SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ The 49ers' five-season playoff drought officially ended Sunday, but their hopes for a No. 1 seed may have been extinguished by a late-game replay review and bizarre upset to the Atlanta Falcons.
Officials in New York reversed an on-field call and awarded the Falcons' Julio Jones a touchdown catch with two seconds remaining, sending the 49ers to an eventual 29-22 defeat at Levi's Stadium.
The Falcons (5-9) tacked on an touchdown as time expired after recovering a fumble on the 49ers' desperation kickoff return.
The 49ers (11-3) are now tied for the NFC lead with the Seattle Seahawks (11-3); the New Orleans Saints (10-3) host the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night
Because the Los Angeles Rams (8-5) lost to the Dallas Cowboys minutes after the 49ers' defeat, the 49ers were assured their first playoffs berth since the 2013 season.
Two replay reviews in the final seconds kept the 49ers' fate on hold.
On the first review, NFL officials in New York then ruled that a potential, winning touchdown catch by the Falcons Austin Hooper was incomplete. But the 49ers still had to defend five final seconds off the clock, and they seemed to do that with Jimmie Ward's tackle of Jones at the 1-yard line. An NFL officiating review ruled that Jones' catch crested the goal line.
Before the 49ers ultimately vie for the No. 1 seed on Dec. 29 at Seattle, the Los Angeles Rams (8-6) will visit Levi's Stadium on Saturday night.
Kittle, whose play-making excellence keyed last Sunday's 48-46 win at New Orleans, was at it again against Atlanta. From blocking a safety into oblivion on the 49ers' first touchdown to running through scads more defenders throughout the game, Kittle set the tone in an offense that heavily depended on him.
Kittle had a career-high 13 receptions and accounted for 134 of Jimmy Garoppolo's 200 passing yards.
Kicker Robbie Gould rebounded from his first missed PAT of the season and nailed a 43-yard field goal to put the 49ers ahead 22-17 with 1:48 left.
Could Matt Ryan duplicate the 2-minute drill Drew Brees did last Sunday against a tired, injury-ravaged 49ers defense?
Ryan and Julio Jones (13 catches, 134 yards) got the Falcons down to the 49ers' 5-yard line with eight seconds remaining. The 49ers called time out. Then the insanity of replay reviews ensued.
