Head coach Kyle Shanahan of San Francisco 49ers argues with referee John Hussey #35 against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter in the NFC Championship Game (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The 49ers may have some justifiable complaints about the officiating in the NFC Championship game against the Eagles, because it was bad. Nylon Plug Anchor
Usually, going after the referees and their calling of a game is low-hanging fruit when it comes to criticism and blame.
However, for the now-heading-home San Francisco 49ers in the wake of their loss in the NFC Championship game, it might actually be fair.
The Niners fell way short of the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles for a number of reasons, including an untimely injury to quarterback Brock Purdy on San Francisco’s first possession. And while Purdy returned to the game only after backup signal-caller Josh Johnson suffered a concussion, the game was all but decided by that point and finished in a lopsided 31-7 fashion.
And, despite a valiant effort from the 49ers defense, bad officiating probably had a big impact on the eventual outcome.
It didn’t benefit the Niners either.
Granted, San Francisco committed some self-inflicted wounds during the game, and the end result might not have been too different if the yellow flags weren’t so heavily skewed toward head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co.
Still, the sheer number of calls that went against the 49ers (and the quality of those calls) will be a talking point for a long, long time.
Needless to say, plenty of reactions on Twitter will help fuel that argument.
The refs: pic.twitter.com/OTku62azxY
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 29, 2023
I’ve no dog in this hunt & grew up a huge Eagles fan, but this roughing the kicker penalty against the 49ers, which effectively ended the NFC championship game, was a complete joke. The rusher was pushed into the punter & @NFLonFOX didn’t even mention it! pic.twitter.com/8dPiceMJzV
No way the 49ers could have won this game with a broken Brock Purdy and a concussed 4th string QB. But this is by far the worst officiated game I have ever seen in the NFL. Sucks that the fans didn't get the game they disserved.
— John Chapman (@JL_Chapman) January 29, 2023
Officials making it about them.
— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) January 29, 2023
For what it’s worth, the Niners were slapped with 11 penalties for 81 yards, while Philly was hit with four for 34 yards.
Three of those penalties against San Francisco helped influence a touchdown drive that would otherwise have stalled out for Philadephia, and one pass-interference call against defensive back Jimmie Ward might only have been a defensive hold at the very least.
14 plays, 67 yards for the Eagles. It started with them unable to move the ball. They needed 3 costly 49ers' penalties.
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) January 29, 2023
That call provoked the steady-emotion Matt Maiocco from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, too:
I don't often criticize officiating, but this is ridiculous. This "all-star crew" is trying to prove how good they are.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 29, 2023
He wasn’t the only one upset with how officials called the game.
Just dont know about some of these calls. Maybe in the Reg season but the playoffs they let them play. Ticky tack illegal contact.
Read More: Twitter reacts to 49ers-Eagles fourth-quarter brawl
The sheer number of penalties called, particularly against San Francisco, is going to raise some eyebrows as well.
49ers penalties vs. the Seahawks: 3
49ers penalties vs. the Cowboys: 3
— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) January 29, 2023
49ers had 11 accepted penalties, more than referee John Hussey's regular-season crew had per game (for both teams) in 2002.
Eagles got 7 first downs via penalty. Per @ESPNStatsInfo, that's the most in a playoff game since 2002. (Titans, also 7.)
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) January 29, 2023
Needless to say, and despite the result, the Niners may be filing a grievance with the NFL’s office on officiating this offseason.
It’s probably justified, too.
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