Chapter 1389: Chapter 1388: Beyond Imagination
Pass? Run? Or maybe the Chiefs Special?
Tough to decipher.
But there’s no time to ponder, because the Kansas City Chiefs have already lined up, fully implementing their strategy to boost offensive pace without hesitation.
Danger, Crennel immediately realizes the danger.
Just like the Tennessee Titans in the last divisional game, he watched that game tape over fifty times, every detail, every turn, every tactic deeply imprinted in his mind.
Now, Crennel recognizes the Kansas Chiefs Offense’s determination emanating from within, louder than words.
"JJ."
Crennel loudly calls out first.
In his urgency, Crennel even bypasses O’Brien and shouts directly.
"JJ!"
Watt turns his head, and Crennel, without hesitation, gestures decisively.
Watt doesn’t have time to question or ask; he immediately nods, looks forward, and gets ready.
Indeed, the opponents have started moving, Kansas City’s Wuju Merchant offense is too resolute, leaving no breathing room for the defensive group, forcing Watt to quickly focus or suffer.
Crennel doesn’t speak again, but stands on the sidelines, on tiptoe, craning his neck, staring intently at Li Wei.
Yes, Li Wei, he’s already moving -
"Cheating Motion."
Cheating Motion in Wuju Merchant offense? No, it’s not Wuju Merchant, because before this strong Fourth Down, Mahomes briefly communicated with the offensive group for only five seconds.
But there’s no time to think further.
Li Wei leaves the pocket, moves laterally, passes Kelsey and Hardman’s positions, continues moving, seemingly about to cut into the outside sideline area.
At this moment, "Attack!"
With Mahomes’s snap command, Li Wei retracts, runs back behind Kelsey, while Kelsey and Hardman charge forward.
Originally matched with Kelsey, cornerback Robbie sees Li Wei appearing in front of him inexplicably, grinning like a clown.
Robbie, shocked, barely has time to think, turns to follow Kelsey’s steps, stumbling out, still staring at Li Wei.
This brief misalignment allows Li Wei and Kelsey to capture attention, while Hardman speeds along the sideline -
Sprinting, head down sprinting.
Hardman charges through the safety position, Houston Texans’ entire defensive line presses forward, safety and cornerback’s attention fully drawn by Li Wei and Kelsey, Hardman’s break goes unnoticed, his speed fully unleashed.
Stay calm, stay calm!
Hardman enters the state, steps beyond the twenty-yard line, passes the fifteen-yard line, stops near the ten-yard line, and looks back.
Mahomes, passes -
Aiming at Hardman.
Only a fifteen-yard middle pass, Mahomes can raise the pace, complete the pass before pressure from the defensive line steps in, glancing with peripheral vision sees Watt advancing forcefully, Houston Texans’ defense ready to blitz.
Yet, Mahomes comes prepared this time, ahead of Watt by steps, only three or four steps away from Mahomes as Watt crosses the snap line entering the pocket, Mahomes releases the ball with a flick of the wrist, the football shoots out like a bullet.
Whoosh.
The sound splits the air, showcasing Mahomes’s power.
But!
Bang.
The football couldn’t fly far, crashing against a wall.
Mahomes is startled, that, shockingly, is Watt’s block!
What happened?
At the snap, Watt unreservedly steps forward, forcefully breaking into the pocket, seemingly an all-out blitz.
In fact, it was not.
Watt’s real goal is interception block, a bold strategy by Crennel to counter "Cheating Motion," neither blitzing the quarterback nor zone defense against receivers worked well against Kansas Chiefs, the entire league was helpless.
Crennel proposed a possibility, could they intercept the pass?
In "Cheating Motion," Mahomes releases the ball quickly, avoids pressure from the defensive line step, mostly short to medium throws, to boost connection speed, Mahomes often opts for straightforward bullet passes, relying on Li Wei or Hill’s speed to rip through defenses.
The toughest part is, in Kansas Chiefs’ "Cheating Motion," initiator may be Li Wei, but receiving point could be Hill or Hardman.
Look at the Titans’ first touchdown given away in the last divisional game, such embarrassment.
If they accurately predict the pass target and intercept in the middle?
Harder than ascending the sky, but worth a try, as "Cheating Motion" seemed unsolvable, why not take a risk?
Thus, the current scene emerged.
Watt feigned forward blitz but kept an eye on coverage, noticed Li Wei and Kelsey’s shields, and Hardman’s vertical break.
The route, vivid in his mind.
Then, what Watt needs is to be horizontally positioned in the passing lane, using volleyball blocking gesture to complete the block.
The key is Watt’s fast reaction, intercept before the bullet pass breakthrough.
Bam!
Watt only feels his right palm completely numb, the tremendous force impacts him, he, intercepts successfully.
Watt doesn’t mind his palm, holds breath, quickly looks up, seeking the football’s position -
Grab, it’s a chance to grab!
Immediately, Watt realizes how hard it is to intercept, letting the ball fall directly like volleyball block, just now the football hit Watt’s palm finger tip, powerfully impacting, though Watt intercepted, didn’t block successfully, football soared skyward.
"Ha!"
"Intercept! Grab!"
"God, Mahomes’s pass was blocked by Watt."
"What, how did this happen, has ’Cheating Motion’ finally found a solution?"
Everything happened too fast, Nantz and Romo barely catch it, their sight follows the rising football.
Crennel holds breath, eyes the rising trajectory of the football, heart stuck in throat, nearly forgetting to breathe.
Watt, stepping back, adjusting center of gravity with small steps, forms a net gesture at chest, prepares to catch the falling football.
At this moment, a red figure swiftly approaches, jumps before Watt leaps, body completely overshadows Watt, covering Watt’s view entirely.
That, shockingly, is Li Wei!
Li Wei stretches his right hand fully, in a gesture reaching for the stars, at peak body elevation, snatches the fast-spinning football from the air.
Single hand! Envelop! Control!
Holding breath, a Thousand Pounds Drop, presses Watt down, using gravity to quickly descend, breaks Watt’s balance and pushes off.
Thud.
A dull sound, Watt flies back, the counterforce also sends Li Wei soaring, Li Wei can’t control feet or center of gravity, stumbles and crashes outward.
Yet, Li Wei utilizes this momentum force, pushes ahead!
The arena, stunned, what did they just witness?
Nantz: ...
Romo: ...
Exchanging glances, dumbstruck.