National Football League

Unofficially official: Mike Pereira previews Week 16 on FOX

Published Dec. 21, 2014 12:52 p.m. ET

foxsports

Here's a viewer's guide to what you may not know -- but need to -- heading into Week 16. You'll also get some inside knowledge of the referees and their crews who are calling today's games on FOX. The early games are highlighted by Detroit and Chicago, where Jimmy Clausen gets the start at quarterback for a benched Jay Cutler, while there's only one late game on FOX this week, the New York Giants at St. Louis.

OVERVIEW

* Watch out for offensive pass interference calls. Last week there were 14, which was the most of any week in the season thus far. There were two called Thursday night in the Tennessee at Jacksonville game. It may be that there were plays put on the officiating training tape pointing out some push-offs that might have been missed. So far this season there have been 125 called. There were 75 called all last season.

* The Aaron Rodgers fumble play last week, the one inside of two minutes that was ruled dead in the end zone for a safety when Eddie Lacy recovered, goes back to the Dave Casper "holy roller" play in 1979 when the Raiders beat the Chargers on the last play of the game. The two-minute fumble rule was put in the next year. Here is an "if" question: If the "holy roller" play would have happened today and there was not a two-minute fumble rule, what would the result of the play be? Answer below.

* Interesting to me that the length of games is down this season. Through Week 15 this season, the average is 3:05:56. Last season through Week 15, the average was 3:08:17. Games are two minutes and 21 seconds shorter this season. It is amazing to me that the time is down considering fouls are up over two per game and the total number of replay stoppages has increased although not significantly. So, why is the game time down? I say four reasons.

First, there have been 302 fewer incomplete passes this season versus last. Second, there have been fewer reversals in replay which means less time that you have to spend resetting the ball at the new spot after making the announcement. Third, the decisions in replay are being made quicker. I can hardly remember the last time the ref wasn't ready to make his announcement when the broadcast comes back from a commercial. Lastly, the referees are enforcing penalties quicker. The announcements have been short and concise.

* Talk about having a bad day: Washington's Santana Moss got flagged twice and ejected last week but teammate Bashaud Breeland had a worse one. He was flagged five times -- one each for defensive holding, unnecessary roughness, and taunting; and twice for defensive pass interference.

* Coaches challenges through Week 15: There have been 147, resulting in 58 reversals. That is a reversal rate of 39.4 percent. In 2013 through Week 15, there were 157 resulting in 82 reversals. The reversal rate was 52.2 percent.

* Total challenges and reviews through Week 15: There have been 383, resulting in 141 reversals. That is a reversal rate of 36.8 percent. In 2013 through Week 15, there were 370 resulting in 167 reversals. That reversal rate was 45.1 percent.

* Speaking of replay: Three coaches have yet to win a challenge. They are Mike McCarthy, Mike Smith and Bill Belichick.

* Answer to above: Incomplete pass. Stabler actually threw the ball forward. Replay would have reversed it to an incomplete pass. San Diego would have won the game instead of Oakland.

TODAY'S GAMES ON FOX

DETROIT (10-4) AT CHICAGO (5-9), 1 pm ET

Broadcast team: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

Referee: Gene Steratore: We brought Steratore into the league in 2003 after watching him referee in the Big East. He became a referee in 2006. Steratore and Bill Vinovich are Division I basketball officials, with Steratore being one since 1997. He hasn't worked a Super Bowl yet, but I think he'll get a shot soon. Steratore and his brother, Tony, are co-owners of Steratore Sanitary Supplies. I'm not making that up.

Steratore's crew: His crew is near the middle of the pack in calling fouls. They average 15.33 fouls per game and the average is 16.13. They do call the fewest offensive pass interference fouls in the league. However, they have called the second-most unnecessary roughness fouls, but that is because they called seven in Week 5 when Cleveland played at Tennessee. His crew has not worked either of these teams this season.

Notes on Detroit: The Lions lead the NFL in fewest false starts with nine; however, they lead the NFL in most offensive holding calls with 28. Coach Jim Caldwell has challenged twice this season and won one.

Notes on Chicago: The Bears lead the league in unnecessary roughness calls and have the second-most false starts. On the bright side, because I'm such a positive guy, they have yet to commit an illegal contact foul. Coach Marc Trestman has also challenged twice and won one.

ATLANTA (5-9) AT NEW ORLEANS (6-8), 1 pm ET

Broadcast team: Kevin Burkhardt and John Lynch

Referee: John Parry came into the league in 2000 and became a referee in 2007. He's very sharp and understands the game, the coaches, the media, etc. He was the side judge in Super Bowl 41 and the referee in Super Bowl 46. Here is a cool piece of info: Twenty-four years prior to John being the side judge in Super Bowl 41, his dad Dave, worked Super Bowl 17 at the same position. John is a financial advisor and is a former pilot who flew charter jets.

Parry's crew: The unit is not averse to throwing flags. They call the second-most defensive holds and illegal contact fouls. Overall, they have thrown 17.17 flags per game, which is slightly above the average of 16.13 Parry's crew has not worked either of these teams this season.

Notes on Atlanta: The Falcons rank low (23rd out of 32 teams) in penalty totals. They are tied for the NFC lead in defensive holding calls. On the other hand, they are one of only two teams that have not been called for being offside. Coach Mike Smith has lost his only challenge this season.

Notes on New Orleans: The Saints have committed the fourth-fewest penalties in the league. Nothing stands out in any particular foul category. Coach Sean Payton has challenged six times and won four.

MINNESOTA (6-8) AT MIAMI (7-7), 1 pm ET

Broadcast team: Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston

Referee: Tony Corrente is in his 20th season, having arrived in 1995 as a back judge and moved to the referee position in 1998. He was the referee is Super Bowl 41 when the Colts beat the Bears. He survived throat cancer in 2012, which caused him to miss a few games while undergoing treatment. Corrente got a bachelor's degree from Cal State-Fullerton. He retired from his teaching job in 2012 (he taught social sciences at La Mirada High School in Southern California). He was also the coordinator of officials for the Pac 12, but left that job midway through this season.

Corrente's crew: His crew has called the fourth-most penalties in the league. They average 17.33 a game. His crew had Minnesota at home in Week 2 against New England and they called eight fouls against the Vikings and 18 against the Patriots. Nothing jumps out in any foul category.

Notes on Minnesota: The Vikings are in the middle of the pack in foul calls -- 7.79 fouls per game, which is below the average of 8.09. Nothing jumps out in any category. Coach Mike Zimmer has challenged three times and won one.

Notes on Miami: The Dolphins are now the least-penalized team in the NFL. The Dolphins took that spot from the Chiefs, who have had a spike in penalties the last two weeks. Miami has not committed a roughing the passer foul and has the second-fewest defensive holding calls in the league. The Dolphins have also committed the second-fewest illegal hands to the face fouls in the AFC. Let's hope Corrente and his crew keep the flags in their pockets and go with the flow. Coach Joe Philbin has also challenged three times and won one.

GREEN BAY (10-4) AT TAMPA BAY (2-12), 1 pm ET

Broadcast team: Chris Myers and Ronde Barber.

Referee: Terry McAulay, who came into the league in 1998. He became a referee in 2001 and has refereed three Super Bowls and six conference championships. He graduated in computer science from LSU and was a software programmer for the National Security Agency. He is currently the coordinator of officials for the American Athletic Conference.

McAulay's crew: His crew leads the NFL in Illegal contact calls. Other than that, they are pretty much in the middle of the pack in everything. They did have a big week last week, calling 25 fouls in the Dallas at Philadelphia game. They called five offensive holds, five false starts, and three defensive holds. This is the second time that this crew has had Tampa Bay at home. That is a bit unusual.

Notes on Green Bay: The Packers were flagged 10 times last week, which was their highest total of the season. That being said, they have been called for the fifth-fewest fouls in the NFL this season. Nothing stands out in any foul category. The Packers' McCarthy has challenged four times and won none.

Notes on Tampa Bay: The bad news is that the Bucs lead the NFL in penalties, committing 10.21 per game. The good news is that in their last two games they have committed just six and four. Here's hoping that trend continues. The Bucs' biggest area of concern: offensive holding. They lead the NFL with 31. For the sake of comparison, Pittsburgh has been called for the fewest with 15. Coach Lovie Smith has challenged six times and won three.

NEW YORK GIANTS (5-9) AT ST. LOUIS (6-8), 4:05 pm

Broadcast team: Thom Brennaman and David Diehl

Referee: Pete Morelli, who is a principal at St. Mary's High School in Stockton, Calif. He was brought into the NFL in 1997 and is in his 18th season. He worked Super Bowl 37 as a side judge before becoming a referee in 2003. This is his 12th season as a referee. He got into officiating at the age of 19, when he started working high school games with his uncles, Tony and Joe. It was Morelli, Morelli and Morelli at lots of games in Stockton. Pete's dad was a well-respected baseball umpire in the area.

Morelli's crew: The Morelli crew is sneaking down the list in penalty calls. They call the fifth-fewest with 14.42 a game. The last two weeks they called 10 and eight. None of the penalty categories stands out for this crew.

Notes on New York: The Giants have committed the third-fewest fouls in the NFL, as they average 6.50 per game. The only thing that stands out is that they have not been called for roughing the passer this season. Coach Tom Coughlin has challenged three times and won one.

Notes on St. Louis: The Rams, on the other hand, are the seventh-most penalized team in the league, committing nine fouls per game. They lead the NFC in offensive pass interference calls. Coach Jeff Fisher has challenged twice and won one.