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BREAKING: NFL Announces Interesting Referee Assignments For Divisional Round Playoff Games
![nfl referee assignments for this weekend Kyle Shanahan (right) talking to NFL referee John Hussey (left).](https://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/GettyImages-1460604439-1-1024x563.jpg)
The NFL has announced the referee assignments for the four NFL Divisional Round playoff games this weekend.
The NFL Football Operations X/Twitter account announced the following referees for Divisional Round weekend: John Hussey ( Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens), Alex Kemp (Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers), Bill Vinovich (Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions) and Shawn Hochuli ( Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills).
Referee assignments for the Divisional Round of the #NFLPlayoffs 🏈 pic.twitter.com/ZbIdjF3Yx3 — NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps) January 16, 2024
Referees for the postseason are selected based on how they scored in a grading system . The NFL does this with the goal of providing teams with the best possible quality of officiating for the postseason, though this obviously doesn’t always end up being the case.
For what it’s worth, none of these referees were assigned for Super Wild Card Weekend that concluded on Monday.
Between these four officials, Vinovich is the only one that served as the head referee for a Super Bowl game. Vinovich and his crew were assigned Super Bowl 49 ( New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks) and Super Bowl 54 (Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers).
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Fans may note that referee Brad Allen was not assigned for Super Wild Card Weekend nor the Divisional Round. Allen’s crew was heavily criticized this year for several missed calls late in the Chiefs-Packers Week 13 game, as well as the whole “illegal touching” fiasco in the Lions-Dallas Cowboys Week 17 contest.
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Written by Alex Hoegler
Alex Hoegler is a news and script writer at TPS. A lifelong sports fan, he attended Langara College in Vancouver, where he graduated with a diploma in journalism. … Read More
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NFL referee assignments Week 7: Who are the officials for every game this week?
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As always, the goal for NFL officials who are assigned to NFL games in Week 7 of the 2019 season is for observers not to care who's assigned to what game. If nobody's talking about the officiating, that generally means those calling the games are doing a good job.
Of course, in 2019, chatter around NFL officiating has been as loud as ever, leaving referees to explain questionable calls made by their crews after most games. With the addition of pass interference to the NFL's replay review system this year, senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron's performance is also under the microscope.
Each week, the NFL announces its referee assignments for its slate of games on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. Each referee is tied to his crew of six other officials, including the umpire, line judge, side judge, back judge, field judge and down judge.
MORE: Lions-Packers fiasco illustrates NFL's officiating issues
NFL referee assignments Week 7
The NFL has released its roster of referees and officials for Week 7 of the 2019 NFL season. Here are the assignments for every game.
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Chiefs at Broncos referee, officials
Referee | Shawn Smith | 5 years |
Umpire | Bryan Neale | 6 years |
Line judge | Bart Longson | 5 years |
Side judge | Dave Hawkshaw | 1 year |
Back judge | Dino Paganelli | 14 years |
Field judge | Dyrol Prioleau | 13 years |
Down judge | Mark Hittner | 23 years |
Packers at Raiders referee, officials
Referee | Alex Kemp | 6 years |
Umpire | Rich Hall | 16 years |
Line judge | Jeff Bergman | 28 years |
Side judge | Dale Shaw | 7 years |
Back judge | Steve Freeman | 19 years |
Field judge | John Jenkins | 6 years |
Down judge | Mike Carr | 3 years |
Vikings at Lions referee, officials
Referee | Brad Rogers | 3 years |
Umpire | Tony Michael | 18 years |
Line judge | Julian Mapp | 11 years |
Side judge | Don Willard | 2 years |
Back judge | Greg Steed | 17 years |
Field judge | Aaron Santi | 5 years |
Down judge | Kent Payne | 16 years |
49ers at Redskins referee, officials
Referee | Clete Blakeman | 12 years |
Umpire | Jeff Rice | 25 years |
Line judge | Tom Symonette | 16 years |
Side judge | Jimmy Buchanan | 11 years |
Back judge | Perry Paganelli | 22 years |
Field judge | Joe Larrew | 18 years |
Down judge | Jerry Bergman | 18 years |
Rams at Falcons referee, officials
Referee | Ron Torbert | 20 years |
Umpire | Terry Killens | 1 year |
Line judge | Mark Steinkerchner | 26 years |
Side judge | Scott Edwards | 21 years |
Back judge | Tony Josselyn | 2 years |
Field judge | Ryan Dickson | 4 years |
Down judge | Sarah Thomas | 5 years |
Texans at Colts referee, officials
Referee | Tony Corrente | 25 years |
Umpire | Bill Schuster | 20 years |
Line judge | Tim Podraza | 12 years |
Side judge | Boris Cheek | 24 years |
Back judge | Todd Prukop | 11 years |
Field judge | Anthony Jeffries | 2 years |
Down judge | Dana McKenzie | 12 years |
Jaguars at Bengals referee, officials
Referee | Craig Wrolstad | 17 years |
Umpire | Steve Woods | 3 years |
Line judge | Tripp Sutter | 1 year |
Side judge | Jeff Lamberth | 18 years |
Back judge | Scott Helverson | 17 years |
Field judge | Terry Brown | 14 years |
Down judge | Patrick Turner | 6 years |
Cardinals at Giants referee, officials
Referee | Adrian Hill | 10 years |
Umpire | Roy Ellison | 17 years |
Line judge | Mark Stewart | 2 years |
Side judge | Jim Quirk | 10 years |
Back judge | Greg Meyer | 18 years |
Field judge | Land Clark | 2 years |
Down judge | David Oliver | 3 years |
Dolphins at Bills referee, officials
Referee | Carl Cheffers | 20 years |
Umpire | Mark Pellis | 6 years |
Line judge | Jeff Seeman | 18 years |
Side judge | Eugene Hall | 6 years |
Back judge | Matt Edwards | 2 years |
Field judge | Michael Banks | 18 years |
Down judge | Danny Short | 3 years |
Chargers at Titans referee, officials
Referee | Bill Vinovich | 14 years |
Umpire | Bruce Stritesky | 14 years |
Line judge | Mark Perlman | 19 years |
Side judge | Gary Cavaletto | 17 years |
Back judge | Steve Patrick | 6 years |
Field judge | Mearl Robinson | 3 years |
Down judge | Phil McKinnely | 18 years |
Ravens at Seahawks referee, officials
Referee | Brad Allen | 6 years |
Umpire | Barry Anderson | 13 years |
Line judge | Brian Bolinger | 3 years |
Side judge | Jimmy Russell | 1 year |
Back judge | Greg Yette | 10 years |
Field judge | Steve Zimmer | 23 years |
Down judge | Jim Mello | 16 years |
Saints at Bears referee, officials
Referee | Scott Novak | 6 years |
Umpire | Ramon George | 4 years |
Line judge | Walt Coleman IV | 5 years |
Side judge | Chad Hill | 2 years |
Back judge | Terrence Miles | 12 years |
Field judge | Mike Weatherford | 18 years |
Down judge | Derick Bowers | 17 years |
Eagles at Cowboys referee, officials
Referee | Jerome Boger | 16 years |
Umpire | Carl Paganelli | 21 years |
Line judge | Rusty Baynes | 10 years |
Side judge | Jonah Monroe | 5 years |
Back judge | Tony Steratore | 20 years |
Field judge | David Meslow | 9 years |
Down judge | Patrick Holt | 1 year |
Patriots at Jets referee, officials
Referee | Shawn Hochuli | 6 years |
Umpire | Paul King | 11 years |
Line judge | Greg Bradley | 11 years |
Side judge | James Coleman | 15 years |
Back judge | Rich Martinez | 6 years |
Field judge | Tom Hill | 21 years |
Down judge | Ed Camp | 20 years |
NFL officials assignments, responsibilities
Each of the seven NFL officials on the field in a given NFL game have specific roles, watching different areas of the field and looking out for different kinds of penalties on a given play.
Below are the responsibilities of each official, via NFL Operations .
Lining up 10-12 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the offensive backfield, the referee is the white-hat wearing leader of the crew who signals all penalties and is the final authority on all rulings. Below are the referee's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.
Run plays: Watches nap; follows QB until action moves downfield; then follows runner to determine forward progress and position of the ball; determines first downs or if a measurement is necessary.
Pass plays: Shadows QB from drop to release; drops back as the play starts and monitors offensive tackles; turns attention solely to QB as defense approaches; watches for roughing the passer; rules on intentional grounding; makes the decision whether a loose ball is a fumble or incomplete pass.
Special teams: Watches for running into/roughing the kicker.
Lining up next to the referee 10-12 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the offensve backfield, the umpire primarily watches for holding and blocking fouls. He or she also reviews player equipment, counts offensive players on the field and marks off penalty yardage. Below are the umpire's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special teams-plays.
Run plays: Watches for false starts on offensive line; watches for illegal blocks by the offense or any defensive fouls at the line of scrimmage.
Pass plays: Watches for false stars on offensive line; on screens, turns attention to intended receiver to make sure he is able to run his route; watches for blocking penalties.
Special teams: Watches for any penalties.
Lining up on the sideline and looking directly down the line of scrimmage, the down judge directs the chain crew, informs the ref of the down and rules on sideline plays on the nearest half of the field. Below are the down judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.
Run plays: Watches for offside or encroachment; monitors sideline; determines when/if a runner is out of bounds; marks runner's forward progress.
Pass plays: Watches nearest receiver for first seven yards of his route until he is clear the point of legal contact for defensive backs; watches for pass interference.
Special teams: Watches for offside and encroachment; rules on penalties involving blockers and defenders on trick plays.
Lining up on the sideline opposite the down judge and looking directly down the line of scrimmage, the line judge has similar duties without the chain crew direction. Below are the line judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.
Run plays: Watches for offside and encroachment; watches blockers and defenders on nearest side for penalties.
Pass plays: Watches for offside and encroachment on nearest side of field; follows nearest receiver for seven yards downfield; moves into offensive backfield to determine if pass is forwards or backwards; makes sure passer is behind the line of scrimmage when he throws the ball.
Special teams: Stays at line of scrimmage on punts to make sure only players on the ends of the line move downfield before the kick; rules on whether the kick crosses the line of scrimmage; watches kicking team for penalties.
- Field judge
Lining up on the same sideline as the line judge but 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the defensive backfield, the field judge counts defensive players and watches wide receivers/defensive backs on the nearest side of the field. Below are the field judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.
Run plays: Watches widest receiver's blocking and looks for illegal use of hands or holding; determines if/when a runner on nearest side of the field goes out of bounds.
Pass plays: Watches widest receiver on nearest side of the field and makes sure he is able to run his route without interference; rules on whether a pass to nearest side of the field is incomplete; rules on whether a receiver is in or out of bounds when he makes a catch; watches for pass interference.
Special teams: Rules on blocking during punts; lines up under goal posts to rule on whether field goals and extra points are good.
Lining up on the same sideline as the down judge but 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the defensive backfield, the side judge backs up the clock operator, signals to the ref when time expires for each quarter and counts defensive players. Below are the side judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.
Run plays: Watches widest receiver's blocking and looks for illegal use of hands or holding; determines if/when a runner on nearest side of the field goes out of bounds.
Pass plays: Watches widest receiver on nearest side of the field and makes sure he is able to run his route without interference; rules on whether a pass to nearest side of the field is incomplete; rules on whether a receiver is in or out of bounds when he makes a catch; watches for pass interference.
Special teams: Watches punt returner and any action around him; joins umpire in defensive backfield on field goal and PAT attampts; watches for penalties along the line of scrimmage.
Usually lining up on the tight end's side, the back judge is positioned 25 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the defensive backfield. The back judge keeps track of the play clock and all TV breaks, counts defensive players and focuses on tight ends and all the players on the end of the lines. Below are the back judge's assignments on run plays, pass plays and special-teams plays.
Run plays: Watches tight end for illegal blocking or defensive penalties.
Pass plays: Watches tight end for illegal use of hands or defensive interference; rules on whether a receiver made a legal catch; determines who recovered a fumble.
Special teams: Rules on fair catches; lines up under goal posts to rule on whether field goals and extra points are good.
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NFL Referee Assignment for Super Bowl 58 & Impact on NFL Betting
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We tend to only focus on NFL referees after a controversial decision or bad no-call. Yet each head NFL referee and his respective crew interprets the game differently.
Gaining insight into the way a game will be officiated can have immense value in the betting market.
A referee who calls more penalties for defensive holding and roughing the passer has a far different impact on game flow than a ref who focuses more on offensive holding and false starts.
Referee style one week may hide a team’s weakness (defensive backs), but a different official who leans heavily on calling pass interference will compound that weakness the next week.
Same team. Different outcomes.
Throughout this 2023 NFL season, we’ll help to identify important trends and tendencies by different NFL referees to help you gain an edge when placing a bet .
Sharp Football Analysis has every angle of Chiefs vs. 49ers covered in our Super Bowl 58 Hub .
NFL Referee Assignment for Super Bowl 58
Super Bowl 58 | Referee |
---|---|
49ers vs. Chiefs | Bill Vinovich |
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Bill Vinovich’s Impact on Chiefs vs. 49ers in Super Bowl 58
The Chiefs and 49ers meet in Super Bowl 58. The game will officiated by Bill Vinovich, his third Super Bowl as a head referee.
Bill Vnovich was in charge of proceedings in the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl 54 to conclude the 2019 NFL season. This game marks the first time the same referee has officiated a Super Bowl rematch.
Vinovich is the epitome of a “let ‘em play” referee, especially in postseason games.
We have detailed the decline in offensive holding penalties throughout these playoffs versus regular season averages. Expect that to continue in Super Bowl 58.
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa brought the issue to the media’s and hopefully the officiating crew’s attention in the lead-up to the big game.
The Chiefs have been the number one beneficiary of the reduction in offensive holding in the playoffs. It would be an ideal scenario for the 49ers to see more offensive holding calls in Super Bowl 58, but that is unlikely.
The all-star officiating crew is a topic of conversation when assessing the Super Bowl. How can we preview a game if the referee in charge doesn’t have the entirety of his regular season crew on the field?
It’s a valid point, and we did an in-depth look at this last week.
If there is one surefire playoff trend, regardless of the crew makeup and the head referee, it’s the emphasis on reducing overall penalties.
Look for the Vinovich-led crew in Super Bowl 58 to follow that script.
Now, let’s assess the strengths and weaknesses of the teams in the Super Bowl from a penalty perspective and how the officiating of the Bill Vinovich-led crew will potentially impact these games
Penalty Tendencies:
- Since Bill Vinovich’s first Super Bowl as a head referee between the Patriots and Seahawks in 2015, his games are averaging 9.5 penalties for 78.4 yards. Keep these numbers in mind for any penalty props that may be available for this Super Bowl
- The Chiefs overall offense and offensive line issues were well-documented throughout the 2023 season. The penalty issues for the Kansas City offense have seen a sharp decline in their playoff run
- The Chiefs averaged 5.3 penalties per game in the 2023 regular season, with 63% committed by their offense. That averages out to around 3.5 offensive penalties per game
- The Chiefs are averaging just 2.6 penalties per game on their current playoff run, with the offense responsible for 70% of penalties. That amounts to around 1.8 offensive penalties per game, a significant drop from the regular season average. Since the drop in offensive penalties is primarily via offensive holding, it’s a huge boon to a Kansas City offense that struggled at times in 2023
- The decline in offensive holding is standard operating procedure every season in the playoffs. The NFL wants an aesthetically pleasing product in highly viewed postseason games. It just so happens Kansas City is the biggest beneficiary of this in 2023
- The 49ers offense is responsible for just 46% of the team’s overall penalties in 2023, with their offensive line responsible for just 24% of the team’s overall penalties
- The 49ers were a below-average penalized team for offensive holding in 2023
- In their Super Bowl 54 matchup in 2020, there was one offensive holding penalty called by Vinovich’s crew. More notable in that game were the non-calls, particularly in situations involving the aforementioned Nick Bosa
- The 49ers and Chiefs defensive units are the two least impactful at generating offensive holding penalties on the opposing offenses in 2023, ranking 31st and 32nd respectively. In their five combined playoff games in the 2023-24 playoffs, these defenses have generated one accepted offensive holding penalty and have had one additional call declined
- Vinovich ranks second for false start penalties per game
- The 49ers and Chiefs share a common trait in penalties surrendered via passing plays. Defensive pass interference makes up the bulk of penalties surrendered in this category, with 61% of the Chiefs’ infractions and 58% of the 49ers’
- The back judge in Super Bowl 58 is from the Land Clark crew. One of the more controversial no-calls in 2023 came in Chiefs at Vikings in Week 5. It was a late-game defensive pass interference by L’Jarius Sneed on Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison . The flag was thrown by the side judge but picked up after a discussion with the back judge and head referee Land Clark.
- The 49ers and Chiefs offenses are top five beneficiaries of defensive holding infractions
- The Vinovich-led crew has members from the Clark, Shawn Hochuli, and Tra Blake crews. All three were above average calling defensive holding.
- Vinovich is co-ranked number one for illegal use of hands penalties and second overall for illegal block in the back penalties in 2023. These are two categories the Chiefs are highly penalized in versus league average. These infractions are more likely to get called in Super Bowl 58 with the Vinovich and Hochuli crews heavily represented in this game
- No referee has called fewer roughing the passer penalties than Vinovich since the start of the 2018 NFL season, averaging one approximately every seventh game officiated. This is far fewer than other referees over that same stretch. Across the board, the average is one roughing the passer penalty approximately every 2.5 games officiated. Keep these roughing the passer numbers in mind for penalty-specific prop bets in Super Bowl 58
- In playoff games, Vinovich-led crews have called just one roughing the passer penalty in 14 contests officiated since the 2012 season. The inclusion of two Hochuli crew members is the only cause for concern about roughing the passer, as they led the NFL in this category. However, at the end of the day, Vinovich runs this outfit and his numbers override everything else.
- Conversely, Vinovich-led crews in those 14 playoff games have called 13 unnecessary roughness penalties
- Pre-snap penalties are to be avoided at all costs. The Chiefs were one of the best in the NFL this season, ranking 30th overall. It’s worth noting, four of the five teams with the fewest pre-snap penalties in 2023 made the playoffs
Bottom Line:
- Vinovich-led crews are 60-39-2 (60%) to the under since the start of the 2018 NFL season, including 10-7 (60%) to the under in 2023
- In playoff games dating back to 2012, Vinovich is 9-8 to the under. The Chiefs’ 31-20 victory in Super Bowl 54 stayed under the closing total of 52.5 points. We are dealing with a far lower number in this contest
- A little-mentioned factor in the lead-up to this game is the new grass field surface at Allegiant Stadium. Last year’s surface in Arizona was a debacle, and it favored the offenses. From an in-game wagering perspective, the focus on offensive holding, or the probable lack thereof, is issue No. 1. The second piece to the puzzle is field conditions. Those two factors alone will impact the total as much as anything else
If the 49ers bring their “A” game, they can win Super Bowl 58. At their best, San Francisco looked near unbeatable in the 2023 season.
However, it’s been a while since we’ve seen that form, and frankly, they were fortunate to win their first two playoff games.
We thought the Ravens would be a tough out in the AFC Championship, but the moment proved to be too big for them.
The positive for the 49ers is that they have a loaded roster with high-IQ players who shouldn’t make the same discipline-related errors that contributed to the Ravens’ downfall. The team needs to play its best game from the get-go in Super Bowl 58.
Conversely, the Chiefs’ fast starts have had them largely control games during their playoff run. Its coaching staff and its core group of players provide them with an edge in this matchup. This is especially true at the quarterback position.
The bottom line is they won’t beat themselves, making the Kansas City Chiefs the play in this game and the winner of Super Bowl 58.
Bet 49ers vs. Chiefs Now!
Super Bowl 58 Referee Crew & Penalty Trend
Heading into the 2023 NFL playoffs, the three referees most likely to officiate the Super Bowl were Bill Vinovich, John Hussey, and Shawn Hochuli. It’s no surprise five of the seven Super Bowl officials are members are from these crews.
Two members apiece are from the Bill Vinovich and Shawn Hochuli crews.
The remaining three officials are from the John Hussey, Tra Blake, and Land Clark officiating crews.
These five crews represent 30% of all officiating crews in the NFL, which is a key number when detailing the following penalty categories.
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UFL Week 6 officiating assignments 2 future NFL officials working this weekend 2024 UFL season 2 months ago
The prior playoff experience that is listed for the crew chief includes his service as an NFL official, including as referee and any other crew position (excluding alternate assignments). Also of note, the eventual Super Bowl officials are on the field for this weekend's games, but not all are from the same crew.
NFL Referee Assignments Divisional Round Games: Refs Assigned for This Weekend. Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (right) talks with referee Bill Vinovich (52) in the first half against ...
We now know which NFL referees will be taking charge of each of the four NFL playoff Divisional Round games this weekend. With some of the most experienced NFL refs set to take charge this weekend, let's look at the full NFL referee assignments for the Divisional Round and their crews.
Which NFL refs have been assigned to the four games across Saturday and Sunday in the 2022 Divisional Round of the playoffs? Which NFL referees have been rewarded for their performance this season with playoff assignments, and who makes up each crew this weekend?
With referee performances in the spotlight entering Week 16, what are the NFL ref assignments for the holiday weekend?
Last year's Super Bowl referee, Ron Torbert, will lead one of the crews this weekend.
NFL Referee Assignments for Week 7 All times Eastern and game day Sunday unless stated.
Let's take a look at the officiating assignments for this week. NFL Referee Assignments for Week 11 All times Eastern and game day Sunday unless stated otherwise.
The NFL has announced the assignments for the two officiating crews that will referee the NFC and AFC Championship games this weekend. These special assignments are not only given to officials who've graded highly throughout the season, but also, Conference Championship officials, including the referee, must have three years of seniority and a prior playoff assignment.
Ron Torbert heads to Las Vegas for the Chargers-Raiders Thursday night game to kick off Week 15. It will be an all-minority crew, as the NFL has done for a few games in recent seasons. Referee John Hussey will be officiating his 350th NFL game this weekend. Alex Kemp is off this week.
Which NFL refs have been assigned to the six games across Saturday, Sunday, and Monday on Wild Card Weekend? Which NFL referees have been rewarded for their performance this season with playoff assignments, and who makes up each crew this weekend?
The NFL released the six referee teams who will call this weekend's playoff games on Monday night, after the release of the complete schedule for the NFL Wildcard Round.
See this week's NFL referee assignments to help you make an informed wager on today's slate. Make sure to track your bets through The Action Network Sports Betting App. Download today!
NFL Announces Referee Assignments For Wild Card Weekend. The 2023 NFL playoff field has been officially set and wildcard weekend will kick on Saturday and end on Monday night. Twelve teams will ...
The NFL has announced the referee assignments for the four NFL Divisional Round playoff games this weekend. The NFL Football Operations X/Twitter account announced the following referees for ...
NFL referee assignments Week 7 The NFL has released its roster of referees and officials for Week 7 of the 2019 NFL season. Here are the assignments for every game.
What are the NFL referee assignments for Wild Card Weekend? How are the officiating crews different from the regular season?
NFL hires SEC referee Scott Walker as an umpire Late hire to add to the bench at the umpire position Assignments 3 weeks ago
Officiating assignments for the Divisional Round are set. Walt Anderson, Bill Vinovich, Shawn Hochuli and Clete Blakeman will lead the four crews officiating the games this weekend. Referees by definition are impartial, but they do have tendencies that bettors can exploit. Using the Bet Labs database, we highlight interesting trends for each ...
The NFL referee assignments for Wild Card Weekend have been released. There is a mix of experience when it comes to the referees taking charge of the six NFL playoff games this week. Which NFL refs have earned themselves postseason assignments this year, and who joins them on their crew this week?
Get NFL referee assignments this week for every game, plus analysis of referee penalty calling trends, stats & how it impacts betting markets for key games.