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NFL To Study Changes In Inadvertent Whistle Rule

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The Associated Press

Published: September 16, 2008

NEW YORK - The NFL will look into the inadvertent whistle rule that required officials to give the ball back to Denver in the final seconds of Sunday's game with San Diego.

League spokesman Greg Aiello said the NFL competition committee will look into the rule in the offseason, perhaps changing it as it did the "down by contact" rule.

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

Referee Ed 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 2-point conversion and win 39-38.

Coach Norv Turner said he spoke with NFL officials Monday and that the Chargers sent in video of the plays.

"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."

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

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.

"Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game," Aiello said. "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."

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.

"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 2-point conversion," Shanahan said. "It wasn't like somebody gave us the touchdown. You have to go out there and still get it done."

Titans Sticking With Collins As Starting QB

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Titans are sticking with veteran Kerry Collins as their starting quarterback as long as the team keeps winning.

Coach Jeff Fisher said so Monday following the Titans' 24-7 windy win at Cincinnati. The Titans are 2-0 for the first time since 1999, when they made their lone Super Bowl appearance.

The Titans had not given any projection for Young's return.

BROWNS: Defensive end Robaire Smith sustained a potentially season-ending injury to his left Achilles' during Sunday night's loss to Pittsburgh.

CHARGERS: Linebacker Shawne Merriman was fined $7,500 for a hit on Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme in his only game this season.

Merriman was fined for unnecessarily striking Delhomme below the knees in a 26-24 Panthers win on Sept. 7, league spokesman Corry Rush said Monday.

FALCONS: Safety Lawyer Milloy has been arrested on DUI and speeding charges in suburban Atlanta.

REDSKINS: Tight end Chris Cooley apologized for posting an explicit photo of himself on his Web site.

Cooley accidentally revealed more of himself than he wanted when he took a picture Sunday morning while preparing for the game against the New Orleans Saints. Cooley wanted to show the readers of his popular blog some of the study materials the players were given by Coach Jim Zorn.

Cooley, however, was studying in the nude, and he didn't examine his photo closely before posting it.

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