Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 1641 - 1640: Psychological Shadow

Lost the game?

It’s not surprising, to be honest, now any team in the league losing to the Kansas City Chiefs is not news, a three-time defending champion has such strength.

But such a lopsided game, such a clear gap? Never leading the entire game, trailing from the first second? Failing to turn the tide the entire game, with few effective confrontations? A unilateral crushing defeat, with no power to fight back? Loss of three possessions?

Is this serious?

"41:20."

This score doesn’t feel real at all, like God playing a joke, everything is just a nightmare, and waking up makes you realize it’s your fear playing tricks, a bad dream born from thinking throughout the day and night, and the real world needs to watch the game to understand.

However, this is no nightmare.

Although its disaster level is beyond imagination and makes one skeptical, the cruel and bloody part is that this is reality.

Everything feels familiar—

Season opener, Kansas City Chiefs easily defeated the Houston Texans, people expected the result but didn’t foresee the process; the current preview of the conference finals is the same, people expected the result but still didn’t foresee the process, each person dumbfounded, brains entirely shut down.

Even... the quarterbacks’ downfall is exactly the same, Watson and Jackson are indeed difficult brothers, the two are peerless companions, languishing whenever seeing Li Wei from NCAA to NFL, losing everything they have without showing the courage to start a genuine confrontation.

Is this PTSD or Stockholm syndrome?

Look at Jackson’s post-game stats, it’s filled with pain.

passes completed 15, 97 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions.

Additionally, nine runs, 83 yards.

This is all, compared to Watson, Jackson at least kept some bottom line, not entirely stripped down, not utterly dreadful; but since when did Jackson and Watson sink to the same level?

Last season, Jackson endured infamy for going four hundred yards in one game, yet the total this season is not even two hundred yards?

Indeed, these stats are better than Watson, but what should people be praising?

53.6% completion rate? A meager efficiency of 6.5 yards per pass? As a quarterback achieving a top-tier 9.2 yards per run efficiency?

Oh, right, zero interceptions with one touchdown should be the biggest highlight.

In fact, in this game, Jackson was nearly invisible.

Since emerging last season, Jackson was a force, a single player carrying 80% of the team’s yards and almost single-handedly fighting against defenders, such performance is the reason the entire league shouted with astonishment.

Success and failure both come from the same source.

The Baltimore Ravens returned to championship contention due to Jackson’s top-tier performance but were also heavily criticized due to all focus on Jackson, once Jackson is not in form, the Ravens’ performance struggles, possibly losing direction and collapsing entirely.

So far, this situation only occurred once, that is last season’s divisional game against the Houston Texans.

Therefore, skepticism rages yet hasn’t truly hurt Jackson.

Up until now, Kansas City Chiefs’ Defensive Coordinator Pasnorlo seized the Ravens’ weakness, making Jackson invisible.

Led by Watt, the defensive line exhibited top-tier strength, completing a textbook-level front pressure defense lesson.

From data alone, Kansas City Chiefs don’t seem remarkable.

One sack from Chris Jones; three effective hits, one pass interference, that’s all, it’s fairly ordinary.

But those really watching the game know the truth is not so.

Pasnorlo didn’t use blitz strategies but maintained pressure throughout, like tumultuous waves making Jackson pass amidst turmoil and instability, each defense employed different strategies to exert pressure, until the game ended, Jackson still couldn’t figure out the defensive pattern, unable to predict where pressure was coming from.

That kind of pressure was endless and layered, forcing Jackson to remain like a startled bird, unable to maintain focus.

Meanwhile, Kansas City Chiefs defended densely in the short pass area complementing the front pressure, abandoning blitz strategies instead guided through defensive layouts, leading Jackson into a trap, inviting him to pass into defensive pockets, then revealing ambush from all sides.

Thanks to this, Jackson’s pass completion rate was dreadful, and receivers’ continued advancing efficiency post-catch was restricted.

Throughout the game, Jackson didn’t feel oppressive man-to-man coverage, there weren’t many hits or sacks, so when he chose to run with the ball himself, the advance efficiency was still very good; but as soon as he started to pass, the intangible restrictions made him struggle for breath, akin to dancing with shackles.

The Jackson who once ravaged all sides and shone on the entire field instantly lost his brilliance, completely lost in the waves, rendering himself powerless.

The familiar story from Watson to Jackson is unfolding.

So, what about Kansas City Chiefs?

Not only the defensive group but the offensive group also played a textbook-level... passing offense.

Indeed, passing offense.

Reed anticipated Baltimore Ravens’ defensive focus was on the ground game, so decisively turned Li Wei into the strongest bait, focusing on passing offense throughout.

Mahomes shone brightly, 42 passes completed 31, 73.8% completion rate, 385 passing yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions.

Moreover, a variety of players contributed, none broke through a hundred yards, but five players exceeded fifty yards, fully opening the passing offense. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

As for Li Wei?

As bait, throughout the game he mostly did cover work, but even so, still achieved 83 rushing yards, 61 receiving yards, and one touchdown, finishing the job.

The entire game was a leisurely stroll, almost effortless, yet the pass and rush yards broke through a hundred, and secured another victory.

A resounding and thrilling victory!

From the data, this was a shining game from Mahomes; yet true professionals can see Li Wei remains the tactical core.

As team captain, Li Wei understands when to step up and when to play a supporting role, under Li Wei’s leadership Kansas Chiefs Offense increasingly matured, even Mahomes’ interception problem of the past two seasons improved.

No amount of words or praise compares to the direct game result, in eager anticipation, Kansas City Chiefs easily destroyed Baltimore Ravens and remained unscathed, achieving three consecutive season wins start, undoubtedly tying the regular season win record, leaving the league in collective shock and turmoil.

The Baltimore Ravens were powerless, is this real? Is this possible?

And... does Lamar Jackson truly have no psychological shadow facing Li Wei?

In professional events, Jackson lost three times facing Li Wei, this indeed doesn’t constitute PTSD? Would psychological intervention be needed?

Wait, Jackson wouldn’t directly break down crying and go home to mommy, would he?