Chapter 813: 812 Burning Soul Chapter 813: 812 Burning Soul “Li Wei! Li Wei! Li Wei!”
In a grand and thunderous manner, a unified chant reverberated over Arrowhead Stadium, calling out the sa na in unison.
Igniting the soul.
Mad. Completely mad. Totally insane—
Li Wei had fully lost it.
Ground rushing: 123 yards, two rushing touchdowns.
Receiving: 103 yards, two receiving touchdowns.
The ga was still ongoing, but the data had already driven the comntators into a frenzy.
Dominating completely. With an unrivaled stance, an unstoppable vigor, practically single-handedly tearing apart the New England Patriots’ defensive group, smashing this highly anticipated Arican League championship into a crescendo.
Living up to expectations!
From the prega, the fourth “GOAT vs. rookie” collision had already drawn countless eyes; paired with the Gillette Stadium incident, it had added even more drama.
Now the rookie was showing a state fully comparable to the GOAT, truly thrilling the spectators, making it impossible for anyone to sit still.
Exhilarating!
The fourth-quarter score swept away the suffocating atmosphere of the previous three quarters, rekindling the exhilaration of their Week 6 regular-season clash—offense red-hot, trading blow for blow.
Of course, the Kansas City Chiefs were the main protagonists, currently boasting four touchdowns from the defending champions, three of which ca in the fourth quarter as they erupted with full might.
Both teams’ defensive groups were falling apart and had receded entirely, giving way completely to the offensive lines—
“Offensive showdown,” realized to perfection!
Yet, despite the thrill, one had to be mindful: most of the excitent was coming from the Kansas City Chiefs, and more precisely, from Mahos and Li Wei.
In stark contrast, the New England Patriots’ Brady remained in a slump.
Since the second half began, Brady had yet to connect on a passing touchdown. At this point, two of the Patriots’ three touchdowns ca from their running back, Michel.
Moreover, facing the fully unleashed Kansas City Chiefs in the second half, the Patriots managed just one rushing touchdown, which also explained their deficit.
“24:28.”
The scale of victory was subtly tilting toward the Kansas City Chiefs, with the lead and the montum entirely in the hands of the defending champions. The New England Patriots were half-footed off the edge of a cliff, teetering, dangerously close to being eliminated by the sa opponent in consecutive playoffs—
Two minutes and three seconds remaining.
In the NFL, there’s a stat that tracks the number of tis teams have won through a final offensive drive in the fourth quarter. This data highlights a quarterback’s ability to maintain composure on the brink of defeat and lead their team to victory, showcasing their ntal fortitude.
This stat earned Little Manning the title “Big-Hearted Terminator” after twice clinching Super Bowl victories with last-minute strikes against the New England Patriots; Rodgers gained the moniker “Wanfu Mary Mr.” for his repeated fourth-quarter co-from-behind victories involving Wanfu Mary plays.
Yet, among those ranked in history’s top five for most cobacks, neither of them appears.
Big Manning leads with 43 coback victories.
Brady, 35.
Brees, 34.
Roethlisberger, 33.
Undoubtedly, Brady stands among the elite.
Don’t forget, in Week 6 of the regular season, Brady led a victorious final drive, clinching the ga with a decisive field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now, the pressure was back on Brady’s shoulders once again.
The official tid break concluded as Brady, his head held high, marched back onto the field.
Arrowhead Stadium’s atmosphere reached a boiling point.
“Defense! Bam Bam!”
“Defense! Bam Bam!”
At this mont, the Kansas City Chiefs Defense was also in solid form, applying comprehensive second-half pressure that left Brady repeatedly unable to find his footing.
Houston took a deep breath and quietly reminded himself, “Justin, focus. Stay focused.”
Never underestimate this quarterback simply because Brady’s overall performance today lacked highlights and relied heavily on his teammates. The consequences of overconfidence could be dire.
Knees trembling slightly; calves subtly twitching.
His energy was completely drained. Even just standing on the field, Houston felt as if his soul had fled his body, floating in the bone-chilling wind over Arrowhead Stadium. His uniform had alternated between drenched and dry so many tis, Houston felt like he’d rolled through the Amazon swamp.
Every ounce of him was utterly spent, even his little finger couldn’t move anymore.
But then.
Houston saw Brady lining up and took a deep breath, snapping himself back with a furious blow to his thigh, emitting a primal roar.
His gaze locked, his eyes burned.
“Fight to the end.”
At this mont, Houston’s mind was a blank slate. Only this thought filled him. They weren’t fighting alone—alongside them stood the entirety of Arrowhead Stadium, the whole city of Kansas City. The dreams and hopes of countless ordinary people rested on their shoulders. He had to fight to the end.
Until the final whistle blew, nothing was over.
Fight to the end.
Houston zeroed in, refocusing and quickly scanning the Patriots’ offensive lineup.
The previous drive saw the Patriots score a touchdown, emphasizing ground attacks, with Brady serving as the decoy, and the tactic worked.
Now, the Patriots were lining up in a standard shotgun formation again. At least on the surface, it didn’t reveal much. Would they persist with ground plays?
“Attack!”
Brady signaled for the ball.
Houston pushed off with all his might, his strength and montum propelling him forward, targeting the pocket—
Pressure remained the keyword.
But this ti, the Patriots were prepared; the offensive line adjusted and provided cover. A figure shifted position and stepped slightly forward, cutting off Houston’s path to the outside and delivering a collision.
Boom.
Caught off guard, Houston’s right shoulder took the hit. The full release of power sent him off balance, his left side sinking from the overexertion, and he stumbled, barely managing to stay upright—
Alarm bells rang.
Houston imdiately recognized the Patriots’ tactical adjustnt. In a split second, he had to choose between pressing forward or retreating for pass defense. Peripheral vision caught sight of a figure darting past his left side, an instinct gripping him fiercely.
Quickly spinning counter-clockwise, he decisively followed the movent.
And then, Houston saw the figure adjusting his steps and preparing to catch the ball—
Edelman.
Houston’s intuition was on the mark. Looking up, the red-brown arc of the pass was rapidly approaching; Brady and Edelman had connected.
A quick short pass, relying on the offensive line’s coverage to buy Brady ti.
This looked like a five-yard short pass, prioritizing tempo and disrupting the defensive setup.
Houston entered a state of pure focus, releasing all his energy and speed. Amid the chaotic struggles, he lunged toward Edelman with everything he had.
Closing in.
Drawing nearer.
On the verge of contact, Edelman exhibited his expertise:
Agility.
With a slight sidestep, he adjusted his trajectory, avoiding Houston just as the collision was imminent. Simultaneously, Edelman plucked the football from the air.
Then—
Boom.
Houston’s right shoulder crashed against Edelman’s left hip.
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