Novak Crew Will Officiate Penalty-Heavy Panthers-Packers Clash

Two of the NFL's most penalized teams will meet under the league's strictest referees in Week 8's Thursday Night Football matchup.

Carolina currently leads the league with 79.2 penalty yards per game, while Green Bay sits second with 78.0. The Panthers also rank fifth in total flags, averaging 9.8 per contest, and the Packers are second with 10.4 per game.

Referee Scott Novak and his crew were assigned to the game. Their unit throws nearly 23 flags per contest, which is two more than any other crew in the league. Those penalties average 186 yards per game, a figure that stands 25 yards above the next closest crew and more than 65 yards above the league average.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales addressed the team's discipline after Carolina was assessed a franchise-record 149 penalty yards in a Week 6 victory over the Eagles. Canales told reporters, “We have to clean that up. 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 enter the game following difficult divisional losses. Carolina fell to Tampa Bay, and Green Bay lost a last-second field goal goal to Detroit. Sportsbooks listed the Packers as 3.5-point favorites on Thursday morning, a line that contrasts with their 13.5-point home loss to Carolina in the 2025 season.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. EST on Prime.