American Football: Domination

The world fell silent.

Wester and Anderson at the Old Oak Tavern, Berry in the hospital lobby, Pash in the broadcast booth, Lawson and Bart in the studio, Jacobs and Clark in their Atlanta hotel rooms, and the tens of thousands of fans at Arrowhead Stadium—

Not a single sound.

Everyone held their breath.

Even Provost was no exception.

After being kicked out of the Old Oak Tavern, Provost didn't go far. He sat in his car, turning the radio on and off repeatedly.

On. Off. On again. Off again.

In the end, he couldn't resist—he turned it back on, plugged his ears with his hands, and stared straight ahead, listening intently to the broadcast through the gaps between his fingers. The sounds of the play-by-play mixed with his pounding heartbeat and boiling blood, making the entire world stand still.

Then, all background noise faded away, leaving only the impassioned commentary burning through the airwaves.

One shock after another—

Facing a potential elimination game-winning moment in the playoffs, the Kansas City Chiefs didn't opt for a pass. Instead, they chose to run the ball.

Despite the Chiefs boasting the league's top-ranked rushing offense this season and despite Lance's outstanding performance making him an MVP contender, this was the playoffs, this was a win-or-go-home moment, and this was Andy Reid's pass-heavy offense—

Yet, they chose to run.

More specifically, instead of trusting Smith, Reid trusted Lance.

Another shock—"The Edge Walker," Lance, didn't use his usual outside runs. Instead, he attacked the middle.

Even though Lance had worked wonders this season, and no one dared to treat him like a typical rookie anymore—his "rookie" status had turned into a badge of honor—one thing remained clear: Lance's strength was speed, agility, and change of direction. He and Henry were two completely different types of running backs.

Choosing the middle?

Were they out of their minds?

As the tension mounted and the stakes reached their peak, twist after twist unfolded. Fans could no longer keep up with the rapid changes, so they simply stopped thinking altogether.

Eyes locked onto the screen, breaths held, they fixated on that red flame, crashing headfirst into the storm.

Defensive end Jarrell Casey—though not on the same level as J.J. Watt, Khalil Mack, or Aaron Donald—was still a two-time Pro Bowler and a key pillar of Tennessee's defense.

This season, Casey, along with defensive tackle Sylvester Williams and linebacker Brian Orakpo, had formed the Titans' first line of resistance, helping them squeeze into the playoffs.

Low-profile? Maybe.

But underrated? Absolutely not.

Right now, Casey immediately spotted the streak of red charging forward. His instincts kicked in, and in a split second, he broke off from his blocker, lunging toward Lance.

But—

A figure blocked his path.

Bryan Witzmann, the Chiefs' starting left guard, stepped in, positioning himself perfectly to seal off Casey's pursuit.

Just a simple block. Just that.

Casey's rush was cut off, and even though he fought to reach out with his right hand, it was too late.

Swish.

A whiff.

Casey could only watch as Lance burst through the gap between him and Williams—

The Titans played a 3-4 defense, meaning they had only three down linemen.

Because they had focused on defending Kansas City's pass-heavy attack, particularly sideline throws, their defense had slightly shifted outward, leaving the middle less reinforced.

Moreover, after an entire season of seeing Lance's outside runs, everyone had developed a fixed mindset: Lance was an edge rusher.

Like Orakpo, the moment defenders saw Lance get the ball, their instinct was to move sideways, not collapse toward the middle.

That assumption was a mistake.

They had forgotten—when the Chiefs played the Steelers, Lance's first-ever receiving touchdown had come from a middle route.

This was a setup. A trap. A calculation.

At first glance, it seemed like a risky gamble.

But beneath the surface, it was a meticulously crafted strategy.

One step!

Two steps!

Lance, light on his feet like a ballet dancer, weaved through the defensive line with the help of his blockers, slipping through untouched.

Was that all?

No.

Casey refused to back down. At the last moment, he summoned all his strength, breaking free from Witzmann and lunging toward Lance's back.

Even though Casey couldn't fully wrap him up, his outstretched hand struck Lance squarely in the back.

Thud!

Ugh!

A guttural exhale from Lance, a desperate effort from Casey.

Lance stumbled forward, his balance thrown completely off.

Trouble!

Directly ahead—No. 98.

Orakpo.

Lance had faked Orakpo out earlier, making him a half-step slow.

Now, Casey's desperation had disrupted Lance's rhythm, buying Orakpo time to recover.

One misstep.

One adjustment.

The two men collided head-on.

"Lance vs. Orakpo."

Was that all?

No.

A mere half-second later, another defender arrived—inside linebacker Avery Williamson.

Tennessee's defense had reacted quickly.

Amid extreme difficulty and danger, Lance remained shockingly calm.

By choosing to attack the middle, he had knowingly lured the Titans' defense inward. He knew their short-pass coverage was airtight—

First wave,

Second wave,

Third wave,

Each layer closing in.

He had expected this.

No panic. No hesitation.

Adjusting his footing while scanning for an escape route, Lance quickly analyzed his options.

This was the true test of his footwork, agility, and decision-making.

With only a two-to-three-yard radius of space, surrounded on all sides, how could he carve out a path to freedom?

Then—he saw it.

A small opening in Orakpo's movement.

Lance shifted right to pull Orakpo in that direction, then planned to swerve back left and collide straight into Williamson, hoping to power through.

But—it was a trap.

Lance was trying to bait Orakpo, but Orakpo was baiting him right back.

He understood Lance's agility and knew what was coming.

So, instead of waiting, he took the initiative.

Orakpo lunged first, making the first move.

In the blink of an eye—

He planted his foot, launched himself forward, and wrapped his arms around Lance's waist.

Got him!

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Powerstones?

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