Here’s another variable for Saturday’s New Orleans Saints game. They’re already preparing to play in hazardous elements with wind and snow in the forecast for Week 16’s kickoff with the Cleveland Browns, but they’ll also be dealing with referee Brad Rogers and his crew. Rogers’ crew was on hand for their loss to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this season.
Rogers was promoted to referee in 2019, and he’s since worked six Saints games in that capacity — with New Orleans going 2-4 with him on the field. They haven’t won a game that Rogers has officiated since the 2020 season, but it’s worth noting they haven’t won many games since the 2020 season regardless of the referee.
If you’re curious, Rogers’ crew averages 11.6 penalties per game, which ranks tenth in the NFL. Their most-frequently called fouls include offensive holding (2.0), false start (1.62), defensive pass interference (1.08), and ineligible downfield pass (1.00). How do those trends compare to the Saints and Browns?
The Browns have been fouled for offensive holding more than any other team this year (1.64 times per game); the Saints have been fouled the fourth-fewest times per game (0.79). However, New Orleans leads the league in false starts (1.71 flags per game) and Cleveland has the fifth-fewest such penalties per game (0.86). Both teams rank high in defensive pass interference fouls (the Saints have had 0.64 per game, the Browns are at 0.50) but neither of them have much history with ineligible downfield pass penalties.
