Free Last Man Out by Mike Lupica Page A

another first downwhen Kevin scrambled away from Greck and stayed inbounds long enough to get to the chains. They ran it three more times in a row after that. On third down Tommy made a great shoestring tackle on the Titans’ fullback, but the kid managed to stay on his feet long enough to fall forward across the marker for another first down.
    Coach Fisher finally called his second time-out with just over two minutes to play. By then the Titans had a second down at the Bears’ twelve. Greck and Tommy, defensive co-captains, jogged over to him.
    â€œI don’t have much, guys,” Coach said. “Either they make a mistake or we force one.”
    â€œWe’d already have the ball back if it wasn’t for me,” Tommy said.
    â€œYou’re right about that,” Coach Fisher said.
    Thanks for
not
sugarcoatting it, Coach, Tommy thought.
    â€œBut we can’t do anything about what’s already happened,” Coach said. “If those boys get a first down now, the game’s over. Get back out there and see if you can make something happen.”
    Kevin pitched to their fullback on second down, for no gain. Third and five, still at the twelve. Coach called his last time-out, stopping the clock again.
    On third down Kevin kept the ball on an option play to the right, ran into traffic, and then ran straight into Greck, who stopped him a yard short of the first down.
    Fourth down, clock running, just over a minute left. One last chance to make a play. With the Bears out of time-outs, Kevin would be able to run out the clock if the Titans got a first down.
    Tommy was ready for him. Ready to take Kevin down hard and make him fumble. Or slap the ball out of his hands. Anything to force a turnover and make up for the mistakes he’d made and the calls that had gone against him.
    Kevin let the play clock run down to five seconds before he took the snap from his center. He didn’t hesitate for a second, didn’t fake a pass or look to either side, he just bulldozed right up the middle, and snuck for the first down, like he was Tom Brady, who never got stopped on a quarterback sneak.
    Kevin took two knees after that and the clock ticked down to zero.
    Game over. Titans 13, Bears 7.
    First loss of the season.
    But to Tommy it felt like more than that. A lot more. He’d told his mom this was just another big game in a long line of them. But right now it felt bigger than ever, because he knew the loss was squarely on his shoulders.
    All
on him.
    He felt like he’d taken a huge blow to the gut. Almost like he’d put a late hit on himself.

FOURTEEN
    A FTER THE GAME WAS OVE R everybody stayed away from Tommy for a while, probably realizing there was nothing they could say to make him feel better. They’d all seen what had happened. They all knew the last flag had stolen their final chance to win the game.
    Finally Greck came over and asked if Tommy wanted to hang out later. Tommy said he couldn’t, using Emily’s soccer game as his out. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he still planned on going to watch his sister play. He felt he owed her that, and knew how much his mom wanted him there.
    Once Greck broke the ice, Nick came over, too, looking like he felt bad for Tommy, but trying his best to hide it.
    â€œHey,” Nick said, “it’s never just one play that loses a game.”
    â€œI hear people say that all the time,” Tommy said. “But there’s plenty of times when one play loses—or wins—a game.”
    â€œI had chances to make plays all day,” Nick said.
    â€œYeah, but if I hadn’t committed one more dumb penalty,” Tommy said, “you would have gotten the ball back with plenty of time left. I blew it.”
    â€œIt was just one game.”
    â€œOne game that might end up costing us a chance at the championship.”
    â€œLot of season left,” Nick said. “Start thinking about next