In the 48 hours since referee Ed Hochuli blew a call and cost the San Diego Chargers a game against the Denver Broncos, most of the criticism directed at Hochuli has been tempered with the caveat that Hochuli is usually one of the best in the business.But now Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has weighed in on the matter, and he told the Associated Press he's not the least bit surprised that Hochuli screwed up:
"That particular official gets a lot of criticism. He's a highly criticized official in the NFL," Jones said.It's extremely unusual for an NFL owner to direct criticism at an official like that, and it wouldn't be surprising if Jones gets a call from the league office about those comments. But whether Jones should have said it or not, it's obvious that it's not just Chargers fans who have a problem with Hochuli."Nothing can be done," he said. "I understand that after that whistle blows, you can't speculate, 'Well, did everybody get the best shot at recovering the ball if some of them heard the whistle and some of them didn't?'"
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1st Downs: Denver 34 San Diego 19Total yards: Denver 486 San Diego 456Penalties: Denver 7-80 San Diego 6-70 The Denver Broncos outplayed the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, winning their 11th game out of the last 13 against San Diego in Denver. Even though Denver gave San Diego a cheap 14 points in the game--on a blown kick coverage and a Denver turnover on the goal line in the 4th quarter, the Denver Bronco's #1 offense in the NFL still won the game by bombing the Chargers for 486 total yards. San Diego fans, including television commentator Randy Cross, complained that San Diego did not get 21 cheap points in the game (on a late ruling of a dropped pass attempt by Jay Cutler) instead of 14, but Denver clearly deserved the win over what some are calling the Sore Diego Losers. Denver fans were a bit bewildered by the national uproar over a marginal call that would have never even been mentioned in a game if called against Denver.
You need to change your last name from Wunderlich to Wonka. You just said Denver received "a cheap 14 points." You failed to mention That Chargers offense AND special teams also bombed the Broncos beleaguered defense. San Diego ransacked the Denver Defense for 452 yards and the special teams and defense added in another 237 yards on returns. San Diego only turned the ball over once and that was because of a blow Hochuli call. Denver only turned the ball over once, yet it would have been twice if not for yet another Ed Hochuli blown call. Turnovers turnovers determine games. San Diego should been plus 2 rather than even. San Diego outplayed Denver, not vice versa Wonka.
Dude, even Cutler says he fumbled. Come back to reality.
There were only 2 ways Hochuli could call on that Cutler fumble. If it was a incomplete pass, then the ball should have gone back to previous line of scrimmage, the 2 yard line. If it was a fumble, then it was a live ball & SD Dobbins clearly recovered it. Hochuli makes up ruling that he blew call & places ball on 10 yard line, is that the way to ref a close game?
Oh, well Jerry Jones has spoken, it must be true. Who cares what he has to say about Ed Hochuli, the Dallas Cowboys were not even involved. Every season there are calls made that turn out to be wrong, unfortunately thats just part of the game sometimes. It's unfortunate but it's true. As for Jerry Jones, he needs to worry about winning a playoff game sometime in the future. After all, it has only been over 4000 days since his team last won one.
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San Diego had two chances after the call to still win the game. Defense wins games and their lack of it on the final two plays (touchdown and 2-point conversion) is was lost the game for San Diego. It's unfortunate that the call happened but deal with it. I don't even like the Broncos.
Dude gets more and more buff every year. You think he knows he sucks at his job and will be fired so he is gettin himself prepared to become a player? Ha. But on a serious note everyone makes mistakes and one of the hardest things to do is make judgements in realtime on a professional sporting event (you gotta think these are the fastest of the fast athletes and there are ony a handful of guys watching over 20 at time and keeping up with 2 legs and 2 arms on each guy plus knees and elbows). It sucks that they only get attention when they screw up and not when they make countless good call after coutless good call, but hey that is the profession they chose.
I am a die hard Broncos fan and have been for years. That said, it really did suck for the Chargers on that call. However, as others have mentioned, they still had their chances to stop Denver before they easily scored the TD and then the 2 pt. conversion. They have no one to blame but themselves for that. Who deserved to win more? Flip a coin!! But I can recall some pretty bad calls that turned my teams playoff run into a couch sitting in the past. So as they say, s--t happens. If they are as good as everyone says, they will rebound. Better luck next time.
Who is his bookie and wonder if he covered the spread? Makes ya wonder...
He blew the call, but, Denver still had to score a touchdown, AND a 2 point conversion. I know if he got the call right, it wouldn't have mattered, but San Diego defense allowed a 2 point conversion.
Though he didn't say it, I wondered if the reason Shanahan went for 2 was because he knew Hochuli made a mistake and at least the Chargers would have a "fair" chance to win the game instead of it going to overtime.
To say Hochuli cost the Chargers the game is ridiculous. Norv should have recognized the gift Shanahan laid in his lap and rallied the defense to stop the 2 pt. conversion. Then they would have won the game, regardless of the botched call.
The fact of the matter is, aside from a couple big yet low percentage plays (like the kickoff return), the Chargers looked weak compared to the Broncos. The Broncos outplayed them, deserved to win, and even when given a fair shot at the end, couldn't outdo the Broncos. Chargers fans just can't accept that the bad call is a scapegoat for the truth - the Broncos won fair and square!
For what it's worth, I live in Dallas, and Jerry Jones is on The Ticket all the time down here (the real, and the fake Jerry Jones). He had a similar conversation with the morning show, and made similar comments, but there's no question he was in support of Ed Hercules (sic). You've all probably heard of "bushisms," well Jerry Jones is kind of the same way. To dissect some of what he has said would be impossible. To understand Jerry takes years and years and years of listening to him with a puzzled look on your face the whole time. I can say, with 100% certainty, that the comments he made were in no way meant to be negative towards Ed Hercules (sic) and his body painted ref shirt. hahahahaha. Seriously, how can anyone not like Hercules???? I swear he likes motioning "first down," it gives him a chance to flex. One of my favorite refs in the league.
Jerry Jones, Shut the HELL UP!!!! Hey you have blown some things in your life as well, Barry Switzer, Dave Campo, Chan Gailey, Wade phillips. Wow, steller group of coaches there. The more I look at Jones, I see an someone who is growing old, and realizes that his time is coming. The Cowboys have not won a playoff game since Mylie Cyrus was 3, and Jessica Simpson was riding a bike with training wheels. Jerry, give it up. You are an overratted piece of crap. When you are gone, from this earth, you will be remembered as nothing more than a greedy, seedy, low life billionaire. Well Mara was right about you. You will never ever be in the same league as the Mara's or the Rooney's. You are the devil reincarnated in the form of an owner. Go stand on the sidelines and I hope someone Charley Weiss' you. PS your nose job is starting to need some touchup there.
Jerry Jones is a moron, like he should be the one to talk after bringing in every malcontent and troublemaker in the league to his team. What a zipperhead!!! Jerry keep your mouth shut otherwise you let people know just how stupid you are.
Boy this is yet another game stolen by a ref.
Sportsclimax .com did an article on Hochuli and also
remembered the Lions infamous "coin toss game" Funny stuff worth the read.
Hochuli is unbelievably over-rated. It must be because he's beefcake that everyone automatically assumes he's such a great official.
I've seen the guy blow at least one major, key call in every close football game he calls. It's obvious.
Stop sucking up to the NFL, people: admit a crappy official exists. Otherwise we'll just forever see ref's changing every close game.
I'll never understand what people think they're proving by being all nochalant and understanding about official's terrible calls: they are *supposed* to be "professional" officials. It's not like they're volunteering for Pop Warner out there.
Geesh.
I know this is late, but I believe Hochuli could've done something else with his ruling.
After watching the replay countless times, I'm convinced of two things.
1) Hoch immediately signaling incomplete is meaningless.
2) The whistle didn't blow until after San Diego recovered.
Point 1:
There are lots of plays where officials huddle and have to converse before a ruling on the field is made. Most of the time the head referee will huddle with 1 or more officials as to whether a player came down with catch or possession. Sometimes, the *signal* on the field, ie. possession and 2 feet, "catch" might conflict between officials. In this case, I'm not convinced that just because Hochuli signaled incomplete, it is the "final" ruling on the field.
Point 2:
After watching the replay numerous times I'm convinced the whistle did not get blown until *after* San Diego had recovered or at least simultaneously. I don't know if the replay box has any sound on this, but I think Hochs has an out, he can content when the whistle blew it blew the play dead, but San Diego had already recovered. Say what you want about it, it was either a fraction of a second before San Diego recovered, or simultaneously to San Diego recovering. I'm sure some people would've been ticked, but not nearly as ticked as most people are now.
Who cares what Jerry Jones thinks? He needs to have a few pounds of torque released from his mug from the facelift he got a couple years ago.
To all those Broncos fans who say things like, the Chargers still could have used defense to stop the TD and the extra point. That is not the point! When bad calls helps your team, fans think that is ok. But this kind of thing tends to leave a very bitter feel on the loosing side. The 1972 USA olympic basketball team has not to this day collected its silver medal for its loss to the USSR. The officials there added extra time to the game so the USSR could score the winning points. I guess team USA should have used some of that defense.