Recovering from a fumble
Longtime NFL referee has advice for Hochuli
Once a referee, always a referee, so Jim Tunney did what he felt was the right thing last week. He called Ed Hochuli.
"I just said, 'Been there, done that,' and that we've all walked in those shoes, and we all hate ourselves when it happens," said Tunney, who worked as an NFL official from 1960-91.
"He was devastated, but I just said, 'Keep your head up because you're a good official, and you have to tell yourself that no matter what anyone else tells you.' You get right back out there and say, 'I can work these games and do it error-free.' "
NFL officials generally do an excellent job overseeing such a fast-paced game played by top athletes, but like long snappers, they're seldom in the news unless something goes wrong.
Such as what happened to Hochuli last Sunday when, in the final minute of regulation, he incorrectly ruled that Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler had thrown an incomplete pass when replays showed he lost a fumble that the Chargers recovered.
Had Hochuli not blown his whistle, the Chargers would have won. Instead, the Broncos overcame a 38-31 deficit to post a dramatic 39-38 victory.
"We've all been there, and sometimes those calls make a difference in a game, sometimes they don't, but any official doesn't even want to make the littlest mistake," said Tunney, who now travels the country as a motivational speaker. "You just have to shake it off.
"When I talked to Ed, I told him a story of when I was working Super Bowl XI, the Minnesota Vikings vs. the Oakland Raiders, and Fran Tarkenton had a pass intercepted by Willie Brown and returned 75 yards for a touchdown. Oakland ended up winning the game, and as Tarkenton walked off the field he turned to me and said, 'I'll be back.' That's what you have to do as an official."
Tunney also relayed a story of one of his own crucial mistakes:
"I told him about a Philadelphia-Dallas game. Dallas was ahead, 38-0, when I blew the whistle on Roger Staubach thinking he had the ball when he had fumbled it.
"[Bill] Bradley picked it up for the Eagles and ran it 40 yards for a touchdown. I had to bring him back and I was standing right in front of the coaches. I think it was Ed Khayat, and I said, 'Eddie, I kicked it. I'm sorry. I blew the whistle. He should have the touchdown, but I can't give it to you. The whistle killed the play.'
"He was very upset. He was yelling at me, saying that my mother and father were never really married and on and on. Probably 15-20 years later, we crossed paths and he said, 'Remember that play in Dallas?' I said I could never forget it. He told me that there was nothing I could have said that would have disarmed him more than saying, 'I made a mistake,' because he made mistakes, his players made mistakes, we all make mistakes."
Hochuli, arguably the NFL's most visible official, did just that. After reviewing the play, he told Chargers coach Norv Turner that he botched the call. Hochuli has also responded to fans throughout the past week with a mass email, stating that he "failed miserably."
A two-time Super Bowl referee, he has now been downgraded as part of the NFL's grading system for officials. The highest-graded officials are rewarded with playoff games.
Hochuli is scheduled to work today's Browns-Ravens game, which Tunney believes is an important step for him.
"I don't care who you are, it does affect you because the magnitude of it can change the game," Tunney said. "If those passes are dropped in the end zone, he is off the hook. In that case, San Diego wins it, it's a bad call, you get downgraded, but it didn't change the game, and he'd say, 'Thank you Lord,' and walk off the field."
But things didn't unfold that way for Hochuli.
The NFL's Competition Committee figures to look at the rule this offseason - considering whether there is any way to correct such an obvious mistake - but it's unlikely anything changes, because the whistle indicates a stoppage in play.
Now Hochuli, like a quarterback who throws a costly interception, must bounce back.
"I speak to audiences," said Tunney, "and one of the things I say is that you can lose your momentum but don't ever lose your confidence. Right now, I don't think he's lost his confidence. I think he's lost his momentum."
Decision is a toss-up so far
One of the NFL's new rules this year is that teams winning the opening coin toss can elect to defer their choice to the second half, but through two weeks of play, there has been no consensus among teams on the best approach.
In fact, it's a near-even split, with 15 deferrals and 16 non-deferrals.
Proponents of deferring, such as Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, believe it's more valuable to have the opening possession of the second half. Dallas won the opening toss each of the first two weeks and deferred in both of its victories. The 2-0 Cardinals, under second-year coach Ken Whisenhunt, are the only other team to win the opening toss the first two weeks and defer both times. Whisenhunt has said he likes the idea of having back-to-back possessions at the end of the second quarter and start of the third.
On the flip side, the Broncos, Colts, Falcons, Packers, and Giants won both opening tosses and did not defer. They decided that having the chance to jump ahead early was more valuable than deferring.
Meanwhile, the Patriots and Bengals are sitting on the fence as teams that won two tosses and chose different options.
As the first two weeks indicate, teams are adopting varying approaches with the new rule, and most coaches aren't committing themselves to one choice.
"I think it's a week-to-week thing," said first-year Falcons coach Mike Smith. "It will depend on matchups and what you're going to be facing, and weather also has to be considered."
Cardinals will use nesting instinct to offset Jet lag
The Cardinals, who are 2-0 for the first time since 1991, are taking a late September field trip.
The club is scheduled to play back-to-back road games - visiting Washington today, then the Jets next Sunday - so coach Ken Whisenhunt is keeping the team east for 10 days. The Cardinals will stay at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., the alma mater of Michael Bidwill, whose family owns the team.
"I think it's well-noted that whenever you travel across the country and change time zones, it has an effect on your body," Whisenhunt said. "This is a physical game. When you couple the effects of traveling along with the physical effects of playing in the game, it's tough.
"The reason we're staying out for a week is that we're trying to do anything we can to physically have a better chance to win."
Whisenhunt recalled being on a similar trip as a player with the Falcons when the team played the Rams and 49ers on the West Coast, and he felt it led to a better performance.
He believes an added benefit to the trip is that his players have a chance to visit the nation's capital.
"I'm excited that our players will get a chance to see some of the greatest sites in the country," he said.
The Patriots likewise are planning to stay in California in early October as they have back-to-back games there - at San Francisco (Oct. 5) and San Diego (Oct. 12).
Etc.
Consider him a safety valve
Safety John Lynch has yet to hook on with another team after being released by the Patriots Aug. 31, but the door remains open if the team's injury situation changes. When Lynch came to New England, he was planning to be used as a hybrid safety/linebacker, but after a few weeks, he was told by the coaches that they liked him more as a pure safety. As it turned out, the Patriots felt well-stocked at safety with Rodney Harrison, James Sanders, and Brandon Meriweather, and they told Lynch he probably wouldn't be active on game days. The sides mutually agreed to part ways.
Patriotic spirit in Denver
Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler acknowledges that his team's use of wide-open formations is a direct result of the Patriots' success last season. The Broncos used the three-receiver set on two of their key plays in last Sunday's win over the Chargers - on the touchdown and go-ahead 2-point conversion with 24 seconds remaining. "This is a copycat league," Cutler told the Denver Post. "Everyone looks at everyone, takes plays here and there, tweaks them a little bit. We really liked what the Patriots were doing with some of their empty sets, and we've got similar weapons with our guys . . . so offensively we kind of matched up with what they were doing and thought we might put it in, and it's working so far."
Lane may be approaching exit
Things are just flat-out bizarre in Oakland, where it doesn't seem to be a question of if second-year coach Lane Kiffin will be fired, but when. Owner Al Davis has grown tired of Kiffin's disparaging remarks since the offseason, and the bitterness between the two was reflected in team officials distributing an ESPN.com column to beat reporters last week that was critical of Kiffin. Only in Oakland.
History is within his grasp
Eagles rookie receiver DeSean Jackson might have made a boneheaded play last week by releasing the ball before reaching the goal line, but there is no denying the spark he's provided Philadelphia's offense. A second-round draft choice of out Cal, he has been one of the league's most impressive newcomers. If he totals more than 100 receiving yards in today's Keystone State contest against the visiting Steelers, he will become the first player in history with 100 receiving yards in each of his first three NFL games.
This Sage is a wise guy
Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has added incentive for today's game against the Titans after Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth told reporters he's glad to face Schaub and not Sage Rosenfels, whom he called the best backup quarterback in the NFL. Haynesworth went on to say that Rosenfels should have received a $60 million contract from the Texans instead of the $48 million given to Schaub. That drew a humorous response from Rosenfels: "When Albert becomes a general manager, I hope I'm a free agent."
Showing too much 'Skin
First-year Redskins coach Jim Zorn took a break from X's and O's last week to deal with an unexpected issue in the blogosphere. Turns out tight end Chris Cooley, writing on his blog, revealed a quiz that Zorn had given offensive players about the Saints defense. Cooley also revealed body parts best left covered. That led Zorn to hold a team meeting in which the game plan was direct and to the point: Sack the revealing blogging.
Taylor takes measure
Best division in football? Jaguars running back Fred Taylor believes it's the AFC South, though those picking the NFC East could make a strong case. "I don't think the NFC East can match up against AFC South teams when you put things on the line," Taylor said.
Extra points
Last week, it was noted that 64 quarterbacks started at least one game last season, an NFL record, and four teams were going with new starters this season after one week. Add two more to the list, as the Chiefs are starting Tyler Thigpen and the Vikings are going with Gus Frerotte . . . Titans coach Jeff Fisher told reporters last week that he plans to stick with Kerry Collins at quarterback as long as the team is winning, so the job won't necessarily go back to Vince Young upon his return to health . . . The Bills will wear their 1960s throwback jerseys today against the Raiders . . . Former Bills defensive end Bruce Smith is set to become the 25th honoree on the Wall of Fame today at Ralph Wilson Stadium . . . Veteran linebacker Zach Thomas is off to a strong start in Dallas, with coaches crediting him with a team-high 20 tackles despite playing mostly on first and second down . . . Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom put coach Scott Linehan on the hot seat, telling the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Things will get better. And if they don't, changes will be made."
Did you know?
Through two weeks, rookie running backs have totaled 1,197 rushing yards, the most through the first two weeks of a season in 29 years. Rookie running backs have 257 rushing attempts, the most through the first two weeks of a season since 1993.
Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report. 