HOUSTON -- As far as Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter is concerned, the 29-28 ''L'' the Dolphins picked up Sunday should be accompanied by another ''F'' in the game-by-game grading of referee Ed Hochuli and his crew.

The Dolphins defense gave up enough big plays that three Houston receivers -- UM product Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter and Owen Daniels -- each averaged more than 17.5 yards per catch. They allowed Houston quarterback Matt Schaub to throw for 379 yards. For the game, Houston rolled up 485 yards, a record for the 101-game-old franchise.

But, to Porter, everything balanced out aside from two calls that negated turnovers that would've sealed a Dolphins win. Porter believes his hit on Houston quarterback Matt Schaub with 1:02 left in the game didn't cause an incomplete pass, but rather a fumble that the Dolphins recovered. He also, less emphatically, referred to a scoop by cornerback Andre Goodman of an underthrown pass that originally was ruled an interception, then called an incompletion after a review by Hochuli ordered by the replay booth.

Televised replays appeared to show that the Goodman call, at least, was correct.

''I thought we won the game, actually, but they kept getting calls,'' Porter said. ``So, you know how that goes.''

Houston's final drive began with Porter whipping Schaub to the ground, the Dolphins' first sack of the day. Aside from Porter, who used Houston offensive tackle Duane Brown so thoroughly that Brown admitted, ''It wasn't one of my better days,'' the Dolphins pass rush was a sometimes thing.

''I came up with a sack,'' Porter said. 'They have second and 18. They get the first down. I come back again, a sack. I swear, I just know he fumbled the ball. I went and got it. Then, they take that away. We get an interception, they take that away. I'm like, `Man, it's crazy that the same referee staff from all of this other stuff that's been happening was out there.' ''

Before this season, Hochuli, a 19-year NFL official, was best known among fans for being the referee that with the muscular arms and chest that strain the limits of his striped shirt. He's a regular in the playoffs, when the NFL uses its best graded officials.

But, back in Week 2, an obvious fumble by Denver quarterback Jay Cutler that was recovered by San Diego was ruled an incomplete pass by Hochuli, allowing Denver to keep the ball just before scoring the last minute, game-winning touchdown against San Diego.

Hochuli and the NFL's public admissions of error still were hot discussion topics when Hochuli wiped out a Carolina touchdown interception return with a flag on Carolina's Julius Peppers for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. Replays appeared to show Pepper's hitting Ryan with his shoulder.

Then, Monday night, a member of Hochuli's crew missed Minnesota's Chad Greenway blatantly jerking the face mask of New Orleans' Reggie Bush seconds before Bush lost a fumble with the Saints in scoring range. On what appeared to be a lost fumble by Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, Hochuli reviewed the video and ruled that Peterson had possession when he was down by contact, a ruling that was criticized even on NFL Network. It allowed Minnesota to kick a field goal in what would become a 30-27 win.

''I'm looking for an apology on like Tuesday or Wednesday, NFL Network,'' Porter said. ``But it'll be too late by then. Game's over. I know for sure I had both of his arms and the ball came out.''

Because the play occurred inside the last two minutes of the half, the Dolphins couldn't challenge the play. All replay reviews during that period must be ordered by the replay booth, such as the review of Goodman's play three snaps later.

''You reviewed the interception, why wouldn't you review that play?'' Porter said. ``That play was just as big. More so. The first time in the game, when I hit his arm, I knew he threw it. That one, he never got his arm up. They didn't replay it [on the Reliant Stadium replay screens] so I feel I got him.''

Dolphins defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday said, ``We've got to watch that one. Certainly from the sideline, it looked like he hit him before he threw the ball, it was a fumble and he recovered it. But Ed and those guys saw it differently. You don't want to make excuses and you hope that's not the reason you lost the game. We had several opportunities in this game to win.''

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