NFL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

Official to be graded down: Ed Hochuli’s acknowledgement that he erred on a call late in Sunday’s San Diego-Denver game will mean lower grades for one of the NFL’s highest profile referees. 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. 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 also is likely to be reviewed in the offseason by the league’s competition committee, which normally reviews all controversial plays. San Diego coach Norv Turner said he spoke with NFL officials Monday and that the Chargers sent in video of the plays in question.

Panthers: Thanks to his teammates’ perseverance, Steve Smith got to be a part of “Winning Monday.” Coach John Fox cuts short the film session and lets players leave early the day after victories. When the Panthers suspended Smith for the first two games after sucker-punching teammate Ken Lucas in training camp, the prospect of anything less than a full day on the job following those games seemed remote. But after Sunday’s 20-17 win over Chicago, the Panthers are 2-0, full of confidence and eager to welcome their dynamic and sometimes troubled star receiver back to a team that senses it can do something special this season.

Vikings: Receiver Sidney Rice has a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Rice was injured Sunday against Indianapolis when he went up for a jump ball on the sideline and landed awkwardly on the knee. He says he will receive treatment all week and is “hopeful” he can play this weekend against Carolina.

Seahawks: Logan Payne is going on injured reserve because of a torn knee ligament and Seneca Wallace is out up to a month with a calf injury. They become the fifth and sixth Seahawks wide receivers injured this season. Payne is the third lost for the season, and second in the last week. Payne started Sunday’s overtime loss to San Francisco, but was hit on his right knee as he planted his leg on his only catch in the first quarter. Coach Mike Holmgren said the 2007 practice squad player has an injury to his medial collateral ligament.

Patriots: New England re-signed fullback Kyle Eckel and released tight end Stephen Spach. The Patriots also re-signed defensive back Mark Dillard from the practice squad and released punter Tom Malone from that group.

Saints: Sean Payton and Drew Brees agreed that what ailed the Saints most in their first loss of the season was not New Orleans’ battered, patchwork defense. “We all thought we were going to seal the deal,” Brees said, recalling the Saints’ 24-15 fourth quarter lead at Washington. “We had two opportunities there, just third-down conversions that we should make and we didn’t, therefore giving them the ball back and they turned around and scored after both of those.” Washington’s offense piled up 455 yards, highlighted by a 67-yard reception by Santana Moss for the winning score with 3:29 to go. But the Saints’ defense, relying on reserves because key players such as safety Roman Harper, cornerback Randall Gay and linebacker Scott Fujita were injured, still made key third-down stops to hold Washington without a touchdown in the first half.

Rams: Rookie wide receiver Keenan Burton underwent an MRI exam on Monday for what the team believes is torn knee cartilage. Burton, a fourth-round pick, had no catches as a reserve in Sunday’s 41-13 loss to the Giants. Coach Scott Linehan said the injury may require arthroscopic surgery that could sideline Burton for a few weeks. He said Burton was hurt on a punt play during the opener, the knee began to swell during the practice week and it was drained of fluid Saturday.

Buccaneers: Jon Gruden isn’t second-guessing his decision to bench Jeff Garcia and make Brian Griese the team’s starting quarterback. The Bucs beat the Atlanta Falcons 24-9 in Griese’s first start for Tampa Bay in three years, and Gruden said Monday he’ll stick with the veteran this week at Chicago.

Associated Press