I was on UA 858 today in C from PVG to SFO and on our approach to SFO a number of passengers were getting a little worried as we approached low over houses from the West. Even some of the FA's gasped a little as they looked out the window. Now I've probably made a couple of hundred landings at SFO and this is the only time I recall not landing from the north or south. Is this as uncommon as it seems and was some other FTer on the flight?