Head NFL ref explains why no pass interference on key 49ers-Seahawks play

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No great game can end without a little controversy.

On Sunday night, the Seattle Seahawks drove deep into 49ers territory, and were set up for a third-and-goal from the San Francisco 5-yard line with just 15 seconds to play.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw to his trusty tight end, Jacob Hollister, but he couldn't get around 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, and the pass fell incomplete.

While there was a lot of contact between the two in the end zone, no penalty flag was thrown.

After the 49ers' 26-21 win, NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron explained why the crew decided not to stop the game and review the play for potential pass interference.

“Well, we actually looked at it here in New York,” Riveron told pool reporter Tim Booth of The Seattle Times. “We had a great look. NBC gives us a great look of the entire route. So, we actually did perform a review, but based on what we saw, we didn’t see enough to stop the game. But we did review it.

"What we see is, we see the offensive player come in and initiate contact on the defensive player -- nothing that rises to the level of a foul which significantly hinders the defender, nothing that is clear and obvious through visual evidence, which hinders the defender. The defender then braces himself. And there is contact by the defender on the receiver. Again, nothing which rises to the level of a foul based on visual evidence. Nothing happens that rises to the level of a foul while the ball is in the air before it gets there by either player.”

So, what did Seahawks coach Pete Carroll think about that?

"I just saw it live and in color," Carroll said, via NBC Sports Northwest. "I didn't see a replay of it, but everybody else has an opinion on it."

[RELATED: Watch 49ers stuff Seahawks at goal line to win NFC West]

While both teams still qualified for the postseason, the 49ers now have a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Seahawks will pack up and fly across the country to visit the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round Jan. 4.

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