CHAPTER 3

PLAYING LIKE A TEAM

After the two teams shook hands, all of the Giants players gathered around Coach Benson.

“It’s great to start the season with a win, boys,” the coach said. “I’m very proud of how hard you worked in this game.”

All of the players cheered and gave each other high fives. The coach waited for a few moments to let them celebrate before he continued.

“We do have some things we need to work on, though,” Coach Benson said. “It takes time to play like a team. Football is the ultimate team sport, and we’ll get better as the season goes along.”

Anton thought he knew what Coach Benson meant.

When the coach talked about playing like a team, he was talking about Malik’s selfish play at the end of the game.

The more Anton thought about it, he realized the coach was probably right. After all, he and Malik hadn’t played together before.

Malik didn’t know Anton well enough to know that he could make great plays, too.

So Malik relied on what he did know, which was his own ability.

* * *

By the time the Giants returned to practice the following week, Anton had pretty much forgotten about Malik’s play.

When the Giants took the field for the second game of the season, the man in the sunglasses wasn’t there.

Anton felt great. He had the feeling they could win the game, if they could play together as a team.

Anton’s team was playing against the Jets. The Giants got the ball first.

On the first drive of the game, Malik ran all the plays exactly as the coach had called them.

Anton was surprised and happy to see that the teamwork was really paying off.

Malik handed off to Anton, pitched out to Carlos, passed the ball to Jeff, and the Giants moved the ball down the field with ease.

Finally, the team made it to the Jets’ 5-yard line.

Coach Benson called for an option play to the left side.

That meant that Malik would run along the line of scrimmage with the ball.

Anton would trail behind him.

If Malik saw a clear path to the end zone, he’d keep the ball.

If he got in trouble, he was supposed to pitch the ball to Anton.

Anton was worried. What if Malik didn’t run the play like he was supposed to?

Here we go again, Anton thought, suddenly feeling worried. He was sure that Malik would decide to keep the ball again on this play.

Malik called out the signals.

When the ball was snapped, Malik ran along the line of scrimmage. Anton was in great position behind him.

As they turned the corner toward the end zone, one of the Jets linebackers approached.

Malik tucked the ball down and turned up field.

Just as the linebacker was about to tackle him, Malik pitched the ball perfectly to Anton.

The linebacker tackled Malik, but the ball was already gone.

Anton had caught it easily.

With no defenders between him and the goal line, Anton cruised into the end zone for a touchdown.