Although NFL referee conspiracy theories aren’t too common around here, some Dallas Cowboys Nation members are already upset over certain Cowboys news that was released this week. That news: John Hussey, who is renowned for a variety of reasons, but one in particular in this situation, will be the main referee for the crucial Sunday Night Football game versus the Eagles. As it happens, the Eagles are 7-0 when Hussey’s team is involved.
Of course, seven games Hussey has played for the Eagles is still a relatively tiny sample size, and 70% across a huge sample size like 49 games surely means more than that.
Did the anxiety of anticipating a wave of officiating problems in Week 14 subside, though? Naturally, no.
After two games against the Eagles, John Hussey Crew has called just six penalties.
One statistic that stood out as particularly terrible news for the Cowboys was that in the last two Eagles games that John Hussey has managed, opponents have been called for 21 penalties while Philadelphia has been flagged for six.
That prepared the ground for some rather direct assessments, from the subdued “a questionable call or two” to the more ominous and well-worn “The fix is in!” Oh, and how about mentioning the contentious NBA referee Scott Foster?
Another: “John Hussey is calling the Dallas Cowboys vs. Eagles SNF game.” Since Hussey took over as head official, the Eagles had a whopping 7-0 record and a 4:1 lead in the flag department. Expect to witness a couple more dubious calls on Sunday evening.
And: “Well, of course the @NFL starts John Hussey in the Cowboys vs. Eagles game since it’s a must-win. When Hussey calls the games, the Eagles are ahead 7-0.A penalty ratio of almost to one. utilizing the top player for the Eagles once more.
This line of reasoning is flawed because the general statistics that appear to show that John Hussey is pro-Eagles and will therefore indicate bad news for the Cowboys on Sunday are just that—broad.
Finding that the Eagles have a flawless record in a comparatively limited number of games officiated by a particular referee shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. After all, Philadelphia has been a strong club every season since 2016 (75-50). Furthermore, the 21-6 deficit does not appear as bad when you examine the details of the games John Hussey has called for the Eagles—certainly the two most recent ones.
