Let me start off by saying a lot goes into handicapping sports, especially the NFL — traditional stats, advanced stats, weather, matchups and so on and so forth.
Another box to check, in additional to the ones above, are the game officials and the historical data they bring to the table.
NFL Wild Card Round Referees
Let's take a look at all six head officials assigned for the NFL Wild Card Round and some numbers to consider heading into the weekend of NFL playoff action.
- Clete Blakeman for Rams at Panthers
- Adrian Hill for Packers at Bears
- Brad Allen for Bills at Jaguars
- Alan Eck for 49ers at Eagles
- Ron Torbert for Chargers at Patriots
- Craig Wrolstead for Steelers at Texans
Every Wild Card Round Game
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Saturday, Jan. 10
4:30 p.m. ET; FOX
Clete Blakeman
- With Clete Blakeman refereeing, Sean McVay is 1–4 straight up (SU) since 2022, while Matthew Stafford is 2–4 SU in Blakeman-officiated games dating back to 2019.
- In games officiated by Blakeman this season, favorites are 11–5 SU, and that trend strengthens to 24–9 over the last two seasons.
- With Blakeman as referee, Bryce Young is 0–2 SU in his career, while those same games have gone 2–0 to the under.
- In Blakeman-officiated games at home, the Panthers are 5–0–2 to the under.
- Since 2019 with Blakeman as referee, the Panthers are 1–4 against the spread (ATS) and 0–1 SU and ATS in playoff games.
- In home games officiated by Blakeman since 2010, the Panthers are 2–5 ATS, including an 0–3 ATS mark at home over the last decade.
- With Blakeman officiating, Matthew Stafford is 6–2 ATS in home games.
- In playoff games officiated by Blakeman, underdogs are 10–4 ATS.
- Also in Blakeman-officiated playoff games, road teams are 9–4 ATS.
- Blakeman has called 12 defensive offside penalties this season (non-dismissed), tied for 2nd-most in the NFL.
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Saturday, Jan. 10
8 p.m. ET; Prime Video
Adrian Hill
- With Adrian Hill officiating, favorites are 67–27–1 straight up since 2020.
- In games officiated by Hill, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is 2–0 SU in his career.
- In playoff games officiated by Hill, underdogs are 2–0 both straight up and against the spread.
- This season in Hill–officiated games, underdogs are 11–3 against the spread, the best ATS mark of any referee in the NFL.
- With Hill as referee since 2019, the Bears are 3–6 ATS.
- In Hill–officiated games this season, road teams are 9–4 ATS, the second-best road ATS mark among all NFL referees.
- Across all games officiated by Adrian Hill, the under is 63–47 (57%), including a 10–4 record this season.
- Hill called the 2nd-most penalty flags per game this season at 17.9, behind only Alex Moore.
- Hill has called the most offensive holding penalties of any of the six referees in Wild Card weekend (4th in the NFL). Hill has called 29 of these at home, 2nd-most in the NFL.
- Including dismissed calls, Hill has called 23 total defensive pass interference calls this year, most of the six officials this weekend.
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Sunday, Jan. 11
1 p.m. ET; CBS
Brad Allen
- With Brad Allen officiating, Buffalo has won six consecutive games straight up and is 8–4 SU overall, with Josh Allen going 6–0 in those games, including 3–0 SU in the playoffs.
- In games officiated by Allen, Trevor Lawrence is 2–4 SU.
- With Allen as referee and Lawrence at quarterback, the under is 5–1.
- In playoff games officiated by Allen, favorites and home teams are 5–1 SU.
- Since 2023 in Allen–officiated games, favorites are 33–14 SU, the third-best-favorite SU mark of any NFL referee.
- This season with Allen officiating, favorites are 13–2 SU.
- In Allen–officiated games this season, road teams are 10–4 against the spread, the best road ATS mark of any NFL referee.
- Fewest total penalty flags per game this season: 1) Brad Allen: 12.8, 2) Alan Eck: 13.4
- Allen has only called 27 offensive holding calls this year, fewest of any official in the NFL.
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Sunday, Jan. 11
4:30 p.m. ET; FOX
Alan Eck
- This will be the first playoff game officiated by Alan Eck.
- In games officiated by Eck, Jalen Hurts is 3–0 straight up in his career.
- Since 2023 with Alan Eck officiating, favorites are 37–10 SU and 30–17 against the spread, including an 11–5 SU mark this season and a combined 26–5 straight-up record across the 2023–24 seasons; the 37–10 SU mark is the second-best of any NFL referee.
- Since 2023 in Eck–officiated games, home teams are 33–14 SU and 28–19 ATS.
- This season with Eck as referee, the over is 11–5, the second-best over mark of any NFL referee this year.
- Fewest total penalty flags per game this season: 1) Brad Allen: 12.8, 2) Alan Eck: 13.4
- Eck has called just 4.9 total penalty flags for home teams this season, lowest mark in the NFL. He has called six per game on the road side.
- Eck has only called seven defensive holding calls this year, or 0.44 per game, which was 2nd-fewest of any official in the NFL.
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Sunday, Jan. 11
8:15 p.m. ET; NBC
Ron Torbert
- In games officiated by Ron Torbert, Drake Maye is 0–3 straight up and against the spread in his career, while New England has lost four consecutive games ATS.
- With Ron Torbert as referee, the Chargers are 3–8 SU and 2–9 ATS since 2015, including a 1–6 SU and 2–5 ATS record in road games.
- Since 2014 in Torbert–officiated games, favorites are 145–50–1 SU; a $100 bettor backing favorites would be up $1,530, the most profitable mark of any NFL referee.
- In playoff games officiated by Torbert, the Patriots are 2–0 SU and ATS.
- Since 2014 with Torbert officiating, road teams are 106–83–3 ATS; a $100 bettor backing road teams would be up $1,669, ranking fourth out of 54 NFL officials.
- In Torbert–officiated games, Justin Herbert is 0–3 ATS in his career.
- In Patriots home games officiated by Torbert, the over is 6–1–1, and the over is 10–1–1 across 12 total Patriots games with Torbert.
- In playoff games officiated by Torbert, the over is 7–4.
- Torbert has only called one roughing the passer penalty this season, fewest of any official in the NFL (another roughing the passer call got dismissed).
- Torbert has only called nine defensive pass interference penalties, fewest of any official in the NFL (0.56/game).
- Torbert has called 12 illegal formation penalties this season, 15 in total with the three dismissed calls, 2nd-most in the NFL. What is interesting: his eight illegal formation calls against home teams are three more than any other official.
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Monday, Jan. 12
8:15 p.m. ET; ESPN
Craig Wrolstad
- In games officiated by Craig Wrolstad, Aaron Rodgers is 5–1 straight up and against the spread since 2019.
- With Wrolstad as referee, Mike Tomlin is 7–2 SU and ATS over his last nine games.
- In playoff games officiated by Wrolstad, favorites are 5–1 straight up.
- This season in Wrolstad–officiated games, underdogs are 8–9 SU, tied for the most underdog wins of any NFL referee.
- Since 2014 with Wrolstad officiating, road teams are 102–84–3 ATS; a $100 bettor backing road teams would be up $1,179.
- In Tomlin–coached games officiated by Wrolstad, the under is 9–4.
- In Wrolstad’s six playoff games, the under is 5–1.
- In Rodgers games officiated by Wrolstad, the over is 8–2.
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