A stunning 23-yard dash from Christian McCaffrey has levelled the score for the San Francisco 49ers against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game at 7-7, with several controversial calls along the way.
With their very first drive of the game, the Eagles marched all the way to the end zone on the back of stunning grabs by wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
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The latter’s was perhaps one of the catches of the season — but it shouldn’t have even counted.
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However, replays later on showed that when going to the ground, Smith briefly lost control of the ball before regaining it back into his grasp.
Had the 49ers send the camera angle from where the ball came loose, a challenge from coach Kyle Shanahan would have seen the ruling of a catch overturned.
Hurts was unable to find a man on the next play, but the Eagles didn’t take long to score a touchdown as Miles Sanders ran it in for an easy play.
The 49ers eventually got on the scoreboard in the second quarter thanks to a barnstorming run from running back Christian McCaffrey.
The former Carolina Panther bulldozed his way over several Eagles defenders en route to a 23-yard rushing touchdown.
McCaffrey’s run came long after the team’s first offensive possession ended in disaster when rookie QB Brock Purdy, who is yet to lose an NFL game he has played in, fumbled the ball and was happily gobbled up by the Eagles’ defence.
To make matters worse for the visitors, Purdy exited the game in the first quarter with an elbow injury as Josh Johnson, the fourth QB the 49ers have used this season, was thrust into the game.
Purdy wasn’t the only 49ers star left looking a little worse for wear, as defensive star Nick Bosa hobbled off in the first quarter with what looked like a leg injury.
However, Bosa returned to the game not long after.
There was more controversy to come in the first quarter, as a camera wire over the field potentially interfered with an effort from Eagles punter Brett Kern.
Philadelphia’s entire sideline immediately pointed in unison up at the wire when Kern’s punt didn’t spin the way it usually would, but there weren’t enough camera angles to allow Kern a do-over.
