Fifth-year referee Scott Novak has been assigned to Week 2’s prime time game between the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, per Football Zebras. Novak has worked NFL games since 2014 as a side judge, field judge, and umpire, so he’s got plenty of experience.
The Saints are 2-2 in four games with him on the field as referee, but the Panthers are just 0-2. Novak’s crew is known as one of the more flag-happy units around the league, but they threw just 9 penalty flags in their Week 1 game (tied for the fourth-fewest), so maybe they’re turning over a new leaf.
But the Saints offensive line needs to be on its toes with Novak on the patrol. His crew has penalized teams for false starts and offensive holding more often anyone else in recent years, so they’ll need to practice clean hands and avoid letting Carolina’s crowd noise rattle them. But that’s also true for a banged-up Panthers offensive line running up against a Saints defense that won its battles in Week 1.
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