Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 881 - 880 Headless Dragons

Chapter 881: 880 Headless Dragons

The second half begins.

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Heavy breaths. Chris Jones is gasping for air, Justin Houston’s words in the locker room during halftime still seem to echo in his ears—

“The game isn’t over. What we need to focus on now isn’t victory or the championship, but the first wave of defense in the second half. The opponent won’t simply roll over. During halftime, McVay will undoubtedly formulate a plan to turn the tide, and our task is to shut them down.”

Focus! Passion! Resolve!

Yet now, Houston is lying on the field, slipping into unconsciousness.

Jones feels as though time is scrambled, and scenes from the locker room mix with the images before his eyes, crashing together in his mind, making it hard to breathe.

“Oh, this is not the kind of start Kansas City Chiefs were hoping for in the second half.”

“Justin Houston, captain of the Kansas City Chiefs Defense and starting linebacker, has seemingly sustained an injury just moments ago while stopping Los Angeles Rams’ running back Todd Gurley on the ground. He collapsed and couldn’t stand up on his own. It’s unclear what happened, but Houston’s condition doesn’t look promising.”

“Let’s take a look at the replay.”

Jones knows what happened—it occurred right in front of him.

Goff faked a pass and pretended to run, a brief deception, but the Defensive group didn’t bite. Jones blocked the middle zone, forcing Gurley to break out toward the outside. Houston judged the play correctly, stepped up promptly, and executed a precise tackle behind the line of scrimmage, causing Gurley to lose a yard, but their helmets collided—

Concussion?

Jones’s heart clenched fiercely.

The team doctors ran onto the field, and after a quick check, decided to escort Houston back to the locker room for further examination. However, Houston managed to get the doctor’s approval to stand up using his own strength.

The crowd collectively let out a small sigh of relief.

But now, after cramping during the final minutes of the American League Championship and with a suspected concussion in the Super Bowl, Houston, already thirty years old, no longer has a body as youthful as before—was he really okay?

“Chris?”

“Chris!”

Houston’s voice pulled Jones out of his train of thought.

Jones snapped his head up, seeing Houston’s face breaking into a wide smile.

“The team is in your hands. Don’t worry, I’ll be back on the field soon. The game isn’t over yet.”

Jones nodded dazedly, watching Houston’s back as he turned and walked away. It seemed weary and weathered, emanating a faint sense of tragic resolve.

Throughout the season, they had fought side by side, and Jones understood Houston’s circumstances all too well. He knew how Houston had struggled physically and mentally this season, enduring the playoffs with sheer grit and spirit.

So what now?

Jones felt a hint of bewilderment.

Houston left the field, Berry stepped in to substitute, leaving the Kansas City Chiefs Defense leaderless on the field. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams ramped up their aggression, their offensive threat escalating. It was clear that McVay would seize this opportunity.

What should they do?

Instinctively, Jones turned toward Li Wei.

“In this situation, what would Li Wei do?”

—Believe in your teammates.

Football games cannot be won by relying on one person alone. Though all team sports say this, football especially requires collective effort. Even when everyone’s eyes are fixated on the quarterback, they all know they play critical roles themselves.

This was Li Wei’s belief and his way of playing. Even as a running back, a position that has become increasingly marginalized and undervalued in the league, and despite being sidelined within the team, Li Wei never let it affect him. He focused solely on his performance.

Believe in your teammates, believe in the team, believe in everyone’s ability to shine in their own position, believe every individual plays an indispensable role within the team.

Likewise, he should do the same.

Taking a deep breath, Jones pulled himself together. Even without the on-field captain, the Defense still had to operate as usual.

Turning, Jones looked at his Defensive line teammates, then glanced at the second-year linebacker Tanoh Kpassagnon rushing to substitute. Ford, Regland, and others patted Kpassagnon on the shoulder in welcome. Cornerback Fowler and rookie undrafted Charvarius Ward, rotating in Nelson’s spot, exchanged glances one after another.

No words were spoken, but the fire of determination in their eyes burned on.

In that moment, Jones felt his fighting spirit surge once more. The countless hours of training and preparation throughout the season, all the relentless efforts—they were waiting for moments like this.

Pulling his focus back, Jones set his sights on the Los Angeles Rams ahead of him, fully aware—

He was ready.

The situation, as Houston anticipated, was delicate.

At halftime, no one had the mind to enjoy the Maroon-5 performance; all attention remained fixed on the game, preparing for the second half.

“10:0.”

The Kansas City Chiefs held a narrow lead as the first half ended. This was certainly not the high-scoring Super Bowl shootout many had anticipated; but both teams understood, with the score difference within two possessions, the outcome remained an open question.

The Chiefs gained the upper hand through brilliant plays late in the first half, but the halftime break reset the momentum. The second half was essentially a new contest, and it was clear McVay’s Los Angeles Rams wouldn’t surrender easily.

And indeed, that was the case.

As the second half commenced, the Los Angeles Rams Offensive group launched their attack, with wide receiver Brandin Cooks stepping up.

This player, selected 20th overall in the first round of the 2014 draft by the New Orleans Saints, is a capable troublemaker. Over the last three seasons, he has played for three different teams—the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, his exceptional personal ability has earned him the distinction of being the first player in NFL history to achieve 1,000-yard seasons with three different teams across consecutive years, making history.

What does this indicate?

Unparalleled talent!

No matter who the quarterback is or how the coaching staff adjusts and restructures the offensive strategy, Cooks has the ability to effortlessly handle the game.

Strong. That’s the word.

In this game’s first half, Cooks was targeted as Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive focal point, leaving him limited opportunities to shine. McVay took note of Reid’s defensive strategy, so Cooks was used as bait instead, hoping Goff could utilize other receiving options to break open the game.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.

The second half began, and McVay’s first adjustment was to unleash Cooks.

A suppressed Cooks finally found his freedom.

Three consecutive passes—Goff found Cooks successfully all three times. Cooks relied on his individual skills to secure catches amidst tight pursuit, and the Los Angeles Rams Offensive group, muddled throughout the first half, seemed to find their rhythm again.

Offense works like this: once the momentum builds, confidence grows, and every segment clicks, making the entire operation seamless.

However, the Los Angeles Rams still needed to contend with Kansas City Chiefs’ stance on the matter.

Right on cue, Houston executed a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, making Gurley eat dirt, wiping out his momentum completely. The Rams’ strategy of reviving ground offense by leveraging passing plays suffered an abrupt setback. The specter of the first-half woes still lingered over McVay and Goff.

The tug-of-war continued, the situation remaining uncertain.