Tag: assignment

NFL assigns one of it’s flag-happiest referee crews to pivotal Saints-Bucs game

The NFL assigned one of its flag-happiest referees to Week 17’s pivotal Saints-Bucs game. Land Clark’s crew averages the second-most penalties per game:

The NFL assigned one of its flag-happiest referees to Week 17’s pivotal game between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Land Clark’s crew averages the second-most penalty markers per game (13) with 106 fouls going against visitors and just 89 drawn by home teams. That’s a tough break for the Saints as they travel to Raymond James Stadium for what could be an elimination game in their fleeting playoff hopes.

Clark’s crew has been on hand for three Saints games since he was promoted to referee a few years ago; New Orleans is 1-2 in those matchups, most recently losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this season. The Saints were only fouled three times for 34 yards that evening while the Jaguars drew five penalties for a loss of 42 yards, but it didn’t make much difference in that 31-24 loss.

Like most officials, Clark’s crew is vigilant for offensive holding fouls (2.47 per game) and false starts (2.33), but they have also called teams for a lot of unnecessary roughness penalties (1.13). Both New Orleans (5.9 penalties per game) and Tampa Bay (6.1) have drawn their share of infractions this season, so each squad needs to be on its toes. The Saints will be eliminated from the NFC South title race with a loss, so their margin for error is razor-thin. Hopefully head coach Dennis Allen and his staff are preparing the team appropriately.

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NFL assigns referee Brad Rogers to Saints-Packers game in Week 3

The NFL assigned referee Brad Rogers to Sunday’s Saints-Packers game in Week 3. His crew has thrown 37 penalty flags through two weeks, second-most in the league:

Here’s your weekly referee assignment: the NFL has scheduled Brad Rogers and his crew to oversee Week 3’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers, putting one of the league’s most flag-happy officiating staffs in line for a prominent matchup in the early-afternoon slate.

New Orleans has been fouled just 10 times through the first two weeks, tied for seventh-fewest around the league; their 77 penalty yards are eighth-fewest. Conversely, the Packers are one of the most heavily-fouled teams with 16 penalty flags (tied for 28th) for 130 penalty yards (24th). Green Bay has drawn fouls for 7 pre-snap penalties, tied for second-most.

The Saints are 3-4 in games with Rogers on the field as a referee, having won their last matchup against Cleveland Browns late last season. The Packers are 3-1 in games he has officiated — but they lost their last game, the 2022 season finale with the Detroit Lions with a playoff berth on the line in Aaron Rodgers’ last start.

Rogers has officiated a game between the Saints and Packers before, too. The Saints lost their 2020 meeting at the Caesars Superdome by 37-30 while drawing 8 fouls for 83 penalty yards. Green Bay was penalized twice for 10 yards.

That’s all ancient history now, of course. Right now Rogers’ crew is tied for the second-most penalty flags thrown (37) through two weeks, though just 32 of those fouls have held up (15 on home teams, 17 on visitors). They are especially vigilant for offensive holding fouls (6) and false starts (4), so the Saints will need to be mindful at the line of scrimmage.

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Referee Shawn Hochuli assigned to Week 12’s Saints-49ers game

Referee Shawn Hochuli assigned to Week 12’s Saints vs. 49ers game. The Saints haven’t seen him since Week 2’s loss to the Bucs:

Here’s the Week 12 referee assignments from Football Zebras, with Shawn Hochuli and his crew working Sunday’s game between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. The Saints last saw Hochuli in Week 2’s loss at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which they were fouled 9 times for 60 yards — slightly above their season-average of 6.7 penalties for 55.9 yards per game. New Orleans is 3-2 in games Hochuli has worked as a referee, dating back to 2019.

Hochuli has a reputation for seeking the spotlight during games, but his crew has actually thrown the sixth-fewest penalty markers per game this season (11.9), ranking seventh-lowest in penalty yardage per game (100.2). They’ve thrown more flags for offensive holding (30) than any other crew across the league, so that’s something the Saints need to be mindful of.

As for San Francisco: the 49ers rank closer to league-average than the Saints in penalties per game (5.9) and penalty yards per game (44), reflecting disciplined play in each phase of the game. They’re an annoyingly well-coached team, and it’ll be challenging for the Saints to slow them down on Sunday. If they’re going to find an edge, it’s likely not coming from Hochuli and his crew.

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NFL assigns Adrian Hill to referee Saints vs. Vikings

The NFL assigned referee Adrian Hill and his crew to officiate Week 16’s primetime game between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings

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The NFL has assigned 11-year veteran official Adrian Hill and his crew to work Week 16’s New Orleans Saints game, in which the black and gold will welcome the Minnesota Vikings to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Hill, 56, was promoted to referee in 2019 after spending the bulk of his career as a field judge or side judge, with his first four years on the job as a line judge.

Hill has only worked one Saints game before in his capacity as a referee; that would be Dec. 6’s matchup between the Saints and Atlanta Falcons, which New Orleans won 21-16 at the Superdome. The Saints were fouled 10 times for 79 yards in that tilt, while Atlanta drew just one 15-yard roughing the passer penalty.

That’s an odd disparity, and it’s out of character for Hill’s crew on the year so far. Home teams have been penalized 83 times compared to 91 fouls for road teams in the games Hill has worked. Maybe things will go a little more smoothly in Week 16.

They’ll certainly be hoping for it. The Saints are tied for the seventh-most penalties in the NFL (90), but they lead the league in penalty yards (936) as one of the only two teams to yield 900 or more on the year so far — the other being the 1-13 Jacksonville Jaguars. New Orleans’ fouls have overwhelmingly come from the defensive side of the ball, where they’ve been flagged 58 times for 666 penalty yards, ranking worst in the NFL in each category.

Much of that is due to spot-fouls for defensive pass interference; the Saints have received 17 of those for 314 yards, again leading the league. It’s been an area of frustration throughout the year, aggravated by the Saints offense ranking 12th-worst in benefiting from the same calls on the other team.

We could see a lot of Hill on Friday. His crew has thrown the second-most penalty flags (174) to rank second-most in penalty yards (1,517). Here’s hoping they do a better job keeping their laundry clean and Hill doesn’t eat up too much screen time.

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NFL assigns referee Shawn Smith to work Week 4 Saints-Lions game

The NFL assigned referee Shawn Smith to Week 4’s game between the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints, who lead the league in penalties.

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Third-year NFL referee Shawn Smith and his crew have been assigned to Week 4’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions at Ford Field, per Football Zebras. Smith has worked two Saints games in this capacity, both wins, after spending his first three seasons as an umpire.

In 2017, Smith refereed a 20-0 Saints win at Wembley Stadium over the Miami Dolphins; New Orleans was fouled 8 times for 71 yards, while Miami drew 11 flags for 90 yards. He also officiated 2019’s Thanksgiving Day win over the Atlanta Falcons, which the Saints won 26-18 despite being flagged 9 times for 121 penalty yards (Atlanta was fouled just 4 times for 18 yards). Three of those Saints penalties were on cornerback Eli Apple, who gave up 62 yards on defensive pass interference fouls.

Unfortunately, DPI penalties have plagued the Saints secondary no matter who’s back there. Through three games, no team has drawn more flags for it than New Orleans (9) or for more yards (183). That’s more DPI yards surrendered than the next two teams combined.

In terms of all penalties across the league, the Saints are tied for the second-most fouls (24) but by far the most penalty yards (331). Most of that is on the defense, which has drawn more penalty yards by itself (261) than, again, the next two teams put together (the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars). The Saints offense, comparatively, is tied for 13th in penalty yards yielded.

This must be a point of emphasis in practice for the Saints coaching staff. Not addressing it would be a season-threatening failure. Whether defensive backs aren’t turning their head when competing for a catch or hooking opponents’ arms in scoring position, they must make more of an effort to play within the rules, because the NFL’s officials haven’t held them to the same standards as their opponents for quite some time.

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