Chapter 1460: Chapter 1459: Battle of the Golden Boy
“Power vs. Power,” a showdown on the one-yard line.
However, Emmanuel Sanders, standing at 5.9 feet (180 cm), weighing 180 pounds (81 kg), found it truly challenging to gain the upper hand in a power contest.
Let alone in a fierce battle?
Matty stood on the edge of the cliff, using all his strength, releasing the energy from deep within his dantian without reservation.
Sanders realized immediately that he might not be able to break through head-on, as Brilland was closing in; there was no time to hesitate further.
He took a deep breath and braced against Matty, using his right shoulder as a pivot, his right side as the axis, propelling with his left leg, pivoting to rotate outwards. The next second, he could feel the breach opened by Matty’s weight and power, recklessly pushing Sanders out.
Sanders, airborne, was tossed out by the inertia and force.
But Sanders lunged towards the front left corner of the end zone like a glider.
Boom. Boom, boom, boom!
The whole world spun rapidly, the noise roaring, briefly stagnating, watching Sanders’ motion in slow motion at ten times the speed. As the orange pylon flew out, the magic was lifted, and the entire field erupted into frenzy.
Eruption.
“Touchdown!”
“Ladies and gentlemen, touchdown! It’s a touchdown, undoubtedly a touchdown! What a stunning touchdown!”
“Garoppolo connects with Sanders for a 22-yard touchdown pass, lighting up the competition in Super Bowl LIV for the San Francisco 49ers!”
“Beautiful, absolutely beautiful!”
“Shanahan cleverly concealed his game plan with the ‘Cheating Motion,’ using Kittel and Samuel as decoys to mask Garoppolo’s true tactical connection with Sanders.”
“The Kansas City Chiefs Defense nearly stopped them, just falling short. First, Clark’s tackle was intercepted, then Matty’s crucial face-off couldn’t block Sanders. A minute difference leads to starkly contrasting outcomes, bringing the San Francisco 49ers’ offense back into the spotlight.”
Ah!
Garoppolo clenched his fist and roared.
Ahhh!
Garoppolo couldn’t hold back anymore, let out a long howl to the sky, and turned around, effortlessly finding Li Wei in the crowd to vent all his emotions.
Ahhh! Ahhh!
Endlessly, unrestrained, Garoppolo’s pent-up emotions finally found an outlet to pour out uninhibitedly.
Energy, exploding!
Not only Garoppolo, but the young Shanahan also raised both hands high, transitioning from a touchdown gesture to celebrating, as San Francisco 49ers fans erupted in joyous fervor.
“Go, Niners!”
“Go, Niners!”
A mighty momentum.
Unlike the matchup two years ago with the Philadelphia Eagles, where both were dark horses, rookies in the Super Bowl with no burden and facing similar emotions— everything was fair; unlike last year’s matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, plagued by conservative injury issues and psychological blocks resulting in underperformance, except for Aaron Donald’s solo resistance, the game lacked suspense early.
This year presented a different image; the San Francisco 49ers, unafraid to confront overwhelming odds, displayed a challenger’s aggressive posture. Kansas City Chiefs had a vast fan base, yet people often root for underdogs, seeking only an exciting contest. Even the weaker side garnered applause and cheers, thus—
As the San Francisco 49ers finally broke free from shackles, the entire football world seemed to rally behind them.
The waves of cheer and enthusiasm went out of control!
In the end zone, both Brilland and Matty felt deeply responsible. Though the San Francisco 49ers’ tactics were dazzling, they had indeed cornered their opponent, only for it to end…
The details, those damned details.
Li Wei stepped forward first, patting each defensive player’s shoulder, not merely consoling but also encouraging.
“Hey, shutting them out isn’t in our playbook.”
A jest showed Matty a smile at last.
Indeed, the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive group has faced numerous issues, relying more on their defense to reach the Super Bowl. However, Shanahan, a typical offensive coach, maximized their tactical versatility and power within this group, and any opponent should never underestimate their potential energy.
Including passing offense.
Admittedly, this offensive and defensive series showcased Shanahan’s excellent counterattack, initially using running plays to interfere with judgments, then choosing Sanders to conclude the connection—
Through everything, Shanahan’s layout was conspicuous.
Emmanuel Sanders, agile and nimble, wasn’t adept at finding breakthroughs for receptions independently, but excelling in this league as a top competitor by remembering and executing coach tactics to reach reception spots methodically.
Thus, during his early career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sanders had little opportunity to shine under Coach Tomlinson, who was skilled in defense rather than creative route running in offense—needing more innovative wide receivers like Antonio Brown, who could disrupt defense with personal flair to open spaces, where Roethlisberger naturally exploited opportunities to complete passes.
Sanders had been perceived as below expectations and standards.
Later, signing with the Denver Broncos with the tactical master Peyton Manning, Sanders reveled spectacularly. Manning orchestrated tactical positions precisely where Sanders simply had to be—the ball always delivered accurately, allowing his tactical execution capabilities to flourish entirely.
Pro Bowl honors, All-America First Team accolades, all ensued; Sanders wasn’t only a key member of the historically renowned Denver Broncos offense but also ascended, crowned Super Bowl 50 champions.
Alas, once Big Manning retired, Sanders faced injuries, declining performance, even unemployment, spending half of the 2019 season with the Oakland Raiders before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers, persistently struggling, recovering, and attempting to realign.
Under Shanahan, Sanders finally rediscovered the dynamic similar to how he thrived under Big Manning—with strategic route running, opportunities naturally unfolded.
Furthermore, as one of the few players with Super Bowl experience in the 49ers roster, Sanders maintained his composure at crucial times.
Decisively lethal!
“Just now, Li Wei completed a touchdown with a winged strike on the pylon, and now Sanders follows with a diving atop clash on the pylon for a touchdown.”
“Stunning! A continuous spectacle!”
“Confrontations grow fiercer, and tension tighter, as mounting pressure also raises mistake likelihood, where any slight deviation might lead to dramatically different outcomes—implying that managing the game amid mounting pressure becomes central now.”
“Yet undoubtedly, Garoppolo has reemerged.”
“Under scrutiny and siege, Garoppolo’s 22-yard pass and touchdown delivered a robust counterattack, proving not just his passing but also touchdown ability, so the so-called ‘Battle of the Golden Boy’ solidifies not just in looks, but equally in competence.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we truly have ourselves a game now.”
Ah, ahhh!
Garoppolo roared vehemently to the heavens.