Bad call screws San Diego

[Dave Gray]

It was definitely a bad call by the ref who blew the whistle.  ...however, what can you do?  ...just not blow the whistle and let guys keep playing on every play just in case?

They reviewed the play and in that review, it was shown when the whistle was blown.

So, the call not to overturn was correct, unfortunately.

I don't think you can really do much about it.  Whenever you have judgment calls, people will make mistakes.  And because you have to stop play at some point, with a whistle, I think this kind of thing is unavoidable.

[Brian Fein]

It shouldn't have been reviewed.

That said - if you're the ref and you see that, why blow the whistle at all?  I understand that you have to make the call, but wouldn't it be better to err on the side of caution, especially inside 2 minutes?  If its questionable, swallow the whistle and let the replay make the call.

[MaineDolFan]

Denver sucks donkey balls.

Just sayin'.

[bsmooth]

Kinda like when Champ Bailey picked off a pass that could not be reviewed cause replay was down.

Coveinent amnesia.

Poetic justice!

Was it really game changing? No. This play would have ended the game in a loss for Denver which is a huge difference from the int.

[simeon]

Nobody is making excuses for San Diego, the point is this bad call cost them the game. The rule needs to be changed, even Jay cutler agrees.

[Defense54]

Kinda like when Champ Bailey picked off a pass that could not be reviewed cause replay was down.

Coveinent amnesia.

Poetic justice!

Rationalize it anyway you want bud. Just like that Chris Chambers Pass that was picked after he was down..........I certainly wouldn't want to win that way. Your no better then the Video Taping Pats if your all for that.


That said.............Refs are humans too. I'm just glad that they made the mistake on a different Team. We need all the help we can get. 

[fyo]

There was a rule change this year where a running back (or other non-QB) fumble can be recovered even if a whistle is blown. Bad rule change, IMHO, because it forces players to play past the whistle on a lose ball. That's also the reason they have an exception for the quarterback where the play CANNOT be reversed. They don't want to risk the quarterback in a post-whistle free-for-all.

Peter King covers it in todays Monday Morning Quarterback:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/09/15/Week2/2.html

[ethurst2]

Denver_bronco. Someone handed a bag of cash to Ed Hochuli after the game!

NEW YORK (AP)—The NFL will look into the inadvertent whistle rule that required officials to give the ball back to Denver in the final seconds of Sunday’s game with San Diego.

League spokesman Greg Aiello said the NFL competition committee will look into the rule in the offseason, perhaps changing it as it did the “down by contact” rule.

The play occurred with the Broncos at the Chargers 1-yard-line in the final minute. Denver quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass, the ball slipped out of his hands, bounced off the grass and into the arms of San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins.

Referee Ed Hochuli ruled it an incomplete pass. Replay ruled it a fumble, but it was spotted at the 10-yard line, where the ball hit the ground, and given to Denver because the rules did not permit possession to be awarded to San Diego because the whistle had blown.

Denver went on to score, convert a 2-point conversion and win 39-38.

Coach Norv Turner said he spoke with NFL officials Monday and that the Chargers sent in video of the plays in question.

“As for things that occurred during the game, in my mind, they’re done,” Turner said. “We sent the plays in to the league that we had in question. We expect to get a response back. Anything that we talk about or anything that is discussed in terms of any of the rules or any of the calls isn’t going to change the outcome of that game. That game is going to be 39-38, forever.”

Until March 2007, down by contact plays were not reviewable. That rule was changed so that they were reviewable, and if a fumble occurred even after the whistle blew, the team recovering it got possession.

“Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game,” Aiello said Monday. “Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call. Under our evaluation system, an official’s grades impact his status for potentially working the playoffs and ultimately whether or not he is retained.”

[Denver_Bronco]

Was it really game changing? No. This play would have ended the game in a loss for Denver which is a huge difference from the int.

So taking a touchdown away from San Diego would've made no difference? They scored a TD on that drive dude. Come on. Thats a 14 pt swing right there.

[TEKGOD]

So taking a touchdown away from San Diego would've made no difference? They scored a TD on that drive dude. Come on. Thats a 14 pt swing right there.

The homer posts are funny, but all kidding aside, dude admit it -- Bolts were robbed

[ethurst2]

All kidding aside, I like Hochuli. I like how he explains the penalties and he made a terrible call yesterday. He's one of the best referees the NFL has.

But he shouldn't be the NFL's Poster Boy for this mistake. The NFL has stated they were going to take away points from him in the press. It should be a closed door matter.

I've seen referee Walt Coleman make several calls like that IN ONE GAME!

Never put a game like that with playoff implications in any referees hand. Do your job and dominate the other team.

[simeon]

All kidding aside, I like Hochuli. I like how he explains the penalties and he made a terrible call yesterday. He's one of the best referees the NFL has.

But he shouldn't be the NFL's Poster Boy for this mistake. The NFL has stated they were going to take away points from him in the press. It should be a closed door matter.

I've seen referee Walt Coleman make several calls like that IN ONE GAME!

Never put a game like that with playoff implications in any referees hand. Do your job and dominate the other team.

This goes to show even the best mess up bad from time to time, change the rules and let's get it right. Someone question if whistle blows player will still play through, last I check they do.

[simeon]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=txbroncoschargersfumble&prov=st&type=lgns


NEW YORK (TICKER) —A botched officiating call in Sunday’s game between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers has reached the NFL offices.

The league on Monday said it will look into changing the inadvertent whistle rule after the season following the Broncos’ controversial 39-38 victory over the Chargers on Sunday.

The play stemmed from a non-fumble call against Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, who had the ball slip out of his hands while attempting a pass. The Chargers recovered with 1:14 left to seemingly lock up a 38-31 win.

But referee Ed Hochuli ruled the play dead after an inadvertent whistle and gave the ball back to the Broncos, who went ahead with a touchdown pass and two-point conversion with just 24 seconds to play.

Although Hochuli admitted the play was a fumble, he said the ruling on the field was an incomplete pass and that the replays rules in that instance do not allow the referees to award the ball to the other team.

Chargers coach Norv Turner termed the call “unacceptable,” and the league acknowledged Hochuli made a mistake.

“Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. “Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call.

“Under our evaluation system, an official’s grades impact his status for potentially working the playoffs and ultimately whether or not he is retained.”

[StL FinFan]

The refs gave Colorado 5 downs and they did not get into the endzone and still were given a touchdown and a share of the national championship.  They admitted they made a mistake but the game was still a loss for Mizzou.  I attended that game.  I never quite got over it.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

he made a mistake.  in this case the mistake may have changed the outcome of a football game.

but football players also make mistakes that change the outcome of the game.  so do coaches. 

and all three work very hard to minimize that.  is the officiating in the NFL perfect? no.  but then again nothing is.  It is pretty darn good given the speed of the game.