This one was extra of a botched maintain than a missed kick, however nonetheless, it was a particular groups alternative that might have despatched the Giants to Tampa Bay to face the eventual NFC champions, however sadly for Big Blue, lengthy snapper Trey Junkin botched the snap and holder Matt Allen botched the maintain. Had Allen tried to get the ball down, it will’ve been blocked by the 49ers. Instead, Allen rolled out proper and heaved a Hail Mary towards the endzone, praying that left guard Rich Seubert would provide you with the catch. He didn’t.
While the ball was within the air, Seubert was dragged to the bottom by Chike Okeafor, main many Giants’ followers to consider they’d earned a cross interference name. Re-watching the play, Okeafor’s actions definitely would qualify…if Seubert wasn’t an ineligible receiver. According to the NFL rulebook, cross interference can solely be referred to as if a defensive participant hinders an eligible receiver’s capacity to catch the ball. Although a flag was thrown, the penalty was on the Giants. The 49ers clearly declined and received the sport.
Kicker Matt Bryant by no means received a chance to kick the game-winning discipline purpose. Bryant was a rookie, however had been fairly good from lengthy vary to start out his profession. During the 2002 common season, he’d gone 3-of-4 from 40-plus yards, though he had missed one from 42 yards earlier on this sport. Although that kick, in addition to Jeremy Shockey’s dropped landing with four-and-a-half minutes left within the third quarter, are what allowed San Francisco to mount their unbelievable comeback, the botched snap and maintain are what in the end doomed New York.