What To Know About Lions Week 8 Official: Will Calls Be Favorable Again?

The officiating crew for the Detroit Lions’ Week 8 divisional showdown with the Minnesota Vikings has been revealed.

On Sunday, Craig Wrolstad’s crew will preside over the battle between the surging Lions and the unbeaten Vikings. Wrolstad has served as a head referee since 2014, and has worked several playoff games in that role including one that is near and dear to the Lions.

Wrolstad was the head referee for the Lions’ first playoff win in 30 years, as they hosted the Los Angeles Rams in primetime for a historic win. The Lions are 5-5 in the 10 games he’s worked as a head referee.

Last season, Wrolstad worked a pair of Lions games. He was the head official for the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, which featured a controversial call that negated an early Jared Goff touchdown on a trick play as well as a postgame scrum that led to a one-game suspension for Brian Branch. Only four penalties were called in that game, all on the Lions.

Wrolstad also worked the Lions’ overtime win over the New York Giants on Nov. 23. In that game, there were 16 total penalties called with nine on the Lions and seven on the Giants.

Another notable occurrence in Wrolstad’s career came when he was working as a field judge in the Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens when power was lost leading to a lengthy delay.

Through six games, Wrolstad’s crew ranks second in total flags thrown with 108, surpassing Detroit’s officiating crew from last week led by Alex Moore after 20 penalties were called in the matchup between Denver in Arizona. Home teams are 4-2 so far this season with Wrolstad officiating.

The veteran official’s crew has thrown at least 20 total flags in each of the last three games they’ve worked. In addition to Denver and Arizona, he also reffed the Week 6 Sunday Night game between Dallas and Green Bay and a Week 5 game between New England and Las Vegas. Through six games, there has been an even 54 penalties called on both home and away teams.

Wrolstad has thrown 24 flags for offensive holding, which ranks fourth amongst all crews. His second-most common penalty called is defensive pass interference, as he has whistled teams 16 times for that.

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