The second the football slipped out of Henry's grasp, every hair on his body stood on end. He didn't even have time for annoyance or regret; his first instinct was to dart forward, trying to regain control of the ball.
But he was still a step too slow—
Houston secured the football in his arms.
Chaos. Disaster. Disarray.
A fumble, a fumble had actually occurred!
No one could have predicted that Houston would not only swiftly intercept Henry but also force a turnover by causing a fumble, marking the first change of possession in the game!
Half hell, half heaven.
Half sea, half flame.
Not just at Arrowhead Stadium, but also the live studios, broadcast rooms, and the countless viewers watching live on television, everyone plunged into an incredulous frenzy.
People did not expect Mariota to connect with himself for a touchdown that completely turned the game around; likewise, no one foresaw the divinely aided Henry fumbling the ball at the most crucial moment, making the outcome hang even more precariously in the balance.
Henry, utterly disgraced—
Very, very, very disgraced.
Standing still, panting like a bull, he looked on with a serious expression at the Kansas City Chiefs defense, celebrating wildly. For a moment, it was difficult to tell whether he was feeling anger or shame, or some other indescribable emotion.
Initially, the balance of victory had already tipped significantly towards the Tennessee Titans.
With less than three minutes left in the game, all they needed to do was to steadily use the ground game to run down the clock. Achieving a first down would have essentially ensured victory, and the Kansas Chiefs offense might not even have had the chance to take the field; but the fumble completely reversed the situation.
The Kansas Chiefs offense could take the field once more, and they were at the twenty-three yards near the end zone. Whether by touchdown or field goal, as long as the Kansas Chiefs scored, they could take the lead again; then the Tennessee Titans would be pushed to the brink of the abyss.
In other words, the initiative suddenly fell into the hands of the Kansas Chiefs.
This was a fatal fumble.
Henry stood there, his face hidden within his helmet, shifting between light and shadow, making it hard to decipher his mood. But he remained motionless for a long time, akin to a sinner for all time. Ten great plays could not equal the impact of one mistake, a weight that threatened to crush his shoulders.
Especially for a running back.
Even if a running back scores five touchdowns in a game, the discussions afterward still revolve around that one fumble, inviting a deluge of criticism and attacks.
Although this was Henry's second season, ultimately, he was still young and full of youth. The emotional roller coaster from the nadir to the pinnacle and back to the abyss again was too jarring; Henry could not help but fall into a state of bewilderment.
"...wait, the referees need to review the play."
"In this wildly unpredictable wildcard game, up to now, the direction of victory and defeat remains unclear, filled with surprises, and the suspense continues to shroud us in layers of fog."
"If this fumble is confirmed, it essentially amounts to a death sentence for the Tennessee Titans, abruptly halting their uncanny performance in the second half."
"The referees need to review the footage to confirm the call."
What should be the judgment on the fumble?
Simply put, if Henry's knee was not down before the ball came loose, then it would be considered a fumble, and possession would be up for grabs; but if Henry's knee touched the ground first, forming a dead ball situation, and then the ball came out, then it wouldn't be a fumble, but rather an interception—
More importantly, there would be no change in possession.
Without a doubt, this was a crucial call to make. Relying solely on the naked eye, the smallest margin could lead to vastly different outcomes, so the referees decided to review the video.
Like other sports, football has now incorporated video review rules to address controversial calls. The officiating team will gather together, review the play on a tablet device, and make the final decision.
Of course, in the game, if the head coach disagrees with a call, they can challenge the officials' decision by simply throwing a red flag.
Yellow flags indicate a penalty; red flags signify a challenge to a referee's decision.
The referees also had to review the play, if the head coach's challenge was successful, that would be great, but if it failed, the team would be penalized with a timeout, so the head coach had to be cautious when deciding to throw the red flag challenge.
In front of them, Mulkai did not challenge the call, but the officiating team had doubts internally. To ensure fairness, at least within what was feasible, the officials decided to review the video.
Suddenly, the air tensed.
Fans at the Old Oak Tavern, each with their fingers tightly locked, silently prayed, watching the video replay on TV without blinking.
As the officials were reviewing the replay, the broadcast team was doing the same, trying to uncover the truth.
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"...The footage is kind of blurry."
"From this angle, it seems Henry's knee was down before the fumble in Houston occurred; look here, his knee is on the ground."
"If that's the case, it means that the play is dead, no turnover."
"But now the TV station is looking for footage from other angles, hoping to get a clearer view. Let's watch the slow-motion replay again."
For the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs alike, it was a long and excruciating wait. Even if the teams were not battling on the field, the air was getting stickier and more strained by the minute.
They were all waiting, waiting for a call, a decision that hovered between heaven and hell, yet their fates were not in their own hands.
Under the watchful eyes of many, the head referee took center stage, opened his waist microphone, and transmitted his voice into the stadium speakers, echoing above Arrowhead Stadium.
"...After video review, the ruling on the field is overturned, no fumble... Tennessee Titans retain possession, second down and twelve yards..."
The rest of his words were devoured, and no one could stay calm.
Henry's knee buckled, and it was ever so close; he could have been the culprit for the team, and all their efforts before could have been for naught because of this fumble.
But he clenched his teeth, and just before Houston caused the fumble, his knee hit the ground, avoiding a possession turnover just before the victory.
Ups and downs, twists and turns—
From heaven to hell and back to heaven, only to be pushed back into hell again.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans swung back and forth between great joy and sorrow, playing on the edge of a heartbeat, with the Chiefs just catching a glimpse of hope before being pushed back into the abyss.
The Old Oak Tavern was completely dumbfounded, sinking into deep despair and pain.
West noticed it, noticed the figure in the live broadcast:
Li Wei took a step forward, his eyes scorching as he locked onto Houston's figure amidst the noisy clamor around the stadium, shouting resolutely.
"Houston, we're on standby!"
No, they could not lose heart, not get discouraged, not despair, not give up.
This moment, right now, this was the crucial point that distinguished a strong team from the champions.