Petition to remove Ed Hochuli and Officiating Crew from future NFL Games

The San Diego Chargers got hosed by Ed Hochuli and the Officiating Crew that controlled the San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos, September 14th, 2008.

The Broncos won the game as a result of two grossly incompetent calls.

Trailing 38-31, the Broncos (2-0) reached the 1 but on third-and-goal, Jay Cutler reared back to throw and the ball slipped out of his hands, bounced off the grass and into linebacker Tim Dobbins' hands.

But referee Ed Hochuli blew his whistle, apparently ruling it an incomplete pass. After a review, Hochuli said that the Broncos would keep the ball because his whistle had blown the play dead. The Broncos got the ball at the 10-yard line, where it had hit the grass out of Cutler's hands.

Two plays later, Cutler hit Royal for the TD to make it 38-37.

The Broncos also benefited from an equipment malfunction that prevented the officials from reviewing Champ Bailey's interception at the San Diego 29 in the first quarter. TV replays, which the crew didn't have access to, showed Chambers' left elbow on the grass while he cradled the ball in his right arm as Bailey was trying to strip it away.

Because the replay equipment wasn't working, Hochuli waited the required 2 minutes, then ruled that the call on the field stood. San Diego wasn't charged a timeout, but the Broncos capitalized with Michael Pittman's 1-yard dive for their first touchdown against the Chargers in nine quarters.

Please remove this officiating team from all future NFL contests.

Thank You.