Bears Owe Ed Hochuli a Game Ball

Eagles fans have every reason to be upset about the way their defense played during the last drive of yesterday's game with the Bears. They had Brian Griese and Co. pinned on their own three-yard line with less than two minutes to play but weren't able to come up with a stop and lost the game when Mushin Muhammed caught the winning touchdown with nine seconds to play. If not for an obscure rule, though, the game might not have been that close.

With the score 9-9 early in the fourth quarter Griese and center Olin Kruetz botched a snap and Sean Considine of the Eagles returned the ball to the Bear nine-yard line. A gift scoring opportunity for Donovan McNabb and a major change in momentum, right? Wrong. Referee Ed Hochuli used his massive arms to signal a false start on the Bears and they got the ball back, minus the five yards for the penalty.

Wait, a penalty for screwing up a snap? Is that right? Indeed it is. Under NFL rules if a quarterback is taking the snap under center and it goes through his legs it must be ruled a false start.

Hochuli may have been the only person on the field aware of the rule. The Bears players all responded as if it were a fumble, offensive coordinator Ron Turner was hoping for a neutral zone infraction by the Eagles and Lovie Smith said it was a revelation to him.

''No, I haven't seen that. But I'm all in favor of that rule.''

I bet you are Lovie but I doubt you're alone in your ignorance of this rule. I've watched hundreds of football games in my life and that's a new one for me as well. If the Bears can use yesterday's win as a springboard to future success and make the playoffs they would be well obliged to send Hochuli a thank you note for knowing every inch of the rule book.