NFL Referee Assignments Week 2: Focusing on the League's Top Flag Throwers

After months of anticipation, the NFL betting season started off with a bang last week. We saw some major upsets, incredible collapses, and some heartbroken bettors who saw their wagers fail in the final moments.

While you can’t bet on red, knowing who is officiating a game can give you an edge when betting on the NFL. That’s why we have gone through each referee assignment for Week 2, highlighting three intriguing matchups with officials who are known for being liberal with their whistles. 

NFL Referee Assignments Week 2

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Brad Rogers on Commanders vs. Packers - Odds Impact

• Spread: Commanders +3.5 (-115) | Packers -3.5 (-105)

• Moneyline: Lions +158 | Packers -190

• Total: Over 48 (-110) | Under 48 (-110)

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We believe the Packers will have the better team on Thursday Night Football, but things may not be so simple. That’s because Brad Rogers and his crew will be officiating this game, and they haven’t been kind to Green Bay in the past.

The Packers didn’t see Rogers last season, but saw him twice in 2023. They were called for a combined 37 penalties between the two games, costing them 177 yards. While this team seems to be far more disciplined than the last few seasons, it may not matter in Week 2.

Rogers and his crew consistently rank towards the top of the league in penalties called, finishing sixth overall in 2024. There is no reason to believe that will change this season, especially given that this will be their first game. Most crews are on their whistles in their first outings as they adjust to and emphasize new rules. 

The Packers were clicking in Week 1 and committed just four penalties for 40 yards. That allowed them to run smoothly en route to an impressive win. Will that momentum be able to continue with an uptick in penalties expected?

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Scott Novak on Seahawks vs. Steelers - Odds Impact

• Spread: Seahawks +3 (-115) | Steelers -3 (-105)

• Moneyline: Seahawks +135 | Steelers -160

• Total: Over 40 (-110) | Under 40 (-110)

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook

We still have doubts about Aaron Rodgers, but that isn’t why we are betting on the under in their Week 2 matchup with the Seahawks.

Scott Novak will be leading the officiating crew for this Sunday's game. He has a reputation for calling a lot of penalties on the offense, which held in Week 1. Novak worked the Cardinals vs Saints games last week and called a league-high 22 penalties. 

While this was a sloppy game by both teams, the calls were skewed more towards the offensive side of the ball. Here is a quick breakdown of the calls made by Novak’s crew last week:

The offense of the Steelers and Seahawks could crumble with more flags being thrown, resulting in a low-scoring brawl.

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Shawn Hochuli on Buccaneers vs. Texans - Odds Impact

• Spread: Buccaneers +2.5 (-105) | Texans -2.5 (-115)

• Moneyline: Buccaneers +122 | Texans -145

• Total: Over 42.5 (-110) | Under 42.5 (-110)

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook

Shawn Hochuli and his crew were relatively quiet in Week 1, but that is far from the norm. The famous official was promoted to become a referee in 2018 and started his career by not calling many penalties. That changed in his second season, leading his crews to rank among the top five in penalties in five of the next six seasons. 

Both of these teams looked sloppy in Week 1, but Houston struggled far more with discipline. They were whistled for 11 penalties, resulting in 80 yards. Combine that with the fact that they were called for nine penalties the last time they saw Hochuli, and you can see why we have concerns about their chances tonight.

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