Video of Jay Cutler's Fumble That The Ref Messed Up

[MichaelAngelo]

Wow. I can't believe it no matter how many times i see it

REF MESSES UP JAY CUTLER'S FUMBLE AND COST SAN DIEGO A VICTORY (http://blacksportsonline.com/index/2008/09/rljaycutler.html)

[Slick]

It's a masterpiece.

[honz]

Good call IMO. :coffee:

:D

[Tned]

Wow. I can't believe it no matter how many times i see it

REF MESSES UP JAY CUTLER'S FUMBLE AND COST SAN DIEGO A VICTORY (http://blacksportsonline.com/index/2008/09/rljaycutler.html)

Yep, it was a bad call, but the ref couldn't overturn it, because the rules don't allow him to do it. Do you really think he wanted to go to the SD coach and say, I blew it, but I can't correct it, and oh by the way, you lost a TO too boot, even though your right and I screwed the pooch on the call...

It has to do with the position of the ref and speed of the game. From his position, clearly it looked like the ball came out when the hand was moving forward.

[sneakers]

I dunno, from the angle on one of the replays it made it look kinda like a forward pass, and thus an incompletion.

[jrelway]

it is what it is. an incomplete pass. hoo hoo!!

[Broncolingus]

Wrong intial call...

Hochuli admitted it...

The rules, however flawed, were applied correctly and appropriately...

...and oh by the way, San Diego had two subsequent attempts to stop the Bronco's and didn't...

I'd be pissed if I was a Bolts fan, but I'm not, so deal with it.

Bronc's win a fun game to watch and lead in the AFC West by 2 games.

Life is good right now so enjoy it.

[TimBuff10]

My gripe with this whole thing was that that play where Cutler fumbled should have been a Pittman run up the middle, and if it didn't work, then pound it in again on 4th and 1 with 10 seconds left.

As soon as he pulled away from center I almost flipped out. A run from the 2 would have probably been a TD and if not, you take precious time off the clock and can try it again from closer on 4th down. That play call was horrible since passing and not getting the TD will stop the clock and still leave you with a 4th down from the 2.

[jrelway]

not too horrible of a call. shanny knew cutler was on fire all day long. plus, SD most likely would be anticipating a run up the middle.

[SCBronco]

Probably isn't the first missed call in a game and more than likely won't be the last. I would be willing to bet over the history of San Diego's team they have benefited from at least one missed call.

[BroncoWave]

Probably isn't the first missed call in a game and more than likely won't be the last. I would be willing to bet over the history of San Diego's team they have benefited from at least one missed call.

Exactly. That's football and that's life. Games are decided by bad calls all the time. Usually over the course of the season those things cancel each other out so I'm not going to be shedding any tears for Chargers fans.

[AlWilsonizKING]

It has to do with the position of the ref and speed of the game. From his position, clearly it looked like the ball came out when the hand was moving forward.


That's the first thing I thought when I watched the replay of the "fumble"



PEACE!!!

[Drill-N-Fill]

My gripe with this whole thing was that that play where Cutler fumbled should have been a Pittman run up the middle, and if it didn't work, then pound it in again on 4th and 1 with 10 seconds left.

As soon as he pulled away from center I almost flipped out. A run from the 2 would have probably been a TD and if not, you take precious time off the clock and can try it again from closer on 4th down. That play call was horrible since passing and not getting the TD will stop the clock and still leave you with a 4th down from the 2.

What got me more mad was the 3rd down run to Young. Shanny always gets cute with that shotgun hand off in the redzone. He did it with the Raiders and now with the Chargers. Glad it worked out THIS TIME. Still hated the call though.

[Retired_Member_001]

Wow. I can't believe it no matter how many times i see it

REF MESSES UP JAY CUTLER'S FUMBLE AND COST SAN DIEGO A VICTORY (http://blacksportsonline.com/index/2008/09/rljaycutler.html)

Yes the ref knew he blew it, but if the game had gone to OT, he would be sreweing us to make up for it.

[omac]

Let's hope the Chargers can continue to focus on this botched call by the ref, instead of focussing on fixing what can make their team better, questions like, why couldn't we stop them from throwing completions to our endzone twice with the same play? Their defense still had 2 chances to win the game, and they already knew what we were going to do.

They can focus all they want on the ball slipping from Cutler's hand, which had nothing to do with the Chargers' defense; that would've been a gift for the Chargers. Truth is, though, that bad calls happen a lot in the NFL, and they had 2 big chances to win the game, and they failed both times when it counted the most; 3 if you count Carolina. :rockon:

[EastCoastBronco]

If we had been screwed on a brutal call like that I'd be hollering like a bugger right now. Since the call went in our favor I am as happy as a pig in shit. In both cases I don't have one single iota of control over the outcome ....it's the NFL and I accept, begrudingly or not, what she gives me...
In all actuality it wasn't Hochuli's fault. The screwed up part is the NFL rule which does not allow an obviously brutal call to be overturned. Therein lies the problem.

[BroncoWave]

If we had been screwed on a brutal call like that I'd be hollering like a bugger right now. Since the call went in our favor I am as happy as a pig in shit. In both cases I don't have one single iota of control over the outcome ....it's the NFL and I accept, begrudingly or not, what she gives me...
In all actuality it wasn't Hochuli's fault. The screwed up part is the NFL rule which does not allow an obviously brutal call to be overturned. Therein lies the problem.

I don't think it's a bad rule. Once the whistle blows, that's it, play dead. The only way you could change the rule would be to allow things that happened after the whistle to take place, which would be wholly unfair IMO. I mean, if you're going to allow that, they might as well just get rid of whistles all-together.

[orangeatheist]

I never noticed it before, but this is an UNCANNY resemblance:

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/KBQB_blog/ed.jpghttp://planetsave.com/files/2007/12/santa-claus.jpg

I love Christmas!

[GEM]

So 1 call cost them the game? It had nothing to do with Cromartie biting a big one all game long? It had nothing to do with stopping Cutler's 350 yd game, Marshall's 18 catch game, Sheffler's 2 TD game, Royal's TD and 2 pt conversion? Wow. I wasn't aware a game was played in 10 sec, I thought you had 60 min to win a football game. Being down 24-10 had nothing to do with it?

Sparkler fans....:laugh:

Karma does exist and Phyllis just learned all about it. :D

[AlWilsonizKING]

Karma does exist and Phyllis just learned all about it. :D



Great way to put it GEM!!!:salute:


PEACE!!!

[Kaylore]

So 1 call cost them the game? It had nothing to do with Cromartie biting a big one all game long? It had nothing to do with stopping Cutler's 350 yd game, Marshall's 18 catch game, Sheffler's 2 TD game, Royal's TD and 2 pt conversion? Wow. I wasn't aware a game was played in 10 sec, I thought you had 60 min to win a football game. Being down 24-10 had nothing to do with it?

Sparkler fans....:laugh:

Karma does exist and Phyllis just learned all about it. :D

Yeah the bottom line is that call could have given the game to the Chargers, but it didn't give the game to the Broncos. It moved the Broncos back to the ten. They had three downs to stop us and they didn't. They also had time to move it down the field and kick a field goal. Chambers keeps his toe in bounds and they're in field goal range. So ultimately they didn't make the plays needed to win and the Broncos did.

[Shep]

Ed struggled all game. He called DJ for a helmet under the chin hit on Rivers and he led w/ his shoulder. Cutler did get hit helmet to helmet and it was missed completely.

[pnbronco]

Wow. I can't believe it no matter how many times i see it

REF MESSES UP JAY CUTLER'S FUMBLE AND COST SAN DIEGO A VICTORY (http://blacksportsonline.com/index/2008/09/rljaycutler.html)

MA thank you so much for posting this. I was driving back from WI and was in the middle of Neb. when I was listening to all this, it's so much better to see it with my own eyes. Seeing it put a different light on how bad it really was. It was nice to see the 2 touchdowns, thanks again.

[Broncospsycho77]

Jay Cutler on Sporscenter at noon Eastern. This should be interesting, to say the least.

[sacmar]

Shoulda woulda coulda....who gives a crap i COULD'VE won the lottery this weekend if i had the right numbers......it absolutly makes the game all that much better listening to charger fans cry us a river while we waived bye bye to one...all that matters is what is on the scoreboard at the end of the game not how we got there. 2-0 vs 0-2 there are no half wins given for bad calls. I've seen the replay booth make bad calls.....so what doesn't change anything. Those thirty something points had something to do with the chargers loss as well....

[Watchthemiddle]

The call was made, CUtler said after the game that it was a fumble....Champ said today on Rome that it was a fumble...but its over.

I would be pissed if it was my team that got screwed as should all Charger fans, but the thing everyone needs to remember is it was then 3rd down from the 10 after that play and the Chargers couldn't stop a TD.

Not only that, we went for 2 and got the 2 point conversion.

The Chargers had 2 chances to stop us after the missed call and couldn't.

[MOtorboat]

Jay Cutler on Sporscenter at noon Eastern. This should be interesting, to say the least.

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3589136&categoryId=2459789&n8pe6c=3

On the “fumble:”
“You know, I knew it was a fumble. As soon as I went to the sideline, they asked if I fumbled, and I said, ‘uh, yeah, absolutely.’ The Ball came out of my hand when I was rolling out, and you know, we heard the whistle, so we thought, if anything, we would get the ball back at the 10. We got lucky for sure.”

On the rule:
“I think it probably will be changed. Maybe not this year, maybe next year, but its something the officials can definitely control. When the whistle blows, some people stop and some people play through it. You never know what’s going to happen once that whistle goes off.”

On the two-point conversion:
“You know, whenever we got the ball back with four minutes, we kind of decided then that if we scored, and there wasn’t a lot of time left, we were probably go for the win. I wasn’t that surprised, I was just waiting to see what call they were going to put in. And, we got a good one.”

On Mike Shanahan and the decision to go for two:
“He’s confident as ever. He believed in us from the moment that we stepped on the field. And, he didn’t want to wait for the coin flip, and I don’t blame him. Both offenses were kind of doing what they wanted out there. We have all the faith in our defense, but we just kind of wanted to end it there.”

On the wide receivers and the rest of the offense:
“We missed B in the first game, but Eddie Royal stepped up for us as a rookie and went against some all-pro corners and did well. Getting B back always helps. It kind of evens out the field for us. Whenever we throw the ball 50 times, we’re going to go to B a lot. It’s good to have those two guys out there, and with our tight ends and the way our offensive line is blocking – this offense is kind of doing what it wants right now.”

On Philip Rivers:
“I don’t think there is a relationship. He’s the quarterback for San Diego, I’m in Denver, and we compete against each other twice a year, and that’s kind of where it stops.”

[NorthernLights]

What is interesting about this rule and the call is that if this happened to a RB or WR, a change of possession could occur, even if it an inadvertant whistle is blown, but since it happened to the QB, it isn't allowed. The brilliance of the Competition Committee doesn't want their precious QB's diving into piles of other football players trying to retrieve their whoopsie.

Another interesting point is the ball actually lands behind Cutler, which if Hoc thought was a pass attempt, would have been a backwards pass and is a live ball. Another reason to not blow the whistle.

[MOtorboat]

Another interesting point is the ball actually lands behind Cutler, which if Hoc thought was a pass attempt, would have been a backwards pass and is a live ball. Another reason to not blow the whistle.

This is an interesting point, because I've always believed the same...If his hand moves forward and they deem it a pass, yet the ball goes backwards, it's a backwards pass, thus a fumble...right...well...it's never called that way...

[GEM]

What is interesting about this rule and the call is that if this happened to a RB or WR, a change of possession could occur, even if it an inadvertant whistle is blown, but since it happened to the QB, it isn't allowed. The brilliance of the Competition Committee doesn't want their precious QB's diving into piles of other football players trying to retrieve their whoopsie.

Another interesting point is the ball actually lands behind Cutler, which if Hoc thought was a pass attempt, would have been a backwards pass and is a live ball. Another reason to not blow the whistle.

Kind of like Brees did with Lynch a few season back? Remember the outcome. Brees was out the rest of the season and lost his job.

[NorthernLights]

Kind of like Brees did with Lynch a few season back? Remember the outcome. Brees was out the rest of the season and lost his job.

I was thinking the same thing as I was typing it.

[haroldthebarrel]

I dont get this.... it was a bad call. But we all(denver fans/players etc) acknowledge that.

We have basically said that from the beginning. Nothing none of us can do now but focus on the next game. It would be different if we defended the botched call as right, wouldnt it?

When Eli and the Giants beat us in the fourth quarter that game was also probably decided by refs. And with that I mean it would have been a different game. It happens.
We lost a game vs the Chiefs with Hall scored on two blatant missed blocked in the back calls. That changed the game as well in their favor.

Heck, I remember loosing a basketball game by one point with us shooting zero free throws and the other team 36. I alone averaged ten a game that year.
Same thing. It happens.
No Denver fans can say anything but we were lucky, but the team also made sure to execute when it mattered the most. And to me, that is what counts the most.

[jrelway]

Shanahan praises Hochuli and crew

September 15, 2008 5:21 PM



Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson


This is one is going to sting in San Diego.

Denver coach Mike Shanahan said today that Ed Hochuli and his crew "did a heck of a job" overall Sunday in Denver's controversial 39-38 Denver win over the Chargers.

Shanahan said during his press briefing today he grades the officials every Monday morning and Sunday's crew came up smelling like roses.

"Well obviously, I think Ed Hochuli, said that they missed a call. I grade the officials all the time," Shanahan said. "You take a look at offense, defense and special teams and you send in a report each week. This was the best crew that we have had in the last 20 crews I have graded. They did a heck of a job."

Those comments are sure to make Shanahan even more popular amongst Chargers' fans.

[GEM]

Shanahan praises Hochuli and crew

September 15, 2008 5:21 PM



Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson


This is one is going to sting in San Diego.

Denver coach Mike Shanahan said today that Ed Hochuli and his crew "did a heck of a job" overall Sunday in Denver's controversial 39-38 Denver win over the Chargers.

Shanahan said during his press briefing today he grades the officials every Monday morning and Sunday's crew came up smelling like roses.

"Well obviously, I think Ed Hochuli, said that they missed a call. I grade the officials all the time," Shanahan said. "You take a look at offense, defense and special teams and you send in a report each week. This was the best crew that we have had in the last 20 crews I have graded. They did a heck of a job."

Those comments are sure to make Shanahan even more popular amongst Chargers' fans.


Should he be called Mastermind or Balls of Steel?

:lol: Awesome!

[Medford Bronco]

Why are people getting so upset here.

If Rivers fumbled and it was called an incomplete pass, this place and Bmania would explode and there would be lots of crying here as well.

We were lucky and I am glad for it, but lets stop saying the Charger fans are whining as the Bronco fans would do the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot.

[Benetto]

It is what it is....

Good call or bad call, they always happen. Both are unavoidable..and both happen to all teams.

Difference is, accepting the calls.

We all have no choice but to take the bad calls and bite the bullet. Us as longtime Broncos fans have seen and experienced all sorts of bad calls. We took them and moved on.

It's understandable most Chargers fans are crying and whining instead of moving on, most have thin skin and are bandwagoners...So its all too new and horrific.

Consider it a wake up call you fairweather bitches. Choke on this loss for now, and prepare for the Bronco freight train coming late December.

[MOtorboat]

Shanahan praises Hochuli and crew

September 15, 2008 5:21 PM



Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson


This is one is going to sting in San Diego.

Denver coach Mike Shanahan said today that Ed Hochuli and his crew "did a heck of a job" overall Sunday in Denver's controversial 39-38 Denver win over the Chargers.

Shanahan said during his press briefing today he grades the officials every Monday morning and Sunday's crew came up smelling like roses.

"Well obviously, I think Ed Hochuli, said that they missed a call. I grade the officials all the time," Shanahan said. "You take a look at offense, defense and special teams and you send in a report each week. This was the best crew that we have had in the last 20 crews I have graded. They did a heck of a job."

Those comments are sure to make Shanahan even more popular amongst Chargers' fans.

Apparently the league might not agree...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3589407


NFL to give Hochuli lower grades after call in Chargers-Broncos game

NEW YORK -- Ed Hochuli's acknowledgement that he erred on a call late in Sunday's San Diego Chargers-Denver Broncos game will mean lower grades for one of the NFL's highest-profile referees.

"Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. "Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call. Under our evaluation system, an official's grades impact his status for potentially working the playoffs and ultimately whether or not he is retained."

The play occurred with the Broncos at the Chargers' 1-yard line in the final minute. Denver quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass, and the ball slipped out of his hands, bounced off the grass and into the arms of San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins.

Hochuli ruled it an incomplete pass. Replay ruled it a fumble, but it was spotted at the 10-yard line, where the ball hit the ground, and given to Denver because the rules did not permit possession to be awarded to San Diego because the whistle had blown.

Denver went on to score, convert a two-point conversion and win 39-38.

The play is also likely to be reviewed in the offseason by the league's competition committee, which normally reviews all controversial plays.

"It's going to require a great deal of discussion," said Titans coach Jeff Fisher, the cochairman of the competition committee. "It's happened at times. It happened in a game against us at Indianapolis years ago. ... When the whistle blows and the pass is ruled incomplete, there's just no way currently that you can award possession."

For example, until March 2007, down-by-contact plays were not reviewable. That rule was changed so that they were reviewable, and if a fumble occurred even after the whistle blew, the team recovering it got possession

San Diego coach Norv Turner said he spoke with NFL officials Monday and that the Chargers sent in video of the plays in question.

"As for things that occurred during the game, in my mind, they're done," Turner said. "We sent the plays in to the league that we had in question. We expect to get a response back. Anything that we talk about or anything that is discussed in terms of any of the rules or any of the calls isn't going to change the outcome of that game. That game is going to be 39-38, forever."

Denver coach Mike Shanahan said honest mistakes always happen in the NFL.

"This was the best crew that we have had in the last 20 crews I have graded," Shanahan said. "They did a heck of a job. Every game that you see that is within a point or a field goal over the last couple years, it may be a call or a non-call that wasn't right, but that is the nature of this game. You have to find a way to win.

"We still had the ball at third-and-10 and had to get it into the end zone. Third-and-10 and then fourth-and-4. We still had to make a two-point conversion," Shanahan said. "It wasn't like somebody gave us the touchdown. You have to go out there and still get it done."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[GEM]

Why are people getting so upset here.

If Rivers fumbled and it was called an incomplete pass, this place and Bmania would explode and there would be lots of crying here as well.

We were lucky and I am glad for it, but lets stop saying the Charger fans are whining as the Bronco fans would do the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot.

Med, whining by a head coach doesn't fix things. It wasn't the Broncos that cheated, it wasn't the Chargers. It was a human error by the officials that the Chargers had 3 chances to overcome. They should be whining about their own defense not able to overcome last second touchdowns that led to wins in back to back weeks. Go to the NFL refs forum and whine, but don't do it here. All we've heard for 2 seasons is arrogant, big headed bs. Rivers just got socked in that thing he calls a mouth. Karma is a biatch. I'm sorry, but after the last 2 years of behavior on the part of Chargers players and fans, I don't feel a bit friggen bad for em. :coffee:

[Medford Bronco]

Med, whining by a head coach doesn't fix things. It wasn't the Broncos that cheated, it wasn't the Chargers. It was a human error by the officials that the Chargers had 3 chances to overcome. They should be whining about their own defense not able to overcome last second touchdowns that led to wins in back to back weeks. Go to the NFL refs forum and whine, but don't do it here. All we've heard for 2 seasons is arrogant, big headed bs. Rivers just got socked in that thing he calls a mouth. Karma is a biatch. I'm sorry, but after the last 2 years of behavior on the part of Chargers players and fans, I don't feel a bit friggen bad for em. :coffee:


GEM like I have said if the shoe was on the other foot then the Bronco fans would be pissed as well.

Dont get me wrong I am glad we won and am not condoing the whining, I just see the angst amongt a lot of the poster here.

[GEM]

GEM like I have said if the shoe was on the other foot then the Bronco fans would be pissed as well.

Dont get me wrong I am glad we won and am not condoing the whining, I just see the angst amongt a lot of the poster here.

Med, you are too nice of a guy.

No Mercy!

:D

[haroldthebarrel]

GEM like I have said if the shoe was on the other foot then the Bronco fans would be pissed as well.

Dont get me wrong I am glad we won and am not condoing the whining, I just see the angst amongt a lot of the poster here.

so.... they have a right to complain as it was two butchered calls.
But like other people say they should complain to the league is no where did we cheat. Not to us.

Bad calls decides games. They make it into another game.
On top of my head the game we lost to Giants in the fourth, and the game we lost to the Chiefs with the Hall tds were all different games due to missed calls.
I complained and rightly so. What I didnt do was go to a chief board or Giants board and complain about missed calls.... and rightly so.

[topscribe]

Has anybody considered the fact that the call worked against the Broncos?

They had a second and goal at the one-yard line.

They were moved back to a third and goal at the ten-yard line.

The Broncos went from a virtually certain TD to a tough task to get a TD.

NOBODY gave them that touchdown or that two-point conversion.

That incident made it TOUGHER on the Broncos.

Has anybody grasped that??

-----

[Denver Native (Carol)]

One other thought - how many of the Broncos heard the whistle, and did not feel it necessary to go after the ball?????

[honz]

Well, that Sandy Eggo player was gonna get the ball...I mean he was right there. In a perfect world Sandy Eggo would have gained possession, ran out the clock, and won the game. However, bad calls exist in the NFL, everyone is on the wrong side of at some point, and it is what it is. Hell of a break for us and a heart breaker for SD.

[MOtorboat]

One other thought - how many of the Broncos heard the whistle, and did not feel it necessary to go after the ball?????

Um...no Broncos were in the neighborhood of the ball. Sorry, but that's a bunk argument on this particular play. Although...that is why the rule exists.

[MOtorboat]

Well, that Sandy Eggo player was gonna get the ball...I mean he was right there. In a perfect world Sandy Eggo would have gained possession, ran out the clock, and won the game. However, bad calls exist in the NFL, everyone is on the wrong side of at some point, and it is what it is. Hell of a break for us and a heart breaker for SD.

He did get possession. That is undisputable...

[MasterShake]

Well, that Sandy Eggo player was gonna get the ball...I mean he was right there. In a perfect world Sandy Eggo would have gained possession, ran out the clock, and won the game. However, bad calls exist in the NFL, everyone is on the wrong side of at some point, and it is what it is. Hell of a break for us and a heart breaker for SD.

It was going to be a heartbreak either way. Never feel bad for win. Now we must dominate the Saints to PROVE ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT IT WAS A DAMN FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT WE WHERE GONNA WIN, BAD CALL OR NOT! If San Diego would have won it would have been JUST as empty for them. A no pressure fumble from Cutler after we marched on their defense almost the length of the field? C'mon, thats a gimme win for the Chargers, not the mark of a Super Bowl caliber team that the NFL anointed them at the beginning of the year. Bottom line, if San Diego was the better team they would have stopped us or LEGITIMATELY forced a fumble to end it. I'm not going to apologize for being the better team. Just ask yourself this-if the game ended on an unforced fumble would you be ok with it then? Don't apologize for this win to anyone including yourself. We have put up 80 pts over the last two games, something the 97 or 98 Broncos did not do. San Diego is a fantastic team that scares the hell out of me, but the better team did win that day.

[MOtorboat]

Has anybody considered the fact that the call worked against the Broncos?

They had a second and goal at the one-yard line.

They were moved back to a third and goal at the ten-yard line.

The Broncos went from a virtually certain TD to a tough task to get a TD.

NOBODY gave them that touchdown or that two-point conversion.

That incident made it TOUGHER on the Broncos.

Has anybody grasped that??

-----

No. Because its not a very intelligent way to look at it. No offense, top, but if that play is whistled correctly, Denver loses the game. So to say that it hurt the Broncos is very naive. There is no other way to look at the outcome of that play. You're right, nobody gave them the touchdown, and I won't dispute that. They earned that AND the two point conversion. But to say that play somehow hurt the Broncos is a completely naive way of putting things. I hate to even say this, but that opinion is utterly wrong.

[topscribe]

No. Because its not a very intelligent way to look at it. No offense, top, but if that play is whistled correctly, Denver loses the game. So to say that it hurt the Broncos is very naive. There is no other way to look at the outcome of that play. You're right, nobody gave them the touchdown, and I won't dispute that. They earned that AND the two point conversion. But to say that play somehow hurt the Broncos is a completely naive way of putting things. I hate to even say this, but that opinion is utterly wrong.

I did not say that at all. Please review my post until you get my point.

-----

[honz]

It was going to be a heartbreak either way. Never feel bad for win. Now we must dominate the Saints to PROVE ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT IT WAS A DAMN FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT WE WHERE GONNA WIN, BAD CALL OR NOT! If San Diego would have won it would have been JUST as empty for them. A no pressure fumble from Cutler after we marched on their defense almost the length of the field? C'mon, thats a gimme win for the Chargers, not the mark of a Super Bowl caliber team that the NFL anointed them at the beginning of the year. Bottom line, if San Diego was the better team they would have stopped us or LEGITIMATELY forced a fumble to end it. I'm not going to apologize for being the better team. Just ask yourself this-if the game ended on an unforced fumble would you be ok with it then? Don't apologize for this win to anyone including yourself. We have put up 80 pts over the last two games, something the 97 or 98 Broncos did not do. San Diego is a fantastic team that scares the hell out of me, but the better team did win that day.
I never said I felt bad about it.:D

[MOtorboat]

I did not say that at all. Please review my post until you get my point.

-----

There is no way that that call hindered the Broncos. No conceivable way that it hindered them. If that play is called correctly it ends the game and Denver loses.

[topscribe]

It was going to be a heartbreak either way. Never feel bad for win. Now we must dominate the Saints to PROVE ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT IT WAS A DAMN FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT WE WHERE GONNA WIN, BAD CALL OR NOT! If San Diego would have won it would have been JUST as empty for them. A no pressure fumble from Cutler after we marched on their defense almost the length of the field? C'mon, thats a gimme win for the Chargers, not the mark of a Super Bowl caliber team that the NFL anointed them at the beginning of the year. Bottom line, if San Diego was the better team they would have stopped us or LEGITIMATELY forced a fumble to end it. I'm not going to apologize for being the better team. Just ask yourself this-if the game ended on an unforced fumble would you be ok with it then? Don't apologize for this win to anyone including yourself. We have put up 80 pts over the last two games, something the 97 or 98 Broncos did not do. San Diego is a fantastic team that scares the hell out of me, but the better team did win that day.

Damn straight!

Now, that was my point!

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[EastCoastBronco]

I think the best thing to come out of this whole thing, other than San Diego being 0-2 and us being 2-0, is the fact that our boy Cutler took another BIG step in his journey towards becoming an elite QB. In the last 5 minutes he throws a critical, rookie-like pick. What does he do? He leads his crew right back down the field in an Elwayesque drive and gets them well within scoring distance. Then he, by all rights, gave the game away with that stupid fumble. What does he do? Instead of finding a corner to go cry in, he steps up, cool as a cucumber, and throws 2 passes that win the game for us. All great atletes need to have the ability to instantly forget bad plays and move on. Our boy has that talent in spades. There will be speed bumps to come but, make no mistake, Jay Cutler has arrived....