Referee Report: Bengals vs. Giants To Be Called By Official on Extreme Ends of Penalty Tallies 5 Years Running

Jay Morrison | Oct 10, 2024

NFL Referee Carl Cheffers signals a penalty during the Buffalo Bills game against the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Orchard Park on Jan. 22. Nfl Ref Carl Cheffers / Tina MacIntyre-Yee /Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

CINCINNATI – The referee for Sunday night’s game between the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants will be the same one who worked the last meeting between the teams in 2020.

Carl Cheffers is in his 25th season as an NFL official and 17th as a head referee, during which time he has worked 16 Bengals games.

Cincinnati is 4-10-2 with Cheffers as the referee, including the Giants’ 19-17 win at Paycor Stadium in 2020.

He’s also worked two Bengals playoff games and a pair of ties – the 37-37 shootout with the Panthers in 2014 and the 27-27 deadlock against the Commanders in London in 2016.

Cheffers and his crew are averaging the fewest penalties per game (8.0) this season, with 3.25 going against the home team and 4.75 against the visitors.

Last year, Cheffers’ crew had the second fewest penalties in the league (9.81).

It’s been an abrupt pivot after Cheffers threw the most flags in 2022 (12.39) and 2021 (13.94) and ranked second in 2020 (12.29).

But Cheffers is one of the most respected referees in the league, having worked two of the last four Super Bowls as well as the 2021 NFC Championship Game.

Here is a look at each of the 16 Bengals game Cheffers has worked:

Week 13, 2008: Ravens 34, Bengals 3

Bengals three penalties for 15 yards; Ravens three for 30 yards

Week 15, 2009: Chargers 27, Bengals 24

Bengals 9-55; Chargers 4-30

Week 1, 2010: Patriots 38, Bengals 24

Bengals 2-5; Patriots 6-30

Week 13, 2011: Steelers 35, Bengals 7

Bengals 10-109; Steelers 4-29

Week 15, 2012: Bengals 34, Eagles 13

Bengals 11-94; Eagles 9-76

Week 1, 2013: Bears 24, Bengals 21

Bengals 8-84; Bears 4-59

Week 11, 2013: Bengals 41, Browns 20

Bengals 8-64; Browns 5-40

Week 6, 2014: Bengals 37, Panthers 37

Bengals 13-119; Panthers 8-60

Wild Card Round, 2014: Colts 26, Bengals 10

Bengals 6-45; Colts 9-66

Week 8, 2016: Bengals 27, Commanders 27

Bengals 7-85; Commanders 15-106

Week 16, 2016: Texans 12, Bengals 10

Bengals 6-60; Texans 3-25

Week 17, 2018: Steelers 16, Bengals 13

Bengals 9-85; Steelers 9-70

Week 14, 2019: Browns 27, Bengals 19

Bengals 8-99; Browns 6-30

Week 12, 2020: Giants 19, Bengals 17

Bengals 3-27; Giants 5-51

Week 12, 2022: Bengals 20, Titans 16

Bengals 9-80; Titans 8-57

Divisional Round, 2022: Bengals 27, Bills 10

Bengals 2-9; Bills 8-60

Week 10, 2023: Texans 30, Bengals 27

Bengals 4-63; Texans 7-50