Divisional playoff officiating preview

The 2024 NFL Divisional Playoffs feature some of the most dramatic postseason games each and every season. The four crews assigned to the games will have to be on top of things from the opening kickoff. Here are some pregame observations about the officials on these games.

Several newcomers to the divisional round

It is always interesting for us and exciting for an official when they are assigned a later round in the playoffs for the first time. What’s even more interesting is when officials are assigned a divisional round in their first year eligible for the playoffs. This year Scott Campbell, Walter Flowers, Jason Ledet, Jay Bilbo and Martin Hankins, all in their first year eligible for the playoffs are assigned to the divisional round. No dipping their toes in the shallow end in this postseason!

Brandon Cruse (pictured above), Duane Heydt, Max Causey, Mark Stewart, Alonzo Ramsey and Dave Hawkshaw also get a divisional playoff round for the first time.

But, the white hats have lots of experience

Ron Torbert, Shawn Smith, Clay Martin and Carl Cheffers have all worked at the divisional playoff level or higher. Cheffers and Torbert have worked the Super Bowl. Smith worked the AFC Championship Game last year.

These officials have been tasked to lead crews for several years and they have proven to have what it takes to work at a high level.

Cheffers crew must have had a good season

Five out of the seven regular season members of Carl Cheffers crew are together for the divisional playoff game between the Ravens and Bills — a game that on paper could be the biggest powder keg of the weekend. This shows that the NFL has great confidence in Cheffers, and his crew must have scored high marks this year. The Bills and Ravens are very closely matched and both desperately want a crack at the Chiefs and try to knock Kansas City off the AFC mountain. That is a volatile formula and the officials will have to give it 100% from the coin toss to the final play.

The Super Bowl crew comes out of this round

The officials for Super Bowl LIX will work this weekend. In the past, the NFL tries to pair sideline tandems, and referee and umpire tandems that will work the Super Bowl together in this round. We will see if the new officiating leadership does the same.

Also, the NFL puts “backup Super Bowl officials” on this round, in case the person pegged for the Super Bowl gets injured this weekend or — heaven forbid — there is an overwhelming controversy in their divisional game.

Good luck to this weekend’s officials! May only the readers of this site care about your performance on Monday!