When it comes to this time of the NFL season, fans and bettors alike want every morsel of information to either make them feel better about their team’s chances to win or to aid their betting choices. Or, in some cases, a little bit of both.
Part of that equation, unfortunately, is the officiating crew for each game. We saw just a week ago how much NFL referees can affect parts of a game, with an absolute fire drill in the Bengals-Raiders game on Saturday, while the officials in Dallas on Sunday ran off the field with debris raining down on them.
Now, in the divisional round, every call matters even more, and as the games approach, you’d better believe we’re drilling down on every bit of information we can find.
With that in mind, here are the officiating assignments for this weekend’s games, with some pertinent betting information on each crew.
Regular-season officiating betting stats per VSiN.com.
SATURDAY, JAN. 22
Cincinnati Bengals at (-3) Tennessee Titans, 47.5
Head referee: Clete Blakeman
Penalties per game: 12.56 (6th out of 17)
Home team straight-up record: 10-6
Home team ATS record: 10-6
Over-under record: 8-8
Note: Only two referee crews called more holding penalties than Blakeman, which is notable given both teams’ potent rushing attacks.
San Francisco 49ers at (-6) Green Bay Packers, 47
Head referee: Ron Torbert
Penalties per game: 10 (16th out of 17)
Home team straight-up record: 10-6
Home team ATS record: 8-8
Over-under record: 5-11
Note: Only three officiating crews called more roughing the passer penalties than Torbert’s, which seems less likely to benefit a 49ers team that’s expected to run the ball a ton.
SUNDAY, JAN. 23
Los Angeles Rams at (-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48.5
Head referee: Shawn Hochuli
Penalties per game: 13.44 (3rd out of 17)
Home team straight-up record: 5-11
Home team ATS record: 5-11
Over-under record: 5-11
Note: No team referee was more profitable for underdogs during the 2021 season than Hochuli.
Buffalo Bills at (-2) Kansas City Chiefs, 54
Head referee: John Hussey
Penalties per game: 10.75 (14th out of 17)
Home team straight-up record: 9-5
Home team ATS record: 9-5
Over-under record: 7-8
Note: No crew called fewer pass interference penalties than Hussey’s, notable with the total of 54 being by far the highest of the weekend with arguably the two best passing attacks in the NFL squaring off.
