Referee Crew Averages 23 Flags Per Game in Panthers-Packers Matchup

Referee Scott Novak’s crew has issued an average of 23 flags per game this season, a total two higher than any other officiating group in the NFL. The crew will work the Week 8 Thursday Night Football matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers. Their assignments have resulted in an average of 186 yards of penalties per game, which is 25 yards above the next closest crew and more than 65 yards above the league average.

Both teams rank near the top of the league for penalty yards. Carolina leads the NFL with 79.2 penalty yards per game. Green Bay follows in second place with 78. The Packers also rank second in the league for total penalties called, averaging 10.4 per game. Carolina ranks fifth with 9.8 flags per contest.

The two teams are entering the game following divisional defeats. Carolina lost to Tampa Bay in a blowout. Green Bay fell to Detroit on a last-second field goal. Sportsbooks listed the Packers as 3.5-point favorites on Thursday morning. In the 2025 season opener, Green Bay was favored by 13.5 points when they were upset by Carolina at Lambeau Field.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales addressed the team's penalty issues after a Week 6 victory over the Eagles, during which Carolina incurred a franchise-record 149 penalty yards. Canales stated the team needs to improve its discipline. "We have to clean that up," Canales said. "We’ve got to do better with our hands in different situations, particularly if you’re not at the point of attack of a play. We’ve got to be smarter. We’ve got to be cleaner."

The game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. EST on Prime Video. The matchup serves as a test of both teams' ability to limit infractions under a referee crew that consistently issues more flags than its peers.