Patriots are under investigation for deflating footballs

rockin'robin

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PROVIDENCE, RI — The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots used under-inflated footballs in Sunday's AFC championship game win against the Indianapolis Colts.

League spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed the investigation to USA TODAY Sports. It was first reported late Sunday night by Indianapolis television station WHTR's Bob Kravitz.

The investigation could be linked to a moment just after halftime, when officials stopped play while Tom Brady and the Patriots offense were on the field. The referee called for a new ball to come in from the Patriots sideline. On the CBS broadcast, announcers Phil Simms and Jim Nantz speculated that a kicking ball could have initially been in play instead.

An under-inflated football would be easier to grip, and therefore easier to throw and catch, especially in adverse weather conditions, as was the case Sunday night in Foxborough, where heavy rain pounded Gillette Stadium throughout the second half.

NFL footballs are required to be inflated with 12.5-13.5 pounds of air, and home teams must give all game balls to the league two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff to be inspected.

According to the WHTR report, if the league confirms the balls were deflated, the Patriots could lose future draft picks. In 2012, USC was found to have illegally deflated footballs during a game against Oregon. The Trojans were fined $25,000 and the team's student manager was fired.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/sports/2015/01/19/patriots-under-investigation/21993625/
 
What a sore-losing bunch. Like the refs aren't in contact with the balls after every play?
 
They were being accused of cheating against Baltimore the week before, too. They just don't learn, do they?
 
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SpyGate? Anyone remember that? And they were being accused of cheating against Baltimore the week before, too. Old habits die hard, hmm?

No, Patriots can't get "Spygate" for cheating against Colts. They were disciplined by NFL for videotaping New York Jets' defensive coaches' signals during a September 9, 2007 game. NFL fined Patriots head coach Bill Belichick $500,000.
 
No, Patriots can't get "Spygate" for cheating against Colts. They were disciplined by NFL for videotaping New York Jets' defensive coaches' signals during a September 9, 2007 game. NFL fined Patriots head coach Bill Belichick $500,000.

Yeah, but that's not when they got caught, though. They allegedly got caught just prior to the 2002 Super Bowl against the Rams..... I think I read that somewhere..... lemme look that up.

Here's the full story:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_National_Football_League_videotaping_controversy

Also, please excuse my getting the 2001 and 2002 Super Bowls mixed up.... the Rams won that one against Tennessee.
 
If the Patriots break the rules, they get punished like everyone else. Nobody is getting special treatment.

I would also point out that that after the signal scandal, which they were truthful about, they had an 18-0 season. They have also had more wins since that time than any other team and have made it to the championship many times.

The Colts didn't lose the game because of ball deflation. In fact, it was mostly a running game.

If the Patriots are found guilty, they will be fined and lose a draft pick.
 
If the Patriots break the rules, they get punished like everyone else. Nobody is getting special treatment.

I would also point out that that after the signal scandal, which they were truthful about, they had an 18-0 season. They have also had more wins since that time than any other team and have made it to the championship many times.

The Colts didn't lose the game because of ball deflation. In fact, it was mostly a running game.

If the Patriots are found guilty, they will be fined and lose a draft pick.

Nobody's ever had an 18-0 season, excluding playoff games.....
 
11 of 12 Pats' footballs under-inflated

The NFL has found that 11 of 12 of the New England Patriots game balls were inflated significantly less than the NFL requires, league sources involved and familiar with the investigation of Sunday's AFC championship game told ESPN.

The investigation found the footballs were under-inflated by 2 pounds of air (PSI) less than what's required by NFL regulations during the Pats' 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, according to sources.

"We are not commenting at this time," said Greg Aiello, the NFL's senior vice president of communications.

Troy Vincent, the league's senior executive vice president of football operations, told ProFootballTalk.com earlier Tuesday that the NFL expected to wrap up its investigation in "two or three days."

Yet to be determined is what, if any, penalties may be imposed upon Patriots. One source described the league as "disappointed ... angry ... distraught," after spending considerable time on the findings earlier Tuesday.

Part of the investigation that still needs further vetting is how the 11 footballs became under-inflated. The game balls provided to each team for preparation were required to be inspected and approved by referee Walt Anderson two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff before they were returned to a ball attendant before the game.

The balls are required be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch and weigh between 14 and 15 ounces.

"We have been in complete cooperation with the league and will continue to do so," said Patriots spokesman Stacey James

ESPN: Those Cheating Patriots
 
What s penalty for Patriots yet?


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I think they should schedule a rematch with the Colts. There should be time before "the big game".
 
I think they should schedule a rematch with the Colts. There should be time before "the big game".

Feel the Pats actually won this game, inflated football and all, tho'....seems they were a better team...but had to reason to cheat.
 
The people here don't want to win by cheating. Nobody wants that for their team.

A rematch with the colts would be good. Although, they don't have a great record against NE.
 
Colts suspected deflated balls after regular season Patriots game

Indianapolis had good reason to be suspicious of New England ahead of the AFC Championship. According to ESPN, the Colts notified the league that the Pats may have been deflating balls after their Nov. 16 matchup during the regular season.

he Indianapolis Colts and the NFL may have had reason to be suspicious that New England Patriots would deflate balls during the AFC Championship, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Colts reportedly brought up concerns about underinflated balls during their Nov. 16 matchup against the Pats, during which quarterback Tom Brady was intercepted twice.

Per Schefter, Colts safety Mike Adams secured both of Brady's picks, and gave both balls to Colts equipment managers because the balls felt underinflated. The Colts reportedly took their concerns to the NFL after the game, and the league knew about the issue going into the AFC Championship.

If D'Qwell Jackson hadn't intercepted Brady and informed referees that the ball felt a little light last Sunday, the scandal now known has DeflateGate (or BallGhazi, if you prefer) may have never happened. It may have helped Jackson to know what to look for, which perhaps explains why the Colts diagnosed the issue so quickly when the officials, who handle balls much more frequently during games than defensive players, did not notice anything wrong.

On Tuesday night, ESPN reported that 11 of the 12 balls set aside for the Patriots' offense were underinflated. The NFL is now investigating the Patriots to determine whether the team intentionally deflated footballs to make them easier to catch and grip under the rainy conditions of last Sunday's game.

The Patriots could face at minimum a $25,000 fine if found guilty, if not stiffer punishment. As Ryan Van Bibber explains, Commissioner Roger Goodell has the authority to go beyond the rulebook and potentially take away draft picks from New England. The league cannot take away the win, however. Whatever the outcome of DeflateGate, the Patriots will be playing the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 49.

http://www.sbnation.com/2015/1/21/7...ated-balls-colts-patriots-regular-season-game
 
patriots_cheaters_graphic.jpg
 
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