The teams are determined for this weekend’s wild-card round. The referees are now determined, too.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Raiders-Texans game will be handled by Ronald Torbert. Brad Allen, who entered the NFL as a referee and is in only his second year, will handle the Lions-Seahawks game. Craig Wrolstad will preside over Dolphins-Steelers, and Ed Hochuli will serve as referee for Giants-Packers.
For the four referees, the significance of the assignment is that none will work the Super Bowl, since the Super Bowl referee always comes from those who work in the divisional round -- and since the referees in the wild-card round don’t work in the divisional round.
Hochuli will have two of his crew members with him on Sunday, and Wrolstad will have one. Allen and Torbert will be working with an entirely different crew.
Postseason assignments are set based on the grading process that applies to every regular-season game, with the goal being to use the referees who performed the best during the season for the games that have the most meaning.