Questionable calls collect a toll Rick Stroud, The St.Petersburg Times, published 4 November 1996 The Bucs would like to lodge an official complaint. There were several calls by referee Ed Hochuli's crew that should come under further review in the NFL offices today. Two decisions by officials led directly to 10 of the Bears' 13 points and swayed the outcome of the game. But the one that had the most impact was the ruling that running back Errict Rhett fumbled, resulting in Chicago linebacker Vinson Smith returning the ball 34 yards to set up the Bears' TD. With 8:10 left in the third quarter and the Bucs leading 10-6, Rhett appeared to have been down by contact after a 1-yard run to the Chicago 46. According to Hochuli, no one on his seven-man crew saw Rhett fumble or ruled the play over by blowing a whistle. "There was no whistle blown on the play," Hochuli said. "No one saw the runner down with the ball. We just realized that the defense had recovered the ball. (Smith) was lying there, nobody touched him down, so he's allowed to get up and run with it." Hochuli was asked whether he saw the ball fumbled before Rhett was down by contact. "That was why I was checking with other people, to see if someone had seen the ball come out and therefore the correct ruling is to go with the fumble." On the next play, rookie cornerback Donnie Abraham was flagged for interference in the end zone on a pass intended for receiver Curtis Conway. The penalty set up a 1-yard TD run by running back Raymont Harris to give the Bears a lead that held up. "I thought I was down and the play was over," Rhett said. "I was getting ready to walk back to the huddle. It just so happens the play wasn't over yet. But whistles were blowing ... everybody heard whistles." Tony Dungy was cautious in his criticism. "Well, they never blew the whistle, and you have got to hang on to the ball and we did not do it," Dungy said. "But it was a fumble, and it cost us six points." Dungy wasn't as diplomatic about a questionable pass-interference penalty on Charles Dimry that cost the Bucs three points, calling it "ridiculous." Dimry appeared to have broken up a pass intended for Michael Timpson on fourth and 5. But a late flag was thrown by back judge Jim Daopoulos. "I was very stunned," Dimry said. "The official said he felt like I played through the receiver." To compound matters, safety Melvin Johnson kicked the ball after the first flag was dropped and was penalized an additional 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. Johnson said he kicked the ball because it was there. "It was (fourth and 5) and Dimry made the play. We were off the field," Johnson said. "I was smiling. I felt like a little kid again kicking a soccer ball." The Bucs were flagged eight times for 75 yards. "They call what they see," Johnson said. "We can't get upset or angry about it, we've just got to go out there and continue to play."