Chapter 1398: Chapter 1397: A Lone Hand Cannot Clap
"13:28".
The score remains unchanged.
There are still two minutes and seventeen seconds left in the first half, three timeouts, and the ball possession is in the hands of the Houston Texans.
Anything is possible; in an instant, the whole world unfolds before Watson’s eyes, and he involuntarily becomes passionate and full of fighting spirit.
Ambitions rise again.
Facts prove that Watson does have the capability, O’Brien indeed came prepared, and the Houston Texans offensive group seized the opportunity once again.
One minute and forty-five seconds later, the Houston Texans have already crossed the halfway mark and entered within the Kansas City Chiefs’ thirty-five-yard line; but clearly, O’Brien is not satisfied with just a free kick, they urgently need a touchdown.
However, the Kansas City Chiefs defense doesn’t relent, giving a critical blow with a pressure through rushing, forcing Watson to make a hurried play:
Incomplete pass.
Couple that with a ten-yard effective stop on running back Hyde earlier, the Kansas City Chiefs suddenly forced the Houston Texans to face a Third Gear ten-yard predicament.
O’Brien is forced to use his second timeout, reorganizing the tactical layout.
Forty seconds later, Watson announces the snap.
"Attack!"
The impact bursts forth, sending waves of energy. The Houston Texans offensive line consciously spreads out, establishing one-on-one matchups, firmly containing the Kansas City Chiefs defensive line’s potential raid threat, a brand new attempt.
Because the Kansas City Chiefs only have three defensive linemen, even if the linemen step up, they are locked in their positions by the one-on-one matchup, unless the Kansas City Chiefs opt for a six-man rush, it’d be hard to break through.
The Kansas City Chiefs do not.
Actually, Chris Jones faces a double block, and his initial attempt to break free hits a wall and falls into the opponent’s trap.
Watson gains a supremely safe pocket, his steps are completely relaxed.
However, time is ticking away, the Houston Texans don’t have leisure to stroll, Watson must still make a quick play, his vision scanning across the field rapidly, capturing the momentum and the trajectory between the offense and defense, seeking openings.
Hopkins!
Still Hopkins, his extraordinary route running tears through the crowd, despite facing double coverage, his nimble steps still rip open a small gap, slightly pushing open a window for Watson.
Pass?
Watson lifts his right hand, decisively setting up to pass, the feigned action sends jitters through the entire Kansas City Chiefs defensive group, it’s clear to see the safeties, linebackers are shifting their balance, trying to edge towards Hopkins.
After all, the end zone isn’t far, once Hopkins catches the ball, even a moment’s blink could morph into a touchdown.
Hold your breath in an instant!
But in the next second—
Fake move!
Watson retrieves his right hand, decisively holding the ball himself, rushing out.
This is not a passing play but a standard Read Option offense.
Hopkins did have a chance, but he never fully shook off the defense, the passing window for Watson was too narrow; moreover, the offensive line’s individual matchup strategy breaks open the pocket like a scattergun, leaving Watson minimal time for further observation.
Watson didn’t spot a linebacker shadowing him, thus decisively acts.
Everything happens very suddenly, catching the Kansas City Chiefs defense off guard.
Step step, step step.
Watson’s steps have crossed the snap line, vertically breaking along the slot.
Instantly, alarms go off.
Linebacker Higgins, Regland; Cornerback Fowler, safeties Matty, Sorensen, scattered across different positions, all quickly react and change direction, rushing towards Watson, attempting to complete an encirclement rapidly.
But the Houston Texans offensive group players all change their strategy on the spot, trying to disrupt the pursuit.
At this very moment, a figure breaks free—
Defensive End Chris Jones.
In a disadvantage facing a two-on-one, Jones doesn’t have room to breathe nor time to adjust; but his gaze remains firmly fixed on Watson, never shifting.
Jones is the first to realize the Read Option offense.
Sadly, cannot break free.
Jones makes a swift decision, takes a step back, forcibly shakes off the entanglement of two opponents, sacrificing some space in exchange, pounces horizontally towards Watson.
Nonetheless, Jones is almost exhausted, amidst chaos and jostling, his push-off action fails to fully exert, watching Watson step sideways, deftly evading him, passing by his view.
Jones: Damn!
Yet Jones’s move is not in vain, not only forcing Watson to alter his route but slightly delaying Watson, earning his teammates some time.
Higgins, Fowler, and Matty have already swiftly closed in.
Watson’s steps are agile, advancing continuously before the encirclement fully closes in, seemingly about to burst through ten yards completing the challenging conversion of Third Gear long yardage.
At this point, Matty and Fowler lunged left and right.
Bam!
Three bodies converge without buffering or relaxation, viciously colliding.
Watson’s chest feels suffocated, the three forces stagger, surprisingly not hitting solidly, Watson manages to retain a strange balance barely standing, he hasn’t had time to consider whether he should take advantage to tumble down, but the conversion line is almost within reach, an unfinished chance would be too regrettable, then the next burst of force already flies from the left horizontally.
Tackled at the waist!
It was no doubt Higgins.
The force surges powerfully and unreasonably hits Watson’s left elbow.
Before Watson completes the conversion in one breath, he already feels the embrace in his hands loosen.
Damnation!
Everything changes rapidly, the eyes and brain almost unable to keep up.
The supine Jones accurately captures in the halo the mischievous arc of red-brown leaping free from Watson’s grip.
The football is free again.
Jones crawls forward, hands and feet in a scramble for two steps, arms open, not lying waiting on the ground, utilizing abdominal strength to make a sit-up, arms aiming for the football, amidst chaos scooping, patting.
The football nestles into Jones’s embrace.
Then Jones’s abs fails to withstand the force, the whole body crashes back to the ground.
The entire Arrowhead Stadium wildly opens eyes, striving to locate the football; in the live TV broadcast comes Nantz’s excited and hoarse roaring almost transforming.
"Fumble!"
"Turnover!"
"Second time, Houston Texans lose ball possession the second time, one interception and one fumble, two mistakes nullify the Houston Texans’ retaliatory drive completely, the Kansas City Chiefs firmly seize the opportunity to turn the tide."
"Watson’s Read Option offense completely fools the opponent, Kansas City Chiefs defense didn’t anticipate this scene, Watson nearly completes the Third Gear ten-yard conversion; but at the end line faces fierce resistance from the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning champions not only intercept Watson again but also achieve ball possession conversion once again."
"Unbelievable!"
"God, oh God!"
On the sideline, O’Brien watching Watson’s continuance unable to contain his excitement, brain firing at high speed; yet he doesn’t have the chance to proceed, halted abruptly, heart from heights freely falling smashing to the ground, shattered.