Dirty play or terrible call? It’s a point of contention in different regions.
In San Francisco, Ahmad Brooks’ sack of Drew Brees was completely kosher and nothing but good ol’ fashioned football. In New Orleans, it was worthy of the personal foul flag and the Saints will take the win as a result of it.
Controversy? Plenty.
The San Francisco 49ers lost 23-20 in New Orleans on Sunday, but the talking point will revolve around Brooks’ potentially game-ending hit on Brees.
San Francisco, fresh off of a demoralizing loss to Carolina that put its Super Bowl credentials in question, was hoping to both prove a point against the Saints and try to keep pace with the seemingly unbeatable Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. And when Brooks smashed Brees on a crucial third-down play in the waning minutes, it appeared as though the 49ers would clinch the win and deliver said credentials.
Instead, Brooks was whistled for a 15-yard personal foul giving the Saints a first down.
They went on to kick a game-tying field goal and, eventually, a game-winner in the final seconds. The 49ers are now three games behind the surging Seahawks, tied with the Arizona Cardinals at 6-4 and in a dogfight to even make a playoff spot.
The call in question? You make the call (via Bleacher Report).
Brooks, naturally, didn’t care for the decision.
“It was very frustrating. The game could have gone a totally different direction than what it went,” Brooks toldThe Associated Press. “I was just mad because that was a big play in the game. We lost, and that’s probably the reason why.”
So much for the roses?
So much for the roses. Stanford, fresh off of a shocking win over budding championship types, Oregon, the Cardinal were flummoxed in Los Angeles and now have their Rose Bowl aspirations in serious jeopardy.
For how impressive Stanford has been, it now has two woeful performances on its résumé.
First there was the debacle against Utah, on Saturday it fell to unranked USC, a team that has endured a turbulent season which included dismissal of its head coach.
Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan tossed two interceptions and the Cardinal were ultimately undone by a 47-yard field goal by USC’s Andre Heidari in the waning moments that clinched a 20-17 victory.
Instead of continuing to trot toward the Rose Bowl, Stanford had to watch the USC faithful rush the field in celebration.
Now, Stanford’s hopes lie in an Oregon misstep, which will have to lose to either Oregon State or Arizona State to fall out of the Pac-12 Championship Game.
“It’s not a good feeling,” tailback Tyler Gaffneytold the San Francisco Chronicle. “We expect to win every game. This is the first time I’ve lost to them. I think it’s the first time anybody on the team has lost to them. It’s a tough thing to swallow.”
In case you missed it…
The Warriors are really, really good.
And they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team of Kevin Durant-related fame, with a wild last-second game-winner from Andre Iguodala.
Check it out here.
And now check Iguodala snub these Warriors fans in the aftermath of his theatrics. Whatever, no one’s perfect.
Side-stepping perfection: @seanswaby
