The following statistical trend might be enough to make some New England Patriots fans vomit immediately.

Sunday’s AFC Championship will feature the officiating stylings of Ed Hochuli. According to ProFootballReference.com, since 1999, Peyton Manning is 14-2 when Hochuli is the lead official in the game.

GULP.

Meanwhile, Tom Brady is 8-5, including wins in the 2001 AFC Championship at Pittsburgh and in Super Bowl XXXVIII over the Carolina Panthers.

It’s not the worst record in the world but 14-2 sounds rather ominous.

So, why is Ed Hochuli officiating a playoff game of major significance when his two options are presiding over a game with arch-enemy Cam Newton or America’s hero Peyton Manning?

If it’s a tight game late and the whistle goes against the Patriots to cost them a shot at the Super Bowl, everybody better hold on for a nuclear winter.

[NYDN]