Programming note: For comprehensive 49ers-Saints coverage from New Orleans, watch SportsNet Central today at 1 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
NEW ORLEANS – Tight end Jimmy Graham already had two touchdown catches.
And on the final play of regulation he came down with an apparent third reception in the end zone when Drew Brees heaved a 47-yard pass to his favorite target.
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But the touchdown was nullified due to pass interference. In order to have the opportunity to make the catch, Graham shoved 49ers cornerback Perrish Cox in the back.
Before the flag came out, safety Antoine Bethea crumpled to the ground and coach Jim Harbaugh tossed his play sheet in disgust.
“When I saw him catch the ball in the end zone, I thought it was over,” Bethea said. “But when I saw the flag, I said, ‘Thank God.’ I was telling guys in the locker room if we’d ended the game like that I’d be sick and I wouldn’t sleep all week.”
Instead, the 49ers left New Orleans with an uplifting victory that keeps them in the immediate hunt for a playoff spot.
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“Great win,” Harbaugh said. “An exciting win. It was a heck of a football game. I am really proud of our players. Anything can happen. Anything happens every week. I liked the way our guys played and fought.”
The penalty nullified the final play of regulation and sent the teams to overtime, where the 49ers pulled out a 27-24 victory. Phil Dawson kicked the game-winning 35-yard field goal after Ahmad Brooks forced a fumble of Saints quarterback Drew Brees that Chris Borland recovered.
It was little surprise that Brees would target Graham, a 6-foot-7 former college basketball player. He had an approximate 7-inch height advantage on Cox, and sent him sprawling to the ground with the push in the back.
“It was like, ‘Yes, you know, we’re still in it,’” Brooks said of Graham’s penalty. “If they had called the game-winning touchdown, the game would’ve been over and we would’ve lost. So I’m happy he pushed him.”
Said Saints coach Sean Payton, “It saw it. It looked clean. We’ll see it on film.”
But 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had a completely different perspective from his perch in the coaches booth.
When asked if he saw Cox get shoved, Fangio said, “I did, and kudos to the officials for making the call. It was so obvious, I don’t know how you couldn’t (make the call). But kudos for them for doing it.”
