

For example, right in front of you.

The San Francisco 49ers' surprise attack did not disrupt their own formation. Their main strategy was to take advantage of the characteristics of the nickel back and unexpectedly cut into the pocket. Together with four defensive frontmen, they formed a five-man pass rush. With the cooperation of the five players, they tried to capture the ball by switching positions.

In other words, the player who sacks the quarterback is not necessarily the nickel back. It may be the nickel back who fills in, and then any player on the defensive line tries to sack him. Of course, it may also be the nickel back.

Such a strategy ensures that the San Francisco 49ers can still attempt raids when rotating, thus ensuring Shanahan's tactical flexibility.

The uncertainty hidden in the raid gives the San Francisco 49ers some tactical advantages and makes up for the shortcomings of the players' individual raiding abilities.

At this time, cornerback Kiwan, who served as the nickel back, stepped forward, without hesitation and with full concentration, rushed out of the crowd and ran towards Mahomes.

When Reid thought that the San Francisco 49ers were still focusing their defense on Levi, Shanahan had already quietly planned this quarterback raid.

The game between change and constancy is ongoing, and the key to everything falls on Ji Wan's shoulders.

However, there were so many people that Ji Wan could see countless figures passing by his eyes.

Levi.

Levi didn’t stay in the pocket and rushed forward along the slot at the first opportunity.

Seeing Ji Wan head-on, Levi still did not stop. He even pulled sideways to change track to ensure that his speed would not be affected by collision and friction.

So far in tonight's game, Ji Wan is mainly responsible for defending Levi, not one-on-one, but to grasp the center of gravity in the zone defense to ensure that Levi cannot escape their net.

Therefore, Ji Wan couldn't help but glance at Levi out of the corner of his eye.

Levi, what's going on?

As Shanahan tries to shift the focus from Levi to Mahomes, what is Reid plotting?
As expected, they are the two coaches with the thickest tactical manuals in the league. There is no breathing time or idle time, and every minute and every second is filled with calculations and games.

(End of this chapter)