If SD stops them on fourth down or the conversion, would this be as big a deal?
No, but that's not the point. The game should never have gotten to where San Diego had to make such a play. Regardless, I agree that this overreaction-bordering-on-hysteria to Hoculi is crazy. He had a premature/inadvertant whistle, which is so impulsive that to even call it a judgment call flatters it with premeditation it didn't have. We've seen referees over the years get rules wrong, but that's not what happened here.
Moreover, Hoculi immediately apologized and took ownership of the mistake, both over the PA system as well as to Norv Turner personally, and then proceeded to follow the rulebook as he should in followup to the play. #### happens.
I have to also say that it was a bit funny watching Norv Turner, who was understandably upset by this mistake, get incensed about how Hoculi's mistake and apology were "not acceptable" given his less-than-stellar coaching career. You know what, Norv?
49-59-1 is not acceptable.