Knights of Andreas 4.12: The Battle of San Andreas

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Knights of Andreas

Part IV

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Chapter Fifty-Three – The Battle of San Andreas

 

 

 

From his seat, Chet Ripka looks around the second floor hallway of the MedComm Center, a building he hasn’t seen since announcing his retirement over two years ago. As a player, he never felt nervous before a game. He now twitches and fidgets, adjusting his tie, buttoning and unbuttoning his suit jacket, anxiously running through potential interview questions.

 

Where do you see yourself in this organization? Secondary coach. I feel very comfortable coaching the same position group I played my whole life. (That answer was going to be defensive quality control coach until the Knights lost their secondary coach a few days ago.)

 

What about this team, specifically, makes you think it’s a good fit? I feel like I have continuity within the organization. I know everyone in the front office and have tremendous respect for Coach Harden.

 

How will you get players—most of whom recently played alongside you—to respect you as a coach, and not as a player? I think it’s important to establish procedures early and often. As a coach, if you see something a player’s doing you don’t like, you need to identify it and deal with it. Early in my career, my coaches were quick to point out any sloppy tackling techniques I had, and I credit them for fixing it early, or else I might have been a bad tackler my whole career.

 

Ripka reconsiders his response to that last question, a tough one, as the door in front of him opens. Chance Phillips and Wayne Schneider appear with smiles on their faces.

 

“Good morning, Chet,” Phillips says.

 

“Good morning, Chance,” Ripka says. “Good to see you again. And same to you, Mr. Schneider.”

 

“Call me Wayne, please. It’s good to see you, Chet.”

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Phillips says. “We’re just waiting for Merle to show up so we can—ah, there he is.”

 

Ripka turns around and sees Harden staggering towards them, looking rather annoyed. Still, Ripka looks at his old coach with great admiration.

 

“Great to see you again, coach!” Ripka says, smiling and extending his hand.

 

“Hi, Chet. You’re hired.” Harden turns around and walks the other way.

 

“Um, coach,” Phillips calls down the hallway, “don’t you think we should—”

 

“Hire him, dammit!”

 

Harden disappears down the stairs, leaving the trio alone in the hallway.

 

“Well,” Phillips says, “you can see he hasn’t changed.” He looks at Schneider, who shrugs, as if to give his blessing. “Um, Chet, not to be indelicate here, but we’d still like to ask you some questions.”

 

“Of course.”

 

 

 

Twenty-four hours later, a contract is finalized, and when the Knights take the field to prepare for San Diego, they take it with their new secondary coach.

 

Players get going broken into positional groups, an unusual and deliberate decision by Harden, who walks onto the field with Ripka alongside, approaching the secondary. A wave of chatter spreads across the field.

 

“Okay, men,” Harden says, addressing the group of corners and safeties. “As we all know, Andy has gone on to greener pastures, and we’re lucky we found a damn good replacement. Chet, you’re familiar with all these idiots, except, of course, the ones who replaced you. Sebastian Stevenson…”

 

Stevenson steps forward and shakes his new coach’s hand.

 

“…and Bobby Schwinn.”

 

Schwinn does the same and says, “Howdy, partner!”

 

“Now let’s get to work,” Harden says, blowing his whistle to let practice officially begin. Ripka greets his old teammates one by one, especially happy to see Rose, who he took pride in tutoring during his playing time in Los Angeles.

 

“Coach Ripka,” Rose says. “That sounds strange. Gonna have to get used to that one.”

 

“You and me both,” Ripka admits.

 

The reunions end, and practice turns serious. Harden watches everyone closely, as usual, under his new coaching configuration. He will personally assist Ripka in coaching the secondary (even though it won’t take him long to learn the playbook) and keep the former quality control coach in charge of the defensive line. The Knights will find a permanent replacement in the offseason, which hopefully won’t begin next Monday.

 

As the Knights run through drills and plays for Sunday and eventually make their way inside for film review, news breaks of Ripka’s hire. The move draws near unanimous praise from Knights fans, as Ripka was always a fan favorite. Critics of the move accuse the Knights of making a hasty, sentimental decision. Others assert that Ripka, despite a borderline Hall of Fame playing career, is unqualified as a coach.

 

 

 

NFL fans can’t get enough of the Knights/Chargers storyline, embracing the irony that either Caden Daniel or Merle Harden will be representing the AFC in Glendale. How fitting would it be if the Knights beat Daniel en route to their first Super Bowl? How fitting would it be if Daniel beats the team that fired him en route to his first Super Bowl?

 

On the second floor of the MedComm Center, none of this matters. At least not for now. The Knights are close to making a hire for vice president of player personnel and have their next director of scouting picked out; the focus is finding an assistant general manager.

 

Phillips and Schneider cast a wide net to fill DeMartine’s position. It’s not critical the Knights get an immediately productive assistant GM, so they can afford to dig deep and find someone with high potential. Over the course of the week, they interview five candidates, each currently working in an NFL front office.

 

Candidates are impressive in their own way, none comes off as incompetent, but nobody jumps out. Nobody wows. This round of interviews is designed to find a great football mind who has the potential to be a great leader. By the end of the week, Phillips doesn’t feel he’s found anyone who fits that description.

 

Friday night, he and Schneider are debriefing the latest interview, with Phillips expressing his frustration.

 

“What if we don’t hire one?” Schneider suggests. “Assistant general manager isn’t a necessary position anyway. Perhaps it’s best not to force it if we can’t find a quality man for the job.”

 

“We might end up at that point,” Phillips says, “but I really want to try and make it work. It’s my preferred method of organization. I’ve seen and experienced different dynamics within a front office, and I don’t like ones without a chief assistant. It just becomes four or five people shouting different things at the GM. I like having a right-hand man who I trust, who can synthesize it all for me.”

 

“Understandable, certainly. Look at it this way: none of the five guys we’ve interviewed are in line for jobs elsewhere. So we have time on this one.”

 

“At least there’s that.”

 

“May I offer a suggestion, Chance?”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Don’t approach this search as if you’re trying to find the next Paul DeMartine. He was a great hire for us back in 2010. We really found a gem, and we’re lucky he stayed with us as long as he did. You’re not going to make a hire like that every go round.”

 

“Doesn’t mean we can’t try.”

 

 

 

Parking lots around the complex open at 9:30am with plenty of cars waiting. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30pm Pacific time, leaving plenty of tailgating time. Plus, the NFC Championship Game starts at noon.

 

Parking spaces fill quickly, coolers are opened, grills are put together, and portable TV sets are set up. Unlike last week, Knights fans deal with a disturbingly high presence of enemy fans, an unfriendly reminder that Knights/Chargers is a geographical rivalry as much as a divisional one.

 

Stadium gates open at 1:30, by which time the NFC Championship Game is nearly half over. Fans watching or following on their phones are stunned to see Green Bay with a 16-0 lead.

 

Fans with lower level tickets stand as close to the field as possible, watching players warm up and roam the field. Others head for one of the stadium’s numerous bars to watch FOX’s broadcast of the NFC title game.

 

During warm-ups, both teams keep to their respective side of the field, rarely mingling with the opponent. Many opposing coaches and players know each other, but there’s something about the gravity of this game that won’t allow for cordial smalltalk.

 

Nearing kickoff, players clear the field as most fans still follow what’s happening a thousand miles north of Los Angeles. Green Bay leads 19-7 after three quarters with Seattle making a comeback. The Seahawks get another touchdown late, making it 19-14, but a failed onside kick ends the game. The Packers win the NFC, eliminating the possibility of a Knights/Seahawks rematch in the Super Bowl.

 

 

 

A touchback puts the Chargers on the twenty to start the game. Phillip Rivers and his offense take the field in their road white jerseys, navy blue pants. The Knights line up on defense in all black. As both teams settle in formation, all fans stand on their feet, waving towels and screaming. Just like last week, the Farmers Field crowd is going to be a factor.

 

Rivers hands off to Jerome Jaxson, who slides between linemen before being tackled by Randall and Martin for a two-yard gain.

 

From the sideline, Harden listens to feedback from coaches upstairs. The line of scrimmage is a pivotal battle in any game, but Harden wants to make it the focal point today. If he can stop between-the-tackle runs, the Knights win, no matter what else happens.

 

Jaxson takes another run, off-tackle left this time, juking between Brock and Vance to reach the second level, where Martin brings him down. Third and three.

 

Harden calls a strong-side blitz, and Rivers lines up in shotgun with crowd noise blaring. Rivers takes the snap. Grantzinger comes free. Rivers heaves one over the middle and takes a huge hit. The ball heads for Antonio Gates but sails high, and Gates can only tip it as it goes out of bounds. Flash comes running in and levels Gates, sending him to the grass hard.

 

Farmers Field rumbles as the Chargers jog back to the sideline, some protesting to officials about potential personal fouls, but no flags are thrown.

 

The Knights’ secondary takes their spot on the bench, soon approached by Coach Ripka, pictures in hand. Nobody says anything, of course, but seeing Ripka in a coach’s polo and slacks with a headset on is a strange sight.

 

“Good start, guys, good start,” Ripka says. “Let’s keep up the energy.”

 

Ripka goes through the previous three plays with little to dissect or criticize. Blessed with coaching one of the league’s most talented secondaries, Ripka’s job is just to keep their heads on straight.

 

The Knights offense starts on its own twenty-eight-yard line. Jameson takes two carries up the middle for nine yards. On third and one, Maverick rolls out on play-action, hitting Bishop on a quick out and a first down.

 

McKenzie calls plays with the opposite game plan from last week: establish the run to set up the pass. He considers the Chargers defense balanced but especially strong in the secondary. The Knights will need to run the ball effectively to put together long drives.

 

Jameson chews through more yardage. McKenzie can see from where he stands that the Grodd-Penner-Zeitler trio is dominating the point of attack. Wanting to preserve Jameson’s carries, McKenzie subs in Banks, who runs through equally strong blocking.

 

The Knights get a first down on the Chargers’ thirty, and McKenzie calls a receiver screen to Watson. Maverick takes the snap in shotgun, fakes an inside handoff, and throws laterally. Watson catches the pass, fluidly accelerates through blocks, and he’s gone. He hits full speed and reaches the end zone in a blink, launching Knights fans to their feet with deafening screams.

 

Amidst the loud celebration, Harden notices Maverick wincing as he walks back to the sideline.

 

“What happened, Mav?” Harden asks.

 

“Took a fucking cheap shot.”

 

Harden and others look up at the replay screen. Though the camera pans to Watson, Maverick clearly takes a big hit long after releasing the pass.

 

After McCabe’s extra point, the game goes to commercial, and Harden seeks out the referee.

 

“You guys missed roughing the passer on the TD,” Harden says.

 

“We did?”

 

“I know we scored anyway, but if they’re gonna take cheap shots like that, you guys gotta call them.”

 

“Okay, we’ll look at it.”

 

“Yeah, sure.”

 

 

 

The Chargers face third and ten on their next drive, near midfield. They break the huddle late as fans get loud. Rivers tries to call a few audibles to his linemen, apparently confused. Fans scream louder. Rivers hurries back to take the snap, sees one second left on the play clock, and calls timeout.

 

Fans celebrate their achievement, and players applaud them as well. This is newly paved ground for the Knights, and it looks like Farmers Field is establishing a reputation as a tough place to play. Before long, fans of other AFC teams will say of the Knights what they’ve said about the Patriots for years: “I hope to hell they don’t get home-field advantage.”

 

The Chargers line up in the same shotgun formation. This time, Rivers doesn’t call any audibles before taking the snap. Brock comes free off the edge, forcing Rivers out of the pocket. He throws it away, and the stadium cheers briefly before reacting to a fight.

 

Brock mixes it up with an offensive lineman, the two exchanging shoves to each other’s facemask as players rush in to break it up. As they’re separated, Brock gets the last punch, a good swipe to the chin, and a flag flies.

 

Officials deliberate as Rivers incessantly pleads his case. The replay screen shows Brock hitting Rivers, helmet to helmet, after he threw it, a clear roughing the passer call. The Chargers’ linemen rightfully retaliated, and the skirmish ensued. This doesn’t worry Harden. Offsetting fouls means they replay the down, at worst.

 

The referee breaks from the group and makes his ruling: “After the play, unsportsmanlike conduct, defense, number fifty one.”

 

A wave of boos renders the rest of his words inaudible, but he signals first down for the Chargers. Harden sprints onto the field.

 

“What the fuck! How are those not offsetting?! How can you call that one way?!”

 

Harden continues screaming at whichever official tries to lead him back to the sideline. Some assistant coaches, Ripka included, eventually pull him back to avoid another penalty, and the game continues with the Chargers in Knights territory.

 

“So it’s going to be that kind of game,” Harden says to himself, glaring across the field at Caden Daniel. That’s okay with him; if the refs are hesitant to throw flags on QB hits, he’s more than happy to keep blitzing.

 

The Chargers, however, gain momentum with some sharp passes to Malcolm Floyd and Eddie Royal, the only receivers who can get open since Rose is on Keenan Allen.

 

Another completion to Royal puts the Chargers on the Knights’ nineteen. Rivers lines up in shotgun and Harden calls a blitz. Rivers drops back, multiple linebackers come free, and he dumps it off to Jaxson on a screen. Harden doesn’t even have to look to know Jaxson cuts through blockers and open field en route to the end zone.

 

A few players appear to have some tense conversations after the play, delaying the extra point attempt. Nick Novak eventually knocks the kick through, and the game is tied, 7-7. Harden looks carefully at his defense as they jog back to the sideline; the linemen, in particular, look dead tired.

 

“It’s getting dirty out there,” Luck says.

 

“Good,” Harden replies.

 

“They’re holding every play,” Anthrax says.

 

“Don’t be a pussy,” Harden says. “Hold back.”

 

 

 

Jameson powers through a crowd of defenders for a first down. McKenzie studies his play sheet, struggling with the next play call. The Knights are still running the ball well, but they’ve had trouble throwing downfield. It seems every time McKenzie calls a long shot for Wilkes or Johnson, Eric Weddle is on that side of the field in double coverage. At some point, McKenzie has to wonder if he’s being outcoached.

 

Still a long way to go (2:10 left in the first quarter), McKenzie holds off any radical adjustments for now. Weddle can hold things over the top. The Knights will use Wilkes and Johnson to work on San Diego’s corners instead.

 

Maverick drops back and looks over the middle, waiting for Bishop on a crossing route. He feels pressure and hurries the throw. Bishop cuts toward the ball, but a white jersey is there first. It’s Manti Te’o, who takes the interception ten yards before Grodd wrangles him down by his facemask, costing another fifteen yards.

 

A tired Knights defense takes the field with the Chargers already in field goal range. Harden watches on consecutive plays as Grantzinger and Brock beat their opposite linemen off the edge, then get blatantly held and dragged to the ground. This lets Rivers find open receivers, getting the Chargers down to the seventeen.

 

Harden bitches at the refs and tries a few inside blitzes instead. Jaxson gets a few carries, not finding much room, and the first quarter ends with San Diego facing third and seven.

 

Farmers Field gets loud again as Rivers lines up in shotgun. He takes the snap, steps up, and fires over the middle. Malcolm Floyd breaks on a post, open in the end zone with Flash closing. He catches the pass in stride and gets crushed by Flash, sending the ball flying out of bounds. The crowd roars for the massive hit, but the Chargers call for a flag. The begging eventually provokes boos from the crowd, with some light pushing and shoving on the field.

 

Replays show a borderline hit on a defenseless receiver. It was a bang-bang play, but Flash led with his shoulder, definitely not helmet-to-helmet. With no penalty called, Novak comes on and kicks a thirty-one-yarder through the uprights, and despite the exciting play by Flash, the Knights trail, 10-7.

 

 

 

The game progresses through the second quarter with tension on every down. Neither offense makes any big plays, and neither defense gets a turnover, but both teams play each other close. The blocking at the line of scrimmage is nasty, with holding penalties on both sides going uncalled. Corners and receivers fight for position with no pass interference or illegal contact calls. It’s the kind of quarter that will appear boring on the box score, but fans feel like the game could explode at any moment.

 

McKenzie’s troubles worsen, as pass protection becomes a problem. Maverick is rushing more short throws, and with the Chargers still holding things down over the top, the Knights offense can barely muster a first down.

 

Harden has an easier time despite being on the losing end of the field position battle. The Knights are achieving his primary goal of stopping runs up the middle, though Rivers still finds ways to hit receivers and move the chains. Both Rivers and Daniel are having a great game thus far, Harden admits.

 

The Knights eventually start a possession pinned on their own five with three minutes left. After a few Jameson runs get them some breathing room, Maverick takes a shot downfield. Wilkes is doubled, of course, but as he jumps for the pass, a defender grabs his jersey and yanks him down. The nearest official sees it and throws his flag as the ball lands incomplete.

 

Defensive pass interference, Knights ball at the Chargers’ forty-six. The forty-four-yard penalty rouses the stadium.

 

Maverick runs out of shotgun exclusively, still finding no one downfield but hitting receivers for short gains. This gets a first down, but the clock ticks. The Knights use their timeouts effectively, but due to good defense (or bad offense), they can only reach the Chargers’ twenty-nine.

 

Harden calls his final timeout with 0:03 on the clock, and McCabe comes on for a forty-six yarder. Players on both sidelines stand, ready to head into the locker room. McCabe’s kick sails high, hooks left, and strikes the net beyond the goal posts. The officials signal no good.

 

Harden leads his team off the field, hearing some boos from the crowd, and senses something he hasn’t felt on the Knights sideline in some time: broken confidence.

 

 

 

Two distinct dynamics occupy the home team’s locker room. Players sit quietly, more tired than anything, discussing personal battles with their opposite Chargers. Coaches, meanwhile, scramble to adjust their game plan for the second half.

 

Harden and the defensive coaches don’t have much to debate. Yielding ten points is satisfactory; they just have to maintain that pace. Harden speaks briefly with Ripka, just checking up on him, then walks over to his offensive coaches, who look frazzled.

 

“Well?” Harden says.

 

“Our biggest problem is pass protection,” McKenzie says. “We’ve been debating whether to use Bishop as an extra blocker—”

 

“Do it.”

 

“I don’t want to take him out of the receiving game.”

 

“Do it anyway. Our season’s on the line, Mac. We need something.”

 

“I know.”

 

“We get the ball to start the half. I want production on that first drive.”

 

 

 

Just as quickly as the Knights take the field, with the sellout crowd trying to bring them back into it, they go three and out, and the Chargers take over.

 

San Diego moves the ball effectively, mixing short passes with tosses to Jaxson, finding more running room than he has all day. As Harden tries to find a blitz that works, the home fans scream less and less on each play. A nervous atmosphere falls over Farmers Field as the sky darkens around the stadium.

 

The Chargers take the drive into Knights territory and into field goal range, but two consecutive pass break-ups by Randall and Rose force fourth down. Novak comes on again, this time nailing a fifty yarder.

 

During the ensuing commercial break, Knights players glance up multiple times at the scoreboard: Chargers 13, Knights 7. The gravity of the game, something they managed to avoid thinking about last week, sets in. Guys like Johnson and Martin start wondering if this is their last game in a Knights uniform. Upstairs, Phillips wonders which agents he’ll call first if tomorrow is day one of the offseason. And every player and coach on the field faces the question: is this how the ride ends?

 

The Knights take over and come out firing. McKenzie has Bishop blocking, as planned, and calls rollouts for Maverick, trying to simplify things. It works. Maverick hits receivers on intermediate sideline routes, moving the chains and recapturing some momentum.

 

Hoping the defense goes on its heels, McKenzie makes a more standard call, and Maverick hits Johnson on a beautiful throw over the middle, setting the Knights up in Chargers territory.

 

Jameson gets a few carries, finding space and bringing up third and one. McKenzie calls Jameson’s number again, but he hits a wall at the line of scrimmage, gang-tackled for a one-yard loss.

 

The punt teams wait, however, with a flag on the field. The officials congregate briefly and make a ruling.

 

“Illegal use of hands, hands to the face, defense, number ninety eight. Automatic first down.”

 

Huddled together, everyone on offense looks at Penner, who drew that flag, as the stadium cheers.

 

“About time they called that fucker,” Penner says. “Must be the tenth time he’s been pickin’ my nose.”

 

“And how many times have you had your hands in his grill?” Grodd asks.

 

“Around nine.”

 

“Keep it up,” Maverick says. “These assholes want to play dirty, we’re gonna give it to ‘em. So don’t back down, boys.”

 

Jameson carries some more, rumbling ahead for gains of four and three. On third and three, Maverick drops back, can’t find anyone open, and rolls out to escape pressure. Watson breaks downfield and Maverick bombs it. Running along the sideline, Watson tracks the pass and dives for it near the goal line, making an incredible leaping grab that brings the crowd to its feet. Two officials confer as the stadium celebrates, eventually ruling no catch, incomplete.

 

Knights fans boo angrily as Harden reluctantly orders the field goal team onto the field. Everyone looks on nervously as McCabe boots another wobbly kick, this one squeezing its way between the uprights. 13-10, Chargers.

 

 

 

Minutes tick off the third quarter as the Chargers move the ball, the game’s intensity still tangible on every play. Every tackle is hard, every play includes some post-whistle jawing, and some near-dirty hits occur on the sideline.

 

Rivers lines up in shotgun, near midfield. He drops back as Grantzinger beats his man. Rivers rolls right, and Grantzinger gets dragged down by an obvious hold. A flag flies. Rivers bombs it downfield for Keenan Allen, Rose running with him. The pass comes in, and Rose swats it away defiantly. Allen eases up, and Flash levels him with a devastating helmet-to-helmet hit. Allen goes limp and falls to the ground hard.

 

Multiple Chargers make a beeline for Flash as flags fly. Rose and others hold them off, plenty of hard pushing, shoving, and screaming. It takes a minute for things to calm down, but when they do, the holding on offense and personal foul on defense offset. The down is replayed.

 

Harden looks up at the clock: 1:13 left in the third quarter. That’s far too much time, he suspects, in a game that’s about to go haywire. Allen does eventually come to his feet, visibly woozy, and staggers toward the tunnel.

 

A few Jaxson carries bring up third and four. Rivers fakes a toss and fires over the middle for Royal. He jukes a man and runs downfield, Flash right in front of him. Flash lowers his shoulders, but Royal spins, bouncing off his hit. Royal surges ahead another ten yards before Rose brings him down.

 

Ripka walks up to Harden after he makes his play call.

 

“I’m worried about Flash, coach,” Ripka says.

 

“So am I,” Harden says. “Keep an eye on him.”

 

They both do as the Chargers take a few shots toward the end zone, but the Knights have everyone covered. The Chargers try a draw on third and ten, which Randall and Martin are all over, forcing another field goal attempt. Novak makes his third of the night just as the clock hits zero, and it’s 16-10, Chargers, after three quarters.

 

As the defense returns to the sideline, Ripka notices Flash looking tired and flustered. He looks to Harden as if to say, “Well?”

 

“Coach ‘em up,” Harden says.

 

Ripka grabs a few pictures from the drive, finds the one of Flash’s missed tackle, and walks up to him.

 

“Take a look, Flash,” Ripka says. “You got low—good—but when you lead with the shoulder like this, you’re trying to hit, not tackle. You gotta wrap up.”

 

“Man, why don’t you get out there and make a tackle?”

 

Ripka freezes, not sure how to respond, especially with multiple players within earshot.

 

“Ease up, Griz,” Rose says, patting his teammate on the back. “We all miss tackles. We’ll get it fixed, coach.”

 

Ripka nods, equally satisfied and surprised at Rose’s maturity. This certainly isn’t the Malik Rose he first met three years ago.

 

 

 

Maverick hits Wilkes on a deep post for a first down. The chain gang is barely in position when Maverick drops back again and throws a bullet to Watson over the middle, another first down.

 

Harden can feel it coming together, and he knows why. This is something he always noticed about McKenzie back at NDSU: as a play caller, he can get into a rhythm. He knows exactly whose number to call at exactly the right time.

 

Maverick operates flawlessly out of shotgun with a few well-timed runs to Jameson. The Knights march into field goal range, an energy swelling throughout the stadium as the possibility of reclaiming the lead rises.

 

Jameson takes a carry up the middle through a huge hole. He spins off one tackler, jukes another, and sprints down to the ten. Knights fans come to their feet for first and goal. Seeing no reason to abandon Jameson, McKenzie calls his number again.

 

He takes the carry off-tackle right and runs into a crowd. A second later, he emerges at full speed, heading for the sideline. He rounds the corner and stiff-arms a defender en route to the end zone. Farmers Field booms as the Knights celebrate.

 

 

 

The Knights defense lines up with the crowd behind them again, 9:39 remaining in a game they now lead, 17-16.

 

Grantzinger gets ready to blitz as Rivers fakes a handoff and drops back. Grantzinger rushes wide, spins around the right tackle, and dives for Rivers as he’s winding up a throw. The ball pops free, bouncing off the ground towards the end zone. Players from both teams run for it and converge around the four-yard line.

 

A pile of about ten bodies forms, officials unsuccessfully trying to dig through the humanity. At the bottom, Luck feels the ball within his grasp, gets his hands on it, and hangs on. He feels people scratching his arms and fingers, but he doesn’t loosen his grip.

 

It takes over a minute for officials to reach the bottom of the pile, and from it emerges Luck, arms cut, with the football. The officials signal Knights ball, and Maverick runs onto the field.

 

McKenzie calls play-action, wanting a quick shot to the end zone. Maverick sells a handoff and looks for Bishop. He’s covered, so Maverick throws it out of the end zone. He takes a late hit, falling to the ground awkwardly. He gets back up to shove the guilty defender, but Penner does that for him, sending the Charger to the grass angrily. A flag flies.

 

Harden inches onto the field, anxiously awaiting the officials’ ruling, which comes after a long conference.

 

“After the play, personal foul, unnecessary roughness, offense, number fifty four.”

 

“What the fuck?!” Harden screams, running onto the field as assistant coaches run after him. “Are you fucking kidding me? Learn to call a football game, you assholes!”

 

Harden’s profane shouting continues as assistants pull him back toward the sideline. One unlucky official speaks with Harden one-on-one, and the coach unloads on a profanity-filled tirade about the horrible state of officiating in this game.

 

Meanwhile, the Knights now face second and goal from the nineteen. Maverick likes the play call: an end zone, back shoulder fade to Johnson. He lines up in shotgun, sees single coverage on the outside, and takes the snap. He drops back, stares down Johnson, and fires for the end zone. Johnson turns at the right moment, but the Chargers corner is in perfect position, intercepting it in the end zone.

 

Maverick falls to his knees, trying to tear off his facemask with both hands.

 

 

 

The Chargers take over and manage a couple first downs, but the Knights eventually force a punt near midfield with 5:32 left.

 

A poor punt gives the Knights great field position, where they happily chew clock with Jameson. The Chargers stack the box to stop it, but Maverick hits occasional play-action passes to move the chains.

 

Victory is within reach as the Knights cross midfield at the two-minute warning, both teams with all three timeouts. A clutch catch by Watson gets another first down with the clock ticking. 1:50, 1:49, 1:48…

 

Jameson takes two runs for three yards each, and the Chargers take two timeouts. The clock stops at 1:01 for third and four.

 

McKenzie doesn’t need Harden to tell him to go for the win. The Knights line up in a bunch formation and Bishop motions left.

 

Maverick fakes a handoff and rolls right, green grass in front of him. Wilkes breaks over the middle, but coverage is tight. Maverick decides not to force anything, runs forward, and slides with defenders closing. It’s only a one-yard gain, but the clock runs, and Coach Daniel calls his final timeout with 0:52 to go.

 

McCabe and the field goal unit come on for a fifty-yard attempt. Harden preps his defense on the sideline for one final drive. McCabe kicks it hard and low from the right hash, but it doesn’t hook toward the middle of the field, nearly hitting the right goal post. No good, Chargers ball.

 

In the Knights’ executive suite, everyone reacts in shock, especially Phillips. Is his decision not to re-sign Janikowski about to cost the Knights their season?

 

Harden orders tight coverage and intends on calling blitzes. The Chargers are sixty-two yards from the end zone but only down a point. A field goal wins it for them, so the Knights can’t go soft.

 

Rivers hits Gates over the middle and Randall brings him down. 0:47, 0:46…

 

Rivers spikes it. Third and two. The Chargers line up with five receivers, the Knights in nickel. Rivers takes the snap and fires quick for the sideline, hitting Floyd. Rose runs him out of bounds on the Chargers sideline and Floyd gives him a late shove.

 

“Don’t start with me, bitch,” Rose says. “I’ll fuck you up.”

 

“What? Gonna get a few friends to beat my ass too?”

 

Before Rose can react, Flash runs in throwing punches to Floyd’s facemask. The entire sideline goes after Flash, who flails his arms in every direction he can, sometimes hitting his own teammates. Chargers coaches try to prevent bench players from reaching the field, and a trio of Knights corrals Flash, still fuming with anger. Farmers Field boos as officials try to sort everything out.

 

“Get him out of here,” Harden says to a few assistants. “I don’t care if they’re gonna eject him. Get him off this field right now.”

 

The referee announces a personal foul against Flash and ejects him from the game. Multiple security guards escort him towards the tunnel as he continues to scream obscenities at just about everyone. Harden has Stevenson take Flash’s place at free safety, with Schwinn playing strong.

 

Back to the game, the Chargers now have the ball on the Knights’ thirty-five, within Novak’s range, with 0:38 to play.

 

Rivers hands off to Jaxson up the middle, but Randall and Grantzinger are there. Harden happily watches the clock tick.

 

Rivers drops back, under pressure, and fires an errant pass that sails out of bounds. The clock stops at 0:24. Without a timeout, the Chargers have to throw toward the sideline here, Harden suspects, so he has his corners shade away from the middle of the field.

 

Rivers takes the snap in shotgun and looks over the middle. Brock beats his man and dives for Rivers, grabbing his foot. Rivers tries to escape, but Brock throws him to the ground hard.

 

0:19, 0:18…

 

Both sidelines enter a state of chaos. The Chargers keep their offense on the field. Fourth and fifteen. Out of field goal range.

 

“Get back! Get back!” Harden yells. “HAIL MARY! GET BACK!”

 

Randall tries to set the defense, getting the secondary back and sending a few linebackers to blitz.

 

Rivers takes the snap with 0:08 on the clock. He drops back, faces pressure, steps up, and heaves it toward the end zone. Multiple Chargers converge toward the ball, right at the goal line, and multiple Knights dive for it too. It tips off everyone’s hands and onto Schwinn’s chest. The safety grabs the ball and goes down at the one-yard line.

 

Farmers Field cheers for victory, but the clock stops with 0:01 left.

 

Back near the line of scrimmage, Brock is in a fistfight with the Chargers’ left tackle. Grantzinger breaks it up with flags flying. Harden prepares for more punitive action as McKenzie preps Maverick for one last kneeldown, a tricky one so close to the end zone.

 

The referee breaks from the official’s huddle and approaches Harden before making an announcement.

 

“Okay, coach, we’re gonna eject both players, but since the fouls occurred after the change of possession, it’s still your ball on the one.”

 

“About fucking time you got something right,” Harden says.

 

Brock is all smiles as he’s escorted off the field, and the Knights offense lines up for one final play. Per McKenzie’s instructions, Maverick will try a hard count to incite a neutral zone jump. If that doesn’t work, he can sneak it for no gain, and it’s over.

 

The Chargers stack the box, nine defenders breathing right in Maverick’s face as he lines up under center, his feet in the end zone.

 

“Set…hut-hut…HUT!”

 

A few white jerseys flinch, but nobody jumps. Damn.

 

“Set…HUT!”

 

Maverick controls the ball and goes down, trying to push forward with his feet. Everyone leaps on top of the pile, and a few defenders take swipes at Maverick. Emerging from the chaos, Penner takes exception to this, dragging one Charger backwards. His helmet falls off as he goes to the grass, and Penner throws one good haymaker to the jaw before more players hit him and bring him to the ground.

 

It’s an all-out brawl, with everyone not piled on top of Maverick matched up with an opponent. Fans cheer with the clock at zero. One official digs through the pile towards Maverick, the rest helplessly trying to stop the madness.

 

Eventually, Maverick comes to his feet, helmet missing, nose bleeding, blood dripping down off his chin, football in hand.

 

“Get off my fucking field, you pieces of shit!”

 

Feeling a surge of adrenaline, he sprints downfield, as if still carrying the ball, and spikes it against the grass as hard as he can, screaming as loud as he can. This fires the fans up even louder, somehow, and the brawl finally ends.

 

The officials announce a few pointless penalties and ejections and declare the game over. Harden marches to midfield to meet Daniel, shaking his hand firmly, trying to break it.

 

“Congratula—” Daniel starts to say.

 

Harden pulls him close and grumbles right into his ear, “Next time you play my team, show some fucking class.”

 

“Don’t try to come off as the innocent party, Merle. It doesn’t suit you.”

 

Harden releases Daniel’s hand and shoves him backward, causing a commotion. He walks away, toward his teammates, ignoring something Daniel shouts back behind him.

 

The bedlam on the field somehow organizes into the Lamar Hunt Trophy presentation, a true celebration last year that feels more like relief this year. Players accept the award all the same (except for the ejected Flash, Brock, and Penner), savoring their last minutes in Farmers Field with their fans before walking off the field beaten, bruised, and bloody—but going back to the Super Bowl.

Edited February 27, 2016 by SteVo

[RazorStar 4,025]

What a great game. Knights going to the super bowl one more time. Hopefully the league doesn't suspend half of our team for the big game.

 

Also

“I know we scored anyway, but if they’re gonna take cheap shots like that, you guys gotta call them.”

 

“Okay, we’re look at it.”

 

[Cherry 1,302]

 

Get off my fucking field

[Vin+ 3,121]

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Peyton Manning QBs the Knights, huh? ;D

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Wow, that was such an intense chapter. I thought we were gonna lose and I was like but then the tide turned and I was like and then Mav got rekt but still came out on top and I was like

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

Damn... that's crazy. Flash needs to learn the ways of Rose, would've been interesting to see how Rose reacted to douchebag Floyd's remark tho.

I thought for sure after that FG we were going to lose.

 

One thing I'd like to point out... since when does 'security' escort players of the field on such a stage. State police and such are everywhere. That just might be me thinking in my LEO mentality but it was still a great chapter nonetheless.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Just to confirm: the Super Bowl setup is the same as last year. Two chapters: one covering the build-up to the game, and one that covers the game exclusively. So, we have exactly two weeks left of Part IV.

[Thanatos 2,847]

 

How fitting would it be if the Knights beat Daniel en route to their first Super Bowl?

 

How fitting. The media doesn't even know we've been to a Super Bowl before.

 

Loved this chapter, might be my favorite, in part because I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Hey, for once that's not a typo! The implication of the sentence is the Knights would beat Daniel before winning their first Super Bowl.

[Maverick 791]

Awesome chapter. Definitely thought we were heading for a loss. Good on Flash for sticking up to Floyd. POS.

 

Eventually, Maverick comes to his feet, helmet missing, nose bleeding, blood dripping down off his chin, football in hand.

“Get off my fucking field, you pieces of shit!”

Feeling a surge of adrenaline, he sprints downfield, as if still carrying the ball, and spikes it against the grass as hard as he can, screaming as loud as he can. This fires the fans up even louder, somehow, and the brawl finally ends.

 

That's something I would probably say IRL lol. I've pulled similar stunts in my soccer days.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Maverick

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Man, what a roller-coaster. I love these chapters that get me engrossed like a real game does.

 

 

I audibly said, "fuck Rivers, I want a goddamned turnover" and then this happened:

 

Grantzinger gets ready to blitz as Rivers fakes a handoff and drops back. Grantzinger rushes wide, spins around the right tackle, and dives for Rivers as he’s winding up a throw. The ball pops free, bouncing off the ground towards the end zone. Players from both teams run for it and converge around the four-yard line.

 

 

 

Sad that there are only 2 chapters left, but I can't wait for the conclusion.

Edited March 3, 2016 by Zack_of_Steel

[Bangy 19]

Yo Cheryl. All that talk about fucking Jaxson up yet nothing happened.

 

Oh and Jaxson with another one at Farmers Field.

 

This is by far the best season so far Stevo. Loved every minute of it

[Cherry 1,302]

Yo Cheryl. All that talk about fucking Jaxson up yet nothing happened.

 

Kiss the ring, bitch.

[Bangy 19]

Kiss the ring, bitch.

It's OK dawg it's gonna hurt you all when SB50 comes around and the power blue will be the champs in your home.

 

Revenge of Denials and Jaxson

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Kiss the ring, bitch.

 

What a fucking spoiler to the guy trying to catch up.

[Cherry 1,302]

 

What a fucking spoiler to the guy trying to catch up.

 

It's been 2 weeks

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

 

It's been 2 weeks

 

'Cept Bangy just got back from a long hiatus. It's cool, though, I think he's finished judging by his post in the general thread.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Zack_of_Steel

[Bangy 19]

 

'Cept Bangy just got back from a long hiatus. It's cool, though, I think he's finished judging by his post in the general thread.

 

Yea it's all good dude, I caught up and finished it on that day. Spent the first two days back reading it all at work.