Trent Williams has heard all the complaints from Philadelphia Eagles fans.
And he has the perfect response.
After the San Francisco 49ers‘ 23-19 wild-card victory on Sunday, Eagles fans were furious about a non-call on the game-winning touchdown. Williams was accused of holding Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith on the play, which allowed quarterback Brock Purdy to step up in the pocket and deliver a 4-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 remaining in the game.
No flag was thrown. San Francisco took a lead it would not surrender, and the 49ers advanced to the divisional round.
On Wednesday, Williams was asked about the play by the SF Standard’s David Lombardi. His response was perfect.
“I didn’t see a flag,” Williams said. “You can’t get a speeding ticket if you don’t get pulled over.”
That is about as perfect as it gets.
Why Eagles Fans Were So Upset About the Non-Call
The play in question came with the 49ers trailing 19-17 in the fourth quarter.
Purdy dropped back to pass, and Williams engaged with Smith on the left edge. Eagles fans claim Williams held Smith during the play, which prevented him from getting to Purdy. Without the hold, they argue, Smith would have sacked Purdy or forced him into a bad throw.
Instead, Purdy was able to step up in the pocket and find McCaffrey in the end zone for the go-ahead score. The 49ers never looked back, and Philadelphia’s season came to an end.
After the game, Eagles fans flooded social media with complaints about the officiating. They pointed to the Williams play as the key moment, arguing that the officials missed an obvious holding call that cost them the game.
Williams’ response on Wednesday was perfect because it acknowledged the reality of the situation without giving Eagles fans any ammunition. He did not argue about whether it was holding or try to justify the play. Instead, he simply stated the facts: No flag was thrown, so it did not matter.
49ers Fans Point to Missed Call That Went Against San Francisco
For what it is worth, 49ers fans were quick to point out that the officiating was not one-sided in this game.
They cited a missed call that went against San Francisco, when Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean appeared to hit Purdy late and grabbed his facemask. No flag was thrown on that play either, and 49ers fans argued that the missed call was just as egregious as the alleged hold by Williams.
Officiating is a difficult job, especially at live game speed. Officials are going to miss calls. That is just the nature of the game. Both teams had calls go their way and calls go against them. The difference is that the 49ers found a way to win, and the Eagles did not.
Trent Williams Returned Just in Time for the Playoffs
GettyTrent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers.
Williams’ performance on Sunday was crucial for the 49ers.
The 37-year-old left tackle missed the regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks due to a hamstring injury. His absence was felt, as the 49ers lost 13-3 and gave up the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
But Williams was back for the wild-card round, and he played all 59 offensive snaps against Philadelphia. His presence on the offensive line was a major reason why the 49ers were able to protect Purdy and run the ball effectively. McCaffrey finished with 114 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, and Purdy threw for 262 yards and two scores.
Williams made his 12th Pro Bowl this season and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors. At 37 years old, he is still playing at an elite level, and the 49ers are going to need him if they want to make a deep playoff run.
His ability to stay healthy and perform at a high level is one of the biggest reasons why San Francisco has a chance to compete for a championship. And if the 49ers keep winning, Eagles fans are going to have to get over the non-call that Williams made famous with his speeding ticket analogy.
Final Word for the 49ers
Trent Williams’ response to Eagles fans was perfect.
He did not apologize. He did not try to defend the play. Instead, he simply stated the facts: No flag was thrown, so it does not matter.
That is the reality of the NFL. Officiating is imperfect. Calls get missed. Sometimes those missed calls benefit one team, and sometimes they benefit the other. The key is to find a way to win regardless of how the officials call the game.
The 49ers did that on Sunday. They overcame a 19-17 fourth-quarter deficit, took the lead on the controversial play, and held on for the win. Williams was a huge part of that victory, and his speeding ticket analogy is the perfect way to sum up how he feels about the situation.
The 49ers are moving on to the divisional round. The Eagles are not. And no amount of complaining from Philadelphia fans is going to change that.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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