Broncos Win! Refs Cause Controversy in 39-38 Victory over Chargers

all i know is the refs should be fined for bad calls and do what ever it takes to make the correct call.

we got robbed by bullshit calls the refs suck at their job everthing should be reviwed upstairs in the booth to make good correct calls!

last weeks game against carolina was a good game yeah we lost but atleast there were no bullshit calls like this week against the broncos we got robbed for this game. any one who really paid attention to the game would agree!

I say that champ DID strip the ball 1. And 2. Even though the reff blew his whistle and saved the broncos (thanks man) you can’t say he made a bad call. He did say it was a fumble and that do to his (insert bad saying here) mouth, that it was blown dead. To sum up my rambling. The way it happened was unfortunate to the chargers however, the reff made the right call upon his own stupidity.

mike, i know you like your whine in SD, but maybe you should have asked your defense to show up for today’s game.

I’m not gonna say that Chargers fans should get over it, or that there was nothing wrong with the officiating, as it’s clear we got plain lucky, I can’t understand the fumble/non-fumble rule at all. I can totally understand Chargers fans being angry, as if it was reversed I’d be mad too. What I will say though, is that whenever any of my sports teams has a bad decision go against them, I tend to be angry with them for only a few minutes, as it’s clear a lot more factors affect the game then that call. The Chargers had ample opportunities to win that game anyway, e.g. two second half goal to go drives ending in field goals, christ, they had two chances to stop the win after the fumble call. No matter how bad a refs call is, there’s always other opportunities for teams to win the game. I get the feeling we’ll all be fed up of seeing that play on NFLTA etc. this week/season/lifetime

What a great game! Way to go Mike Shanahan on the two point call!! I was so glad you didnt just try to tie it up!! Big Balls!! The charges played good but the Broncos prevail!! Very glad to see them 2-0!

quite upstanding folks with immense vocabulary from san diego are here. wonderful, welcome to the boards.

We got robbed, plain and simple! Bad calls in the First and Fourth, both resulting in a TD for the Bronocs. Game would have been decidedly different if those calls were reversed. T-Money, you are OUT OF YOUR GOD DAMN mind if you think they stripped the ball before he was done! EVERYONE, even the announcers of the game said he was done… Funny how the relplay machine was broken during this crucial play.. I have NEVER seen that happen, but it happens in Denver when it benefited them. A fluke I’m sure, but I am still VERY pissed at these calls! Fourth quarter fumble was a fumble, 100% He wasn’t even beginning his back-motion yet, he lost GOING UP and they call it a incomplete! What an incompetent call!

Now, I will say, our defense played like COMPLETE ass in the first half, Cromartie created WAY to many penatlties resulting in First downs for the Broncos, so I give them that. We kicked their asses in the second half, Sproles was on fire and did a good job standing in for LT.

And congrats to Marshal on a fantastic game and breaking the team record for receptions. He just might be able to get 140+ for the season if he keeps playing like he did today.

We got robbed, thats a fact. But in the last 3 years, we have lost WAY to many games by less then 3 points, and we suck in clutch situations. I’ve been to their practices, training camp is literally 5 minutes away from my me off the 15 and they do NOT do enough 2 min drills, no where near enough and it shows big time!

Denver, we got robbed, but gg nonetheless.

I seem to remember a certain fumble that would have been run back for a TD by Abdula last year. Everyone else saidstuff happens, get over it. Well the same can be said here.
There is no perfect game in the NFL, and if there was, it would not be nearly as exciting. Every team has calls go both for them and against, the difference is that good teams chalk it up and move on.

to troyn, the SD defense did not show up today as it should, so what does it say about the broncos winning by a couple of bad calls that gave the 15 points. To Dave Moore if the last bad call didn’t happen with less than 2 min. left in the game who knows……what did happen is that it took a good football game between 2 rivals that I was enjoying, and turned it into a win for the Broncos that many will feel was undeserved. Too bad.

What a crazy game! I cant believe I sold my tickets on http://www.eSellOut.com because I thought getting $80 per tickets was nice! Dang! Oh well! It was a sick sick game! Going for 2 at the end now that takes balls.

-Ryan

The Chargers got SCREWED — no doubt. This game is an embarrassment to the NFL. This is a 2-game swing in the division that is already going to be pretty close. Enjoy it while you can donkey fans, payback is coming…

It’s pretty easy to blame refs for getting calls wrong when we see replays and have things that happen in a quarter second slowed down frame by frame. Of course refs get calls wrong on the field. They’re human.

scoreboard baby!!

shut up troyn… Your defense wasn’t excactly there either. And if your star player, Ed Hockely (the referee) hadn’t shown up, it would have been a 38-24 chargers victory.

are you kidding me E. Halsey Miles?? Thats why they have challenges and official review… so they can look at it frame by frame.

Don’t get all butt hurt CHARGERS…. you’re telling everyone that you guys don’t get calls handed to you left and right? HA. Get over it. It’s over and there’s nothing anybody can do about it.

T-Money, you sound like the type of person who would cheat to win a game!

Eh… hem…
Did everyone forget the TD “catch” that Chambers “made”… Everyone knows that was not in anyway a catch so the moral of the story is: You got yours, we got ours and you lost…

Not a catch? WTF are you smoking? I want some! Announcers, reviewers, everyone saw he had full possession! And even if it wasn’t, Refs still gave the Broncos 15 pts, so we STILL would have won that game!

That wasn’t even a win in my opinion….the calls were absolutely horrable!!!!maybe the refs are human but the ref was looking at the godamn replay for 2 min in slow mo on a TV that was problably 60 f*ckin inches and showed that it was the chargers ball..and the game was over!!! i mean come on…..”we can not review the play for technical difficulties” give me a break?!!?………i am truly ambarrised to be a NFL fan today….if the chargers had lost becuase the broncos were truly better than them, i would suck it up and b mad at my own team..but that wasnt thecase today……so enjoy the fact that you guys just won this time….O and c ya next time boncos

uhh we won, period. Our defense played bad, our offense is awesome, and not Rivers actually has something to cry about. Besides come off the so-called bad cal from the first quarter; it was a simultaneous catch and not a play that can be overturned. Even with replay the result of the play would have stood.

To all chargers fans on this blog STOP youre whining and cry me a river you guys are all most as bad as raider fans. I believe your defense ( the best in the NFL) had a chance to stop us on 4th down and the 2 pt. try, but could not and to make it worst the same guy burned you guys. Hey allen careful what you wish for we’ll see you later!

I find it interesting that the Charger fans fail to see the bad calls that went against the Broncos — like the pass interference that happened in the first half. Even the announcers said that wasn’t called. There were a couple others. Any bad call can change the direction of the game completely. If we got everything called correctly on our side — we may have been up even more in the first half! Of course, the Charger fans only focus on certain calls….

I think you already got some… he caught 2 TDs and you seem to know exactly what “catch” I am talking about. Amazing…

I guess we could sit and argue but I doubt that would change SDs record from ZERO and 2…

Play was missed ref blew the whistle play stopped on the whistle.
Result was a dead ball booth review would not over rule whistle.
SD was robbed and the Broncos won. Benn a bronco fan for 40 years and sad way to win a game. Would hate to see SD knocked out by 1 game.

Damn good game though…

There were MANY Charger PASS INTERFERENCEs that were not called so I don’t wanna hear you bolts cry because of all the PIs were called we’d have won it by a much larger margin.

That ref f*cked up the whole game!

Typical broncos, get a lead play not to lose and depend on a very poor secondary. Broncos need to clean house and get some secondary player that can cover and tackle. Special team could also be overhauled.

guess what?!?! we won!!!

next game will be fun against NO

Typical Broncos,get a lead and think the D can hold anyone. USC can beat this poor secondary. Get some players to replace this poor group.
Try somethig new like keep pounding teams and not try to let the D win a game.

F you Tim Lavelle. Don’t judge me. You can’t argue. Reffs screw up calls all the time. It’s a part of football. Don’t turn you bitching and moaning into personal attacks. My point was that you can’t change what happened. Bottom line. You got robbed, we got lucky, the refs f@#$ed up, you’re 0-2, and we’re 2-0. Period

its pretty clear that the chargers should have won that game, whoever you are rooting for. It kind of leaves me with a sick feeling that ANY game that good ends up being decided by something so stupid. The NFL needs to take a good long look at that rule. I think that any play where there is a questionable incomplete/fumble call that the NFL should tell the refs to NEVER blow the whistle. What is instant replay in there for anyway? I dont know what ed hoculi was looking at bc not only was it a fumble, but even if it HAD beed a pass, the ball went backwards, making it a fumble. Terrible officiating, terrible rule. Any football fan should want that rule to be changed somehow, ive sen it many times before and to me it just ruins otherwise great games.

[...] Since when is the ball placed where it landed after an incomplete pass?  Hochuli blew this call and it cost the Chargers the game.  if this was ruled as it should have (a fumble recovered by the Chargers), the final score would’ve read 38-31 Chargers.  the Bolts came back after being down 21-3 in Denver just to have the rug pulled out from under them.  [...]

yes i know we (as in the broncos) got some calls go our way but still we won the game and no matter what anyone says they cant take that back. i mean people the pats cheated to win super-bowls and games and ppl are not even doing anything about that. so shut up and get over it. the broncos might have gotten one game that we shouldnt have won but hey the pats got a super-bowl and 16 or more games given to them thanks to some spygame crap. and plus the chargers got what they deserved cause i mean 1 year ago rivers was bein a jack as$ to jay so we got revenge so yall are just mad cause our QB is better. so all in all yes the broncos got “handed” the game but hey its over and theres nothing anyone can do about it. so if i was yall i would stop cryn and concentrate on the next time we play.

“They are who we thought they were!”

Okay, some quick analysis on this game. Charger fans, you’re right – you got screwed on a couple of bad calls. No question about it. And that sucks. But let’s put it in perspective here:

The Broncos absolutely dominated the Chargers in the first half. It wasn’t even close. And the Chargers did a great job of battling back in the second half. But great teams close out games. You let Cutler and the Broncos march down the field at the end of the game. It wasn’t the lousy ref call that lost you the game. It was the 400 yards of passing you gave up and the absolutely HORRIBLE play of Cry-martie. That guy is a JOKE. He looked as bad as Paymah did (that guy needs to be benched – just my opinion). It was also your inability to shut down the red zone (if you aren’t sure what I’m referring to, watch some game tape of last week). Get over it and move on. You have far greater issues to worry about than a couple of bad ref calls.

Still forgetting other calls that weren’t called on the Chargers earlier in the game that were obvious to the announcers and everyone who saw….Who know’s how the entire game would have went if all calls were called correctly? If they called the pass interference against the Chargers earlier in the game, the rest of the game wouldn’t have played out like it did….Thus, no controversial calls in the 4th quaters. That’s the way it goes. You got bad calls, we got bad calls…..

You stay classy San Diego…

I’ve heard the ruling explained at least seven times tonight. Legal call, ref mad a mistake it affected the game. Yet in week 15, who’s going to notice? Not me certainly and most likely not a San Diego fan either.

Every season there’s the could haves and what ifs… If Dre Bly hadn’t had let up against Green Bay the Broncos would have finished 8-8, if a call would have gone our way against the Chicago Bears, we’d have been 9-7. One play separated the Broncos from beating the Raiders in 2007, that’s 10-6…

See how it goes?

1. It was a good game.
2. NFl should suspend Ed Hochuli. This call can’t be acceptable after the video reviewing.
3. Shanahan is unsmart with that call. It was a lucky call. What if Bronco lost, itwould be named the most stupidous call of the year.
4. Shanahan admit: “he fears the coin flip again. he just wanted to over with, win or lose”. He fears Chargers would sweep his butt back to back again.

congrat Shanahan! Unsmart call but turns out good! go Bronco

If we’re calling spades a spade, then Champ Bailey’s interception was a touchdown as well. Where does that leave San Diego? Still in the L column.

Period

Um…yea..I love how the broncos fans are like well…if it wasn’t for some pass interferences that weren’t called… Um…lets review the rule book shale we? IF THE BALL IS UNCATCHABLE IT IS NOT PASS INTERFERENCE NOR IS ACCIDENTAL PASS INTERFERENCE AND WAIT THERE IS ONE MORE! OMG RIGHT! IF THE BALL IS TIPPED IT IS NOT PASS INTERFERENCE BECAUSE THE BALL HAS BEEN TOUCHED IN THE AIR =]. so broncos fans why dont u learn the rules and then tell me when there is pass interfernce…we all know you are still thinking about john elway….this is the new football… And broncos fans please get off ur knees…

It is apparent by what I have read here that a good many football “fans” are totally clueless on rules of the game.
Plain and simple, a great game, marred by one bad call. Charger fans can gripe about Bailey’s return but because the equipment wasn’t working we’ll never know (seen too many plays I was sure would be overturned, not even with instant replay). Now about the rules…
From NFL.com:
Referee Ed Hochuli blew his whistle when the ball came out, ruling it an incomplete pass. A review showed that it should have been ruled a fumble. Instant replay rules, however, don’t allow the opponent to gain possession in such situations.

Given Hochuli’s position (behind Cutler) I am sure it looked as though the ball came out of Cutler’s hand as his arm came forward, which would indeed be an incomplete pass (regardless of whether ball went forward or backward). Once Hochuli blew the whistle, the play is dead and the Chargers cannot recover the ball, in essence, there was no fumble. The only thing that was reviewable by rule was where to spot the ball.

“All we can do to fix it is put the ball at the spot that it hit the ground, which is why we moved it back to the 10-yard line and the down counts and it becomes third down,” Hochuli said afterward.

Charger did indeed get hosed, but regarding replay, the rules were followed. Ed Hochuli is one of the best, if not the best official in the game…just goes to show you even the best can make a mistake now and then, unlike most of us fans. :D

well done donkeys

Holy crap, reading all of these comments make me laugh. Especially at the all the Chargers fans. We all know that it was a bad call at the end, but hey, shit happens. I’m trying to figure out how you Charger fans can sit there and bitch the entire time when you guys had TWO chances to still win the game. It was fourth and goal, and what happens? You get burnt. You could have stopped it, right? Just one more play….But hey, shit happens. So what happens next? Denver goes for two, and the same badass motherfu**** catches the ball AGAIN. Almost the exact same play, if not the exact same play. So what the hell is there to bitch about? You had your opportunities to stop it. TWICE. Get over it. Its a done deal, Denver 2-0, San Diego 0-2. And if you really want to get shit right, if Denver would have played like they did in the first half, none of this nonsense would be talked about. Denver would have kicked the shit out of the team. So to San Diego, next time be ready. Because I’m sure that Denver is not going to stop wooping your ass in the third quarter like this time. Your going to be in for a looooong game.

wow we win and were cheaters. but if the Chargers win then its because they are good??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. we won and thats the bottomline! they scored 38, but we scored 39. end of story. thats the story of the whole Charger history. nothing but constant whining and sniveling like a bunch of bitches who need Midol for their cramps. the tide has turned in the AFC west.

Pandemonium! Its called Mile High Magic for a reason fellas!

Ok I’m going to settle all this. Here’s the deal.

SAN DIEGO GOT SCREWED. There is no doubt about that. Trust me, I’m a huge Broncos fan, but you can’t deny what is obivous.

But I’d like to call attention to something that I think many people are overlooking. It happens whenever a game is decided like this. I hear people saying, “If the ref hadn’t screwed up on that call we would’ve won.” Well, you’re absolutely right. The problem is, you aren’t considering the other 59 mins and 55 seconds of the game.

The Chargers also would’ve won if they had stopped us on the 5 other drives of the game where we walked down the field and put up 31 pts. If they hadn’t blown 50 other plays, they would’ve won.

See what I mean? When this happens, fans forget about the rest of the game and only focus on that one play. That’s not how it works. The same thing would hold true for Denver too. If we hadn’t let Sproles get a TD on a kickoff return. If we hadn’t let him run right through us for another one on a running play. If Bailey hadn’t blown coverage on Chambers. If we hadn’t done any of that, this play wouldn’t have mattered. IF, IF, IF.

You have to consider the entire game to make the right judgement about it. I was always taught that its how you play a game, not some idiot call the referee makes. The Chargers could’ve won the game on dozens of other plays, but blew it. We could’ve prevented all this on dozens of plays, but we blew it.

The point is, there’s just so many other factors in a game that affect the outcome. I SAY AGAIN, THE CHARGERS GOT SCREWED. I’m not denying it. But there’s just so much more that happened in this game, it’s a shame to see it come down to a play like this.

The difference in the game wasn’t some call by the referee, but rather it came on a gutsy call by Shanny to go for two. The difference was that we got two points after a TD and the Chargers got one. So we win by one. It’s that simple.

IT”S A SHAME that the Chargers lost. That’s right, I said it. It was a bad call and I understand their anger.

But the bottom line is that the Broncos came through in the end. The Chargers had two chances to stop them, but couldn’t.

THAT was the difference.

He’s totally right. Getting screwed is part of the game. If the Chargers are truly a dominant team then they will win enough games to make up for this one. Life is full of adversity, you can either overcome it or complain about it.

Troyn….suck ass..change your name

Even after the bad call by the ref SD had TWO chances to win. Go tell Royal and his two catches in the end zone that the ref won the game. Last time I checked what lost SD the game was TD catch by Royal and then the same exact play and catch for the two point conversion.

Exactly my point ryan k. The Chargers had two chances at the end, and many many more during the course of the game to stop us, but didn’t. It’s not about that one play, it’s about all of them.

On the same token, there wouldn’t even be this controversy if the Broncos actually had a defense in the second half. But the Chargers played great and came from behind.

The Broncos just showed up late and punched it in when the chips were down.

yeah well if the Chargers stopped us on any other drive then they would have won. their defense lost the game. not the refs.

Alright, back from the game, so I haven’t been able to watch it on t.v. where I can see plays from all the angles. The replays at the stadium suck. But any good coach in the NFL will tell you that any game that comes down to a bad call by a ref, you really don’t have anything to complain about because you should’ve never let it come down to that anyway. I haven’t seen the Cutler fumble on replay, live it was kind of a WTF just happened play. I don’t really like the rule, but it is a rule, you can’t overturn a whistle. Both defenses stunk it up, but Denver made the plays in the end to count. You’ll have to deal with it until play again in S.D.

Exactly!

Each team had dozens of opportunities to win the game. The Broncos just came through on a couple more than the Chargers. If their defense had stepped up just once in the first half, they would’ve won.

One thing is for sure. It’s going to be a tough game when we go to San Diego later in the season. The Chargers-Broncos rivalry is getting almost as heated as Broncos-Raiders.

Josh said it….Was the fumble call unfortunate? Yes. Still, like other bone-headed moments in sports – Bill Buckner and Steve Bartman and countless others – there were still plays that had to be made by both teams to affect the outcome. All the Chargers had to do was make a play, 1 PLAY out of the THREE the Broncos needed to win the game. Like the Red Sox in ’86 and Cubs in ’03, the couldn’t get it done and lose the game.

Oh, and how about making a tackle….486 yards allowed, and you crying about the refs?? Please.

TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Marshall and Royal
sent you home o and two

Good luck next week against the second place 1 and 1 Raiders.

I’m sorry, but I’ve been reading this site as well as Bolts sites and others. What I’ve been seeing is a bunch of arrogant turkeys bashing the Broncos. Well guess what. We finally gave you a game and we won. No excuses, no whining, and no more BS. If the score leaves a bad taste in your mouth, consider Phillis Rivers UNPROFESSIONAL behavior last December just sort of pissed us off.

You will get the chance to see us again this December. THats fine, but don’t waste your energy bashing the Broncos with adolescent remarks. I am more than happy to have a friendly discussion with intelligent Charges fans, and I know there are many of them.If nothing else you guys can at least write complete sentences, with correct grammar, and proper spelling: unlike the reprobates that follow the Faiders.

So lets keep it light and we can all have fun rooting for our respective teams.

Well said Richard. It’s great to have a conversation with opposing fans who actually know what they are talking about instead of someone who just yells and throws f-bombs all over the place.

I understand why Charger fans are mad! Trust me! But please look at both sides and understand you had plenty of opportunities all day to stop us just once and win the game.

I don’t think this game makes us better or superior to the Chargers. That will be determined in San Diego later this year.

We got a couple breaks and took advantage of them, coming up with a couple plays when it mattered.

So my condolences to the Charger fans. I understand. Let’s just be professional about it. You’ll get your chance to shove it in our face later this season. Props if you do. Props to us if you don’t.

Come on now! Lets tell it like it is! I was at the Charger/Carolina game. I watched the Charger/Bronco game. I am a die hard Charger fan but I don’t like what I am seeing in SD. Players whining. LT looks lost without Lorenzo Neal. Defense has not shown up yet. All the talent in the world won’t help bad chemistry and bad coaching.
Hats off to Tolbert.

Broncos! I hate ya but your looking much improved this year. Cutler finally getting a bit of deserved respect. See ya in San Diego…

BroncoFan18,

I think its great your trying to keep it classy and willing to admit the Chargers did get hosed (which they did). But I am done feeling bad about it as a Bronco fan. If anything this is Karma and the football gods paying back Phillip Rivers classless taunting last year.

as Borat would say: GREAT SUCCESS!!!!!

Hey t-money, your comment (#4) is complete bullshit.

The ref did not call a fair game.
It was fixed and the Chargers are filing a complaint with the NFL league office.
You didn’t deserve that game. If we played your team 10 times we would win 10 times. The only way you can win—is by cheating.
Even the sportscasters on CBS said that the ref, Hochuli is in the pocket of the broncos.
He’ll be investigated just like Donaghy was in the NBA.
Even your own fans were saying that he was done before the ball came out.

The Chargers will win the AFC West—it’s just going to be more fun now.

It’s been too easy lately.

That call aside…… CUTLER is a Bad MotherF’er! And that’s all that matters to me right now. Keep him healthy and we will be doing special things over the next decade!!!!!
We’ll see the Chargers again in December…. And I will be there for that game – can’t wait!

Hochuli got the rule right. A few years ago, the NFL asked the refs to “hold their whistles” in situations like this – let the play continue. If that would have happened hear, the correct outcome would have been: no whistle blew, Chargers ball. Why was the whistle blown then? Because the year AFTER the NFL asked officials to “hold their whistles”, there were more serious injuries to players because of confusion and misdirection over whether or not a play was over. The NFL repealed that instruction, choosing to save the health and ability of the players over the strive for accuracy wherever possible. Not an easy argument to have and certainly no clear-cut right/wrong.

I’ve been a Broncos fan for over 25 years, and I feel bad for the Chargers and their fans with this game. I won’t say they “got screwed” or that they “should have won” because every play affects the next, The real question is looking forward at what comes next. For Denver, it’s finding a pass defense. Hopefully beginning with Jack Williams playing for Karl Paymah in nickel situations. And, oh yeah, a pass rush would be nice. For San Diego, it’s how can they recover from two demoralizing losses in a row, plus the presumed loss of their superstar running back.

If anybody truly believes there is a fundamental problem with the way the game is officiated, AND HAS A SOLUTION FOR THAT PROBLEM, I’m sure the NFL would welcome hearing about in in the offseason as an adjustment for next year. They have proven to be extremely open at improving the quality, integrity, and consistency of the game.

Well put Eric!

I wasn’t aware of that particular rule change. It really sheds this whole situation in a new light. Hochuli really did the right thing, they way he was told to do it.

There are too many other plays in a game to blame it all on him.

ryan k, Rivers certainly deserved what he got today thats for sure. What he did last year was totally classless and unprofessional. It’s funny how those football gods work, isn’t it? :)

We are really going to find out what kind of team San Diego is in the next couple of weeks as they try to rebound from these two devastating losses.

Hey Eric,

This is f*cking football.

Take your happy-go-lucky bullshit and go sell it at the swap meet.

This isn’t the first time Ed Hochuli has been mired in controversy.
CBS Sportsline Anchors thought it smelled crooked.
The ESPN anchors said that—well, here—take a look for yourself>

WATCH THE VIDEO:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcwest?tag=matt%20wilhelm

It’s complete bullshit.
We came back, showed some guts.
Did it without our SACK LEADER—
Did it without Ladanian Tomlinson—
Did it with our defense which played like crap.
Rivers played hard.
He made some great throws while under pressure.

Wow. Cutler. It’s amazing what steroids can do.

Right Jay?

Right Ed?

F*cking crooked bullshit.

I hope KARMA gets all involved.

It will.

Hey Bronco—18,

Football gods?!?

You don’t know what the f*ck you’re talking about.

Yeah, Rivers was a prick.
He’s changing—the kid is growing up.

Cheating doesn’t come from the football gods.
It comes from crooked refs that look bigger than some of the players on the field.
Hochuli’s ego is barely bigger than his roided-out skull.

Get bent fool.

See what kind of team we are?

Shit, dude—you’re f*cking ridiculous.
The first game was a heartbreaker—that’s for sure.
This was just absurd and smells of refs taking dough.

EVERYONE KNOWS IT.

PEOPLE THAT AREN’T EVEN CHARGER FANS THINK IT STINKS TO HIGH HELL.

Give it time—something will be discovered.

The difference is that the ref admitted he f*cked up the call. 2 calls that were complete game changers no matter how you look at it. I was dissapointed in the chargers after carolina, this time I’m pissed cause the refs f*ckin suck. Technical difficulties my ass, if this was the superbowl and it was the last play to decide the game they’d have figured something else out, they were showing the replay on tv, they could have figured out a way for the ref to see it and make the right mother f*ckin call

Amen to Paymah hitting the road. He really is terrible. What about moving Abdullah into the Nickle package? He’s fast, tall, and unlike Paymah, he can lay the lumber!

It finished at 1AM here and gave me 5 hours sleep before work. But it was worth it. Oh the refs called sucked. really really sucked but you know what chargers fans – you reap what you sow. The poor sportsmanship from Rivers last year has finally come to bite you in the ass.

I’m with TSG – why complain about two calls when you give up 39 points? And was it just me or was the 2-point conversion the SAME play as the touchdown?

everyone knows the charges really won that game ! bad defense on both ends I agree know doubt about it, but if you bronco fans have any common sense you would have realized when cutler fumbled the ball, That was game over and thats why the whole crowd went silent because they knew it was game over!!! Its just to bad we got refs that make dumb ass calls and descision on both sides of the ball… and just so you bronco fans know your defense suckass just as well38 points allowed dont sound so great 38 39 your team couldnt even keep up the lead. just luck and bad calling from the refs!!!!!

mike read comment 59

t money ive read it all 1 threw 64 and it was still a bullshit call by the refs and if it stood yall lostthat game

Question… I’m at work (with no flash or java) and i haven’t seen the highlights yet: Wasn’t the touchdown and the 2-point conversion the same play? In the andrenaline rush last night i thought they looked much alike, but obviously i might be mistaking…

i am sure that the charger fan is waking up this morning in a better state of mind and will look at things much more objectivly. if they can honestly think back and decide they have never been the beneficiary of a bad call by the refs, then they still can be upset. i understand being pissy after a tough loss on a questionable call, but sooner or later you have to look at as it really is. the refs are out there doing their best and you get the benefit of their calls somtimes, and sometimes you dont. the bottom line is the refs blew one call late in the game- but what else could their players have done to win it? stop a 4th and goal? stop a 2 pt conversion? make any stop on the last drive? block a field goal at some point? make a third down stop in the second quarter? run another kick back? make another int?

as much as they blame ed h, they need to blame a missed tackle on third down, a missed int on a scoring drive, the dline on a denver fg attempt, sproles for not running 2 kicks back….. i must have missed the outrage on those points…

only a chargers fan could think they *deserved* to win after letting the broncos drive 80 yards with 4 minutes to go and have the ball SLIP out of cutler’s hand at the goal line- as if that wouldnt have been pure *luck* for them. not a forced fumble or an interception, the ball SLIPPING out of his hand, sealing your *well-earned* victory. on the other hand, the broncos put it in the endzone TWICE after the blown call. but yeah, you guys really *deserved* to win. keep feeling entightled all the way to your wildcard berth- if you are lucky…

Justin–

If you actually read the rest of my comments you’ll find that I say in CAPITAL letters the Chargers got screwed. I was just saying Rivers got what was coming to him; if you have a brain you know what he did last year was uncalled for. He deserved it, not his team.

THE CHARGERS DEFENSE lost the game, not some terrible call by a ref. There are 75 other plays in a game, Justin, not just one. You’ve got to look at the whole thing.

I understand where you are coming from, but look at the bigger picture (SEE COMMENT 50). And try to act with a little class.

Danish Denver Fan

They did run the same play twice. What the cameras didn’t show was that they ran the two plays from a slightly different formation.

Slick idea wasn’t it?

Cutler on steroids? That’s laughable coming from a team that has Shawn Merriam on its roster. Tough loss for you guys in SD but it happens every year. I can’t wait until December! Go Broncos!

We got some real Einstein-types in San Diego.

merriman should supply some magic pills to the folks responsible for defending bmarsh…. those dudes got used.

First. The original call was obviously bad right from the outset. It was clear to the viewers, at least the television viewers, that it was a fumble and not an incomplete forward pass. Any time the ball goes backward when the quarterback is not being hit, the default call should be a fumble.
That being said, the rule that a bad call by a ref should result in a obviously erroneous result to the detriment of the team that should have benefited from the proper call is a travesty.
This bad call has cost the Chargers a substantial amount in terms of standing and financial considerations. Since the rules mandate that the absurd result standm, then the referee should be penalized for his error. Suspension as well as a financial penalty. This bad call obviously changed the outcome of the game.

i use to be a bronco fan but i cant like a team that pays the ref cause they cant win with out help. this game was the last one that i could stomach with a bullshit win. for all the SD fans they r 1-1 as for the all that crap about a win is a win no its called sportsmanship the broncos should have ran the clock out and take the loss because they did lose. which shows that they paid the ref and what about the chargers they did a two point conversion also what no credit to stupid bronco fans next we will see the disappearing reappearing link from the past

Alien–

Seriously. Did you just say the Broncos should’ve run out the clock? Are you crazy?! As Radiers D-Coordinator Rob Ryan said so nicely, this is the NFL people. THE NFL. Sure it was a bad call. But saying Denver should’ve run out the clock, sorry, thats just absurb.

As for paying the refs, come on people. Just because one guy in the NBA did it doesn’t mean every ref in every sport who ever made a bad call is getting paid. Open your eyes. Hochuli is one of the best refs in the NFL. He gets called to do SUPERBOWLS. He’s highly respected by everyone in the league. He just made a bad call, a human mistake. Don’t start insulting him personally for something anyone could’ve done. From his vantage point, he thought it was a throw. It’s a lot easier for us sitting at home on our couches to see it was a fumble. He had to make the call in a split second live. It just makes me so angry to see everyone attacking the ref.

It’s the rule that needs to change, not anything that Hochuli does.

Why do people make this personal? Is there anyone, anywhere who has ever seen more than ten seconds of football who couldn’t recognize that Cutler’s pass was a fumble.? Yes or no? STOP… no name calling. No cheap shots… Just yes or no. Even Cutler knew he fumbled. You could see it in the post game interview… and BTW… Palin didn’t sell her plane on E-Bay. Facts. Stick to the FACTS!

I can’t wait till you play us in Qualcomm, you have a good squad but we out played you offensively and (though are defense isn’t 100%) defensively as well, I can’t believe the credit goes to Jay Cutler, he was the one who ultimately should have blown the game for you guys.

Anyway, pertaining to the calls and the game in general, it’s BS but it’s over. I am fully confident that we will lead the division relatively soon–based off what I watched this game. Ed I lost my respect for you, that was absolutely unaccaptable. NFL needs to revew this rule and leave such situations up to the booth.

Mark my words, we will win on 12/28,

peace

sorry, Hoculi should not blow a whistle if he is not in the position to see play completely. It was his fault, and that of his crew for not stepping up and turning the call over.

Haha this is funny cause last year the broncos fans were oh san diego cheated in the 41-3 win and the 23-3 win but now that the broncos one it was only an accident.. seroiusly……

Until PROFESSIONAL officials come to the NFL, we can expect to see unpro calls from non-pro officials. Guys who are bank presidents and insurance salesmen throughout the week can hardly be epected to get it correct on game day. Pro’s are needed.

way to steal a f*cking game broncos but its all good we know who will be in the playoffs at the end GO CHARGERS

Tampafan007, are you serious? The dude’s name is Ed Hochuli… Go ahead, google him. See what you come up with. He’s been officiating for 18 years. He played college football for 4 seasons prior to that.

He made a bad call, all of us know that. It is what it is, but don’t say he’s not a professional. You get your ass out there and do that, then.

Broncos didnt even make the playoffs!!! WE KILLED YOU GUYS PROVING WE ARE BETTER!