The conference championships are here. As the San Francisco 49ers take on the NFC leaders Philadelphia Eagles, the stage is set for a heavy clash. While the matchup promises an exciting display of both offensive and defensive showcases, for the fans something else had come forth with the first drive of the game. Besides the high-octane action, fans have already called out the NFL for rigging the game.
HOLY SHIT DEVONTA SMITH pic.twitter.com/6ZgbtMepB5
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 29, 2023
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On a crucial 4th and 3 on the Niners’ 45-yard line, WR DeVonta Smith hauled in a one-handed catch to help his team. Following the catch, smith got up quickly and made sure the offense snapped the ball in haste. On further examination of the catch, the ball can be seen on the turf out of the player’s possession.
Fans smell something funny from the NFL
Unfortunately for the Bay Area fans, the officials completely missed the call and Jalen Hurts pass stood as a completion. An officiating error in a game of such magnitude did not go down well with the viewers.
Many people flooded Twitter with accusations of game rigging on the league.
Yet another embarrassing moment for @NFLOfficiating. I mean, heck, it’s only the conference championship.
— 1474PatsFan (@1474Fan) January 29, 2023
Another fan chimed in the argument by stating how it was just the usual for the league.
As usual. Purdy vs Refs.
— 🇺🇸🇦🇷🇪🇸 (@BringBackEV) January 29, 2023
This fan agreed with the tweet calling rigging into play.
100%
— Andres Madero (@andres_madero0) January 29, 2023
Besides the regular disappointment, for this fan, it has been too long dealing with the officiating errors.
lmao it's 2023 and still can't officiate catches
— av (@austinfool) January 29, 2023
This fan suggested the league use reviews after every play like they do in college football. Especially following the scale of the game.
Why aren’t all plays reviewed like in college. This is especially true in championship games.
— Joe likes sports 🇺🇦 (@ffsta12) January 29, 2023
Moreover, people also expressed their dismay with the current stage of the league.
The NFL has to get this stuff correct every game, but especially in a conference championship game… shame refs will always impact the game too much
— Nathan derwinski (@ned20697) January 29, 2023
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With the call coming in the first quarter itself, there is still a lot of time, and rightly calls for the refs to make. The fans would certainly hope for a better display of officiating.
49ers use their 4th quarterback
While the Niners have played the later stages of the season with 3rd choice QB Brock Purdy. After taking a hit in the process of throwing a pass, the last pick of the 2022 NFL draft has been ruled questionable to return with an elbow injury.
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The 4th string QB, Josh Johnson, has come into the fold. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted the QB in 2008 and gave him his debut in 2009. Johnson has been part of multiple setups since then. But it will be the first time that he will be handed the task of leading his team through a playoff game, that too a conference championship game.
Watch This Story: Brock Purdy and San Francisco 49ers script historic success on a Thursday