Bengals Referee Report: For Third Straight Week, Team Will Get a Referee Ranked in Top 3 in Total Flags Thrown

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals will go from the league’s least newest official to one of the most experienced with Carl Cheffers on the call for Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions.

Carl Cheffers is in his 26th season as an NFL official and 18th as a head referee, during which time he has worked 17 Bengals games.

Cincinnati is 5-10-2 with Cheffers as the referee.

Cheffers’ most recent assignment for a Bengals game was last year in Week 6 in a 17-7 victory against the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.

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.

Third will be the third consecutive week the Bengals have had a referee whose crew ranked in the top three of most flags thrown.

Cheffers and his crew rank third with 22 flags per game, just behind Ron Tobert (Vikings game) and Alex Moore (Broncos), who are tied for first with 23.5.

In terms of accepted penalties, Cheffers ranks first at 18.67, just ahead of Moore’s 18.5.

Last week, Cheffers and his crew had 18 accepted penalties for 151 yards in the Rams-Colts game.

The week before, there were 22 flags for 165 yards in the Packers-Browns contest.

Last year, Cheffers was at the other end of the list, ranking 12th out of 17 crews with just 13.38 flags per game.

But historically he’s been near the top. Cheffers had the most accepted flags in 2022 (12.39) and 2021 (13.94) and ranked second in 2020 (12.29).

Still, Cheffers is one of the most respected referees in the league, having worked two of the last five Super Bowls as well as the 2021 NFC Championship Game and last year’s AFC Divisional game between the Ravens and Bills.

Here is a look at each of the 17 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

Week 6, 2024: Bengals 17, Giants 7

Bengals 6-67; Giants 2-9