SANTA CLARA -- It looked so easy, but 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson will tell you those ones are the most difficult.
When teammate Nick Bosa knocked Las Vegas Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller into quarterback Jarrett Stidham as he was throwing, the ball hung in the air for a long time.
Gipson camped under it — a huge play in overtime waiting to be completed with an interception.
“Guys who’ve been in those situations will tell you that those are the hardest ones to catch,” Gipson said. “When the ball sits up there that long, you have a hundred thoughts going on in your mind.
“That’s when you drop those type of plays. It’s all about securing it.”
Bosa made another play toward a possible NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, and all Gipson had to do was catch it.
“You get an alley-oop like that, it’s Christmas time,” Gipson said. “You got to collect that gift.”
San Francisco 49ers
He did more than just grab it. He grabbed it and ran with it. Gipson’s 56-yard return set up kicker Robbie Gould for the winning field goal in the 49ers’ 37-34 victory in Week 17.
The 49ers’ ninth consecutive win put them into the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with the top seed remaining a possibility heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium.
Gipson ran a total of 78 yards on the play, according to Zebra Technologies. That yardage takes into account how far he backpedaled before the ball was thrown and the ground he covered while ranging over from the middle of the field.
How tired was he at the end of the play?
“Oh, beyond tired,” Gipson answered. “These 32-year-old legs only have a solid 40-yard burst in them."
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It was Gipson’s third interception of the season and the 30th of his 11-year career.
“I would’ve liked to have gotten in the end zone, but the adrenaline probably kept me going,” he said. “It was electric. When I caught it, I felt the crowd. It was something I’ll never forget.”