You frequently hear referees say a successful game in their eyes is when no one notices them.

Unfortunately, in the recent weeks, the referees have been in the spotlight at all levels of football, including a controversial play in Sunday's NFL game between the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. Officials at all levels need to learn a lesson from what transpired in this game - do not blow the whistle until the play is absolutely over.

In case you missed it, the Chargers were up seven points with under a minute to go in the game. On a third and goal play, Denver's quarterback Jay Cutler rolled to his right and, as he was about to bring his arm forward to throw the ball, it slipped out of his hand. The ball was picked up by the Chargers and the San Diego defense thought it had come away with a huge road victory.

But don't celebrate so fast, San Diego. Ed Hochuli, the lead official in the game who is considered to be one of the best officials in the NFL and has worked two Super Bowls, had actually blown his whistle after Cutler fumbled the ball. He thought Cutler's arm was coming forward, which would be an incomplete pass.

Because of Hochuli's incorrect whistle, Denver retained possession of the ball. Sure enough, two plays later, the Broncos scored a touchdown and then a game-winning two-point conversion.

Last week, in the aftermath of the controversial unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the Washington/BYU game, I said the officials should not be blamed for the game's outcome.

Similarly, in the Chargers/Broncos game, despite my hometown ties to San Diego, I have the exact same feelings. The Chargers were still in the driver's seat to win the game even after the blown call, and the Broncos converted on their extra opportunity. As painful as it is for me to say as a Chargers fan, the referees did not lose this game...the Chargers did.

A recent comment by Rick gives some insight into what it is like to be an official and have to react instantaneously to events like these: "I, however, must comment that having been a football official for 25 years (16 on the small college level) that until you have been on that field, whistle in hand, flag tucked away, observing your keys and responsibilities, as the play unfolds in front of you in full speed time (no instant replay, no frame by frame analysis with digital enhancements), you make the call based on instinct, observation, positioning and knowledge of the rules."

I think most people recognize how difficult it is to be a referee. However, this incident needs to be a learning tool for referees at all levels, including college officials.

Whenever a play is in doubt, let it play out. Do not blow the whistle until you are absolutely, positively, 110 percent certain the play is over. You can always go back and sort the play out after everything is settled on the field.

In this instance, Hochuli's incorrect judgment and subsequent whistle played a factor in the outcome of the game. Let's hope college officials learn from the play so we don't see an important game affected by the mighty quick whistle.