By Sunday 
A High-Stakes Matchup Meets a Familiar Whistle
Week 12 in the Motor City isn’t just another game for the New York Giants — it’s a potential turning point in a season that’s teetering on the edge of mathematical elimination. And now, mix in Craig Wrolstad’s officiating crew, a group with a reputation, and suddenly the whole matchup feels even spicier.
The Giants and Lions are set to square off under the watchful eyes of Wrolstad, a 12-year NFL referee whose history with penalty flags has been, let’s just say, eventful. Last year? His crew threw the second-most accepted penalties in the entire league. This year? They’ve chilled out a bit, sliding back to the middle of the pack with 118 accepted penalties in 10 games.
So… which version of Wrolstad’s crew do we get on Sunday? That’s the wild card.
A Look at the Crew: The Names Behind the Flags
Wrolstad’s crew rolls into Detroit with a mix of veterans and one fresh face. Umpire Brandon Cruse is the newcomer, hopping over from Carl Cheffers’s crew — a name that’ll make many NFL fans instantly sweat.
The rest of the sideline orchestra includes:
- Danny Short, down judge
- Brett Bergman, line judge
- Jeff Shears, field judge
- Frank Steratore, side judge (yes, that Steratore family)
- Rich Martinez, back judge
- Gavin Anderson, replay official
- Ken Hall, replay assistant
Basically, a group that’s seen just about everything… and isn’t shy about throwing a flag when they feel the urge.
The Giants’ Penalty Problem: A Bad Mix at a Bad Time
Let’s not sugarcoat it — the Giants have not been disciplined this year. They’ve been flagged 85 times, including two double-digit penalty meltdowns in Week 2 (Dallas) and Week 10 (Chicago).
Combine that with the fact that Wrolstad’s crew last worked a Giants game in Cleveland, where Big Blue still pulled out a win despite nine flags, and you start to see how Sunday could turn chaotic.
The Lions haven’t seen this crew since early 2024, so they’re not exactly walking in with recent experience either.
Playoff Stakes That Feel Like 1976? Yikes
Here’s where things get uncomfortable for Giants fans. A loss to Detroit, paired with a win by any of Seattle, Minnesota, or Dallas, would give New York a conference-worst 1–7 record.
That would make it the earliest postseason elimination for the Giants since 1976, back when disco ruled and the team started 0–8 in a 14-game season.
Not exactly the kind of history anyone wants to revisit.
So What Should We Expect?
A middle-of-the-pack officiating crew.
A Giants team desperately trying to avoid another penalty-filled spiral.
A Lions team looking to keep pace in the NFC.
And playoff math looming over everything like a storm cloud.
Wrolstad has worked a Super Bowl, been an alternate for another, and has over two decades of NFL experience behind him. The question now is whether the yellow flags stay tucked… or start flying.
Either way, the Giants–Lions matchup just got a whole lot more interesting.