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Vernon Davis gets tackled running a route vs. Saints

The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints managed to get through their game with fairly decent officiating. It was not perfect, but it did not destroy the game.

That being said, the play above is a pretty bad one (courtesy of Jeff Deeney). The play comes at 1:39 of the fourth quarter. Colin Kaepernick threw an incomplete pass to Michael Crabtree, but check out Vernon Davis running up the middle of the field. Davis was lined up in the traditional tight end spot on the right end of the offensive line. He runs up the middle of the field, and looks ready to burst past the safety. Unfortunately, the safety appears to reach out and grab Davis. This is viewed through the All-22 because the broadcast view does not show it.

I've looked at this several times, and this is not an instance of two players' feet getting tied up. I believe a field judge and side judge are each at least 20 yards down the field. One would think they would see this, but it seems like it was missed. The game is over and the 49ers have won, but there is some upside in knowing that Davis was ready to blow past somebody. Kap had a short dropback on the play, so I don't know if he would have had time to wait for Davis to get open. Crabtree was open, so it made sense, but that deep route is still there.