The referee for the Eagles’ divisional game recently screwed over Philly.

The Philadelphia Eagles, seeded No. 2 in the NFC, are set to host the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams in a highly anticipated Divisional Round matchup.

A win would secure a spot in the NFC Championship Game. However, news of referee Shawn Smith’s assignment for the game has sparked concern among Eagles fans, given his controversial history with the team.

Shawn Smith was the referee when C.J. Gardner-Johnson got ejected against the #Commanders in Week 16. #Eagles https://t.co/92fYd9uiu4

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) January 13, 2025

The Eagles’ Recent History with Shawn Smith

Smith, an NFL referee since 2015, was in charge during the Eagles’ Week 16 loss to the Washington Commanders. That game saw a pivotal moment when Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected in the third quarter after receiving two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. One of those calls was heavily criticized, as Gardner-Johnson appeared to be the victim of a shove by a Washington player.

The ejection proved costly for the Eagles, who surrendered a 10-point lead and eventually lost the game 36-33.

This… This was called an unsportsmanlike on CJGJ? Can someone explain? Wtf? pic.twitter.com/FiJkqwJ39t

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) December 22, 2024

Smith’s Officiating Style

Statistically, Shawn Smith’s officiating tendencies could influence the game.

• Home Team Advantage: This season, home teams have won 56.2% of games officiated by Smith, slightly above the league average.
• Penalty Trends: Smith’s crews average 12 penalties for 104 yards per game, making him one of the stricter referees in the league.
• Impact on the Eagles: Philadelphia has performed relatively well in terms of penalties, ranking 11th in penalties per game (6.1) and seventh in penalty yards per game (47.6).

Given these figures, the Eagles will need to focus on maintaining discipline to avoid costly infractions that could tilt the game’s outcome.

Key Context for the Game

The Eagles enter the matchup with significant stakes:

• Injury Impact: Philadelphia will be without linebacker Nakobe Dean for the remainder of the postseason due to a knee injury, putting pressure on their depth at the position.
• Previous Matchup: The Eagles defeated the Rams 37-20 on the road in Week 12, powered by Saquon Barkley’s dominant 255-yard rushing performance.
• Rams’ Momentum: Los Angeles enters the game after a decisive 27-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round.

What to Watch For

This contest is expected to be a physical, hard-fought game, and the Eagles will need to avoid losing key players to ejections or costly penalties. Smith’s officiating history, particularly his involvement in the controversial Week 16 game, adds an extra layer of intrigue to this already high-stakes matchup.

Philadelphia fans will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on how Smith’s calls impact the flow of the game as their team pushes for another NFC Championship berth.

GET MORE RELATED CONTENT HERE