Bills have slight disadvantage in Week 4 due to referee assignment vs. Saints

Who will be officiating the game between the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints, and will it favor the home team?

Referee Land Clark looks on during the first half of the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Las Vegas Raiders. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The 3-0 Buffalo Bills are set to host the 0-3 New Orleans Saints in Week 4. Buffalo is heavily favored in this one, but might have been given a slight disadvantage entering the game.

Buffalo's game is going to be officiated by Land Clark, who isn't known for his home cooking. Clark, who has been a referee since 2020, has officiated a high percentage of road wins.

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Entering Week 4, the league average for home winning percentage is 57.14% but Clark's crew has seen the home team win just 33.3% of the time.

While the sample size is small this season, Clark has been below the league average for most of his career. The most shocking seasons were in 2022 and 2023 when the home team won 31.25% and 25% of the time. Here's a quick look at his history against league averages, according to Pro Football Reference.

Season	Home Win %	League Average
2020	60.00	49.81
2021	62.50	51.93
2022	31.25	56.34
2023	25.00	56.14
2024	47.06	54.74
2025	33.33	57.14

Clark, who had experience in the NCAA, was hired by the NFL in 2018 as a field judge and was promoted to referee two years later.

The Bills should still be the favorite in this one, especially given the Saints' recent struggles. Still, it's worth keeping an eye on the officiating crew.

NFL referee Land Clark during the Arizona Cardinals game against the Houston Texans at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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