Denver Broncos blog, news and rumors


FB

[hype it up!]
[Share with Yardbarker]

Published on 09/14/2008 at Sun Sep 14 18:14.
Tagged: ,,,,,,.



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

Posted Sun Sep 14th by

Tony Scheffler

At the end of the day, the Denver Broncos sit at 2-0. The San Diego Chargers, 0-2.

The wild, high-scoring event was bookended by controversy in the first and fourth quarters. Did Champ Bailey strip the ball early, setting up a Broncos 7-0 lead? Did Jay Cutler fumble, and should the Chargers have recovered?

Had either call gone the other way, the game would have almost certainly ended differently. The Broncos took advantage of some good luck and now sit atop the AFC West!

Cutler looked amazing again in all but two plays – two plays that nearly cost the Broncos the game. His interception in the 4th quarter gave San Diego its one and only lead. The aforementioned fumble would have sealed a Chargers victory had the referee not blown his whistle, declaring the play dead.

Brandon Marshall – what can you say? He set a Denver Broncos franchise record for receptions in a single game. What an honor, and what a way to repeatedly move the chains.

Tony Scheffler had 2 amazing touchdown receptions. That-a-baby Scheff!

And Eddie Royal… Super Eddie Royal… catching the game-winning touchdown and 2-point conversion.

This one will go far to continue to brew a growing rivalry between the Chargers and Broncos. The rematch later in the year will be very, very nasty.

What did you think of the calls by the refs? Did the Broncos deserve to win?

Broncos 39, Chargers 38. Did the Broncos deserve to win?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

←  Older Comments
 →
  • Person

    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.

  • mike

    Troyn….suck ass..change your name

  • ryan k

    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.

  • BroncoFan18

    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.

  • kerry

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

  • http://www.broncotalk.net Josh Temple

    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.

  • BroncoFan18

    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.

  • http://www.milehighreport.com TheSportsGuru

    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

  • Richard

    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.

  • BroncoFan18

    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.

  • http://ceasar.violano@navy.mil ChargerMike

    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…

  • ryan k

    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.

  • kerry

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

  • Justin

    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.

  • OC Bronco

    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!

  • Eric in Vegas

    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.

  • BroncoFan18

    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.

  • Justin

    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.

  • Justin

    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.

  • scott

    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

  • http://81trucolors.livejournal.com/ Truman

    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!

  • http://birty.blogspot.com mikebirty

    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?

  • mike

    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!!!!!

  • T-Money

    mike read comment 59

  • mike

    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

  • Danish Denver-fan!

    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…

  • flbronc

    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…

  • tony

    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…

  • BroncoFan18

    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.

  • Richard

    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?

  • SivNiz

    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!

  • http://mrherculesrockefeller.blogspot.com hercules rockefeller

    We got some real Einstein-types in San Diego.

  • flbronc

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

  • Chuck

    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.

  • Alien

    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

  • BroncoFan18

    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.

  • chris

    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!

  • REA7 TA7K

    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

  • likeagoodgame

    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.

  • Kris

    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……

  • Tampafan007

    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.

  • http://broncotalk.net/2008/09/broncos-win-refs-cause-controversy-in-39-38-victory-over-chargers/ phil

    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

  • hylarie

    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.

  • HAHAHAHA

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

←  Older Comments
 →