NBC News national correspondent Steve Kornacki takes a look at the 49ers’ playoff odds and why their Week 15 matchup vs. the Falcons has huge implications.
The Atlanta Falcons were able to tie things up vs. the 49ers in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium on Sunday after a questionable roughing the passer call on defensive lineman Arden Key on third down extended the drive and led to a Matt Ryan touchdown pass to Russell Gage shortly after.
The infraction stemmed from Key landing on Ryan with his full body weight.
San Francisco fans were not happy with the call and NFL Twitter immediately blew up.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE Even CBS rules analyst, Gene Steratore, wasn’t convinced with the call.
"These are real difficult plays for the official, and real difficult for a player like Arden Key," Steratore said during the broadcast. "He just disengages from the block, and he only has one option, and that is to make a diving lunge to try to get to the quarterback. It’s different if he’s running toward the quarterback, wraps him up, then makes a decision to drive him into the ground, but to me, in my opinion, this is just a defensive player making a last-ditch effort to dive and tackle a quarterback. That’s a very hard play to penalize a defender on, in my opinion.”
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
The controversial penalty on Key turned a 55-yard field goal attempt into seven points for Atlanta.
But San Francisco kept pushing.
A rushing touchdown from Deebo Samuel, his seventh of the season, put the 49ers back on top before the end of the first half.
