Flag Count: Novak Crew Assigned to Penalty-Heavy Panthers-Packers Clash

Referee Scott Novak's crew will officiate Thursday Night's matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers, a combination that could produce a record number of flags. Novak's team has issued nearly 23 penalties per game this season, a total two higher than the next closest officiating crew in the league.

The assignment places the league's most active flag-throwing unit in charge of two of the NFL's most penalized teams. Carolina currently leads the league in penalty yards, averaging 79.2 per game. Green Bay sits in second place with 78 penalty yards per contest.

Beyond yardage, the Packers rank second in the NFL for the number of penalties called, with 10.4 per game. The Panthers follow in fifth place with 9.8 flags per contest. When Novak's crew calls a penalty, the average yardage loss is 186, which is 25 yards more than the next highest crew and 65 yards above the league average.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales addressed the team's disciplinary struggles after Carolina absorbed a franchise-record 149 penalty yards in a Week 6 victory over the Eagles. Canales stated the team needs to improve its physical technique, particularly regarding hand placement when players are not at the point of attack.

"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."

Both teams arrive in Green Bay following divisional losses. Carolina was defeated by Tampa Bay, while Green Bay lost to Detroit on a final-second field goal. Sportsbooks listed the Packers as 3.5-point favorites on Thursday morning. This marks a shift from the 2025 season, when the Packers were 13.5-point favorites in their loss to Carolina at Lambeau Field.

The game is scheduled to begin at 8:15 p.m. EST on Prime Video.