Ref Hochuli makes another questionable call

[nojobny]

Hochuli makes questionable call nullifying INT return for TD

Associated Press
Updated: September 28, 2008, 5:35 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Referee Ed Hochuli was at the center of another questionable call Sunday, flagging Julius Peppers for a roughing-the-passer penalty that wiped out Carolina's interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter against Atlanta.

After Matt Ryan's pass was intercepted by Richard Marshall, Hochuli threw a flag and announced Peppers made a helmet-to-helmet hit on Ryan. It erased the touchdown and gave the Falcons a first down on a drive that ended with a punt.

Replays showed Peppers made contact as Ryan released the ball, and appeared to hit him first with his shoulder.

"Ed came over and explained to me, he said that I hit him with my helmet," Peppers said. "He said I hit him with my helmet in his head and that's what he called. It wasn't really roughing, late hit. It was just my helmet hit his helmet, so it was just one of those calls that, you know, player safety is what that was about.

"I'm not trying to hit him with my helmet. I'm not trying to hurt him, but you know, it's football so I'm going for the tackle so helmets are going to get hit sometimes."

Fans booed loudly when the play was shown on the video boards at Bank of America Stadium, and Carolina coach John Fox said after the game that was the only footage he'd seen of the play.

"I can't comment, No. 1. But No. 2, I didn't really see it," Fox said. "I saw the replay, and I wasn't real fond of it then."

Two weeks ago, Hochuli's missed call helped Denver's comeback 39-38 win over San Diego.

Denver quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass, the ball slipped from his hand and a San Diego player recovered. But Hochuli, who has refereed two Super Bowls, ruled it an incomplete pass. He later admitted it was the wrong call.

Denver retained possession, scored a touchdown and then won with a successful 2-point conversion.

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[lilyoder6]

i think ppl need to leave him alone.. refs make bad calls evry time and i don't see there names in articles..

[chucoblack&gold]

I agree, I think last weeks hoopla got under his skin .....

[Galax Steeler]

The one against san diego was a bad call but with what I am reading on this it shouldn't have been called.

[stlrtruck]

Ed is one of the top Ref's in the NFL - meaning that he's the one everyone knows. So if Joe Blow ref makes a bad call no one knows about it (except the fans of those two teams playing). But when Ed does it, he might as well be running for the White House!

[fansince'76]

Jerry Jones sounds off on referee Hochuli

Irving, TX – It hasn't been an easy week for NFL official Ed Hochuli, whose inadvertent whistle cost San Diego a win at Denver on Sunday, and Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones added to the heat Friday.

On his weekly radio show on KTCK-AM 1310 (The Ticket), Jones said Hochuli "is quick to the draw" on throwing flags.

"His crew calls a lot of penalties," Jones said. "Maybe the answer is to tell people like that, 'Keep that whistle out of your mouth.'"

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...s.1042aab.html

No Jerry, your team racks up a lot of penalties because they're a bunch of undisciplined (albeit talented) assclowns. Having the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man as your HC doesn't help matters either.

[Mikee]

My brother sent out an email and I thought I would share:

Seriously! Ed Hochuli is going to be on the media radar for some time to come. I think these idiots that write columns on football sometimes have never watched a damn football game in their life. I would like to see them put on the stripes. I would like to see if they can make calls in REAL-TIME rather than relying upon some big screen tv with replay while they sit in their air conditioned studios with complimentary profanityfilterprofanityfilterprofanityfilterprofa nityfiltertails and buffalo wings to make a judgment call. The factor here is player safety and the QB is the most protected position in football because it is vulnerable and often the most dangerous. I am sick of these writers and commentators that continue to harass and threaten the integrity of one of the best refs on the league

I have to agree

[RoethlisBURGHer]

If in real time it looked like a helmet-to-helmet blow before there was shoulder contact, then I cannot really blame him for making the call.

Often in real time a hit looks helmet-to-helmet. And when it looks like it, the ref has to throw the flag.

[9-5]

Originally Posted by fansince'76

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...s.1042aab.html

No Jerry, your team racks up a lot of penalties because they're a bunch of undisciplined (albeit talented) assclowns. Having the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man as your HC doesn't help matters either.

Hope he likes getting fined, just got 25K for that one. Not like it matters to his wallet.

[steelwall]

EMPLOY ref's full time, not like the NFL doesnt have the loot.