Chris Mortensen ‏@mortreport 3m3 minutes ago

NFL has found that 11 of the Patriots footballs used in Sunday’s AFC title game were under-inflated by 2 lbs each, per league sources.

 

Uh-Oh....

NFL says New England Patriots had under-inflated footballs in AFC championship game - ESPN Boston

Chris Mortensen ‏@mortreport 3m3 minutes ago

NFL has found that 11 of the Patriots footballs used in Sunday’s AFC title game were under-inflated by 2 lbs each, per league sources.

 

Not good; honestly didn't believe it.

For the most part, yes. I don't think they did anything that every other team doesn't do to some extent. The difference is they were stupid about it and got caught. I think the punishment they were given was fair, but I don't think for a second they were doing anything that the other teams weren't/aren't.

 

Even if true they got caught. The everyone is doing it isn't a solid defense. Patriots continue to get caught.

 

Obviously they win this game regardless. But rumor is the Ravens tipped off the Colts. If true does that mean the Patriots did this during a close Ravens game to?

 

Either way the outcome doesn't matter. They broke the rules. Again......

Not good; honestly didn't believe it.

 

I didn't either mainly because it is extremely arrogant to deflate the balls and not expect to get caught. Between the refs handling the balls on pretty much every non scoring play along with the times the opponents touch the balls you'd think it would be super easy to get caught.

 

11 balls? Somebody has some splainin to do......

1 - This is stupid.

 

2 - Blount could have been carrying a watermelon and still rushed for 160+ and 4 TD's. No one wanted to tackle him.

 

3 - To clarify how it works with game balls...

 

While each home team supplies the balls for the game a bunch of balls go to each locker room prior to kickoff. The starting QB's for each team pick out the 6, 8, 10...however many balls they want...to use during the game. At that point the balls are labeled for each team and they only use those balls in non-kicking situations. So yes, the Pats had their own balls for the game.

 

With that said, deflated balls (allegedly) had about as much to do with that win as me not watching it.

 

The fact the Patriots would of won anyway doesn't really matter does it ? If they broke the rules they broke rules .

 

Belichek is the best coach in the NFL but apparently the worst cheater.

Unfortunately, doesn't surprise me in the least.

Unfortunately, doesn't surprise me in the least.

I'm with you... But they keep finding new ways of trying to outsmart everyone... Gotta give them credit for that... Lol!

It really doesn't matter what the final score of the game was. Just the fact that the Patriots once again got caught cheating will forever label them cheaters by many no matter what they end up doing in the Super Bowl and rightfully so.

 

The arrogance to continue to do things that are unnecessary when in the big picture, aren't needed to do, will forever tarnish their coach and the rest of the franchise by many people. Some people say continually that everyone does it but you will find many of those people tend to be Patriot fans trying to justify their teams actions. The fact is everyone doesn't do it or they would be getting caught also.

 

Because of the cheating by one team it will now escalate into more and more allegations by the Patriots whether or not those other things are actually proven or not.

 

Cheating is cheating and respect has been lost.

The fact the Patriots would of won anyway doesn't really matter does it ? If they broke the rules they broke rules .

 

Belichek is the best coach in the NFL but apparently the worst cheater.

 

I didn't say it didn't matter. I was making it clear I didn't think deflated balls had anything to do with the win.

It was stated this morning also why both teams supply 12 balls and the home team supplies an additional 12 balls is because each team uses their own balls on offense. This takes away the argument that says both teams used the same balls. This means the Patriots were the only ones that used the deflated balls while the Colts used properly inflated balls when they were on offense.

 

I don't think it matters at all that the Patriots won by such a large margin. It doesn't change the fact that they did something improperly and this isn't the first time under this regime.

It was stated this morning also why both teams supply 12 balls and the home team supplies an additional 12 balls is because each team uses their own balls on offense. This takes away the argument that says both teams used the same balls. This means the Patriots were the only ones that used the deflated balls while the Colts used properly inflated balls when they were on offense.

 

I don't think it matters at all that the Patriots won by such a large margin. It doesn't change the fact that they did something improperly and this isn't the first time under this regime.

 

I had misunderstood and thought both teams used the same balls. Obviously NE did get an advantage. Will be interested to see what the NFL does.

I'm with you... But they keep finding new ways of trying to outsmart everyone... Gotta give them credit for that... Lol!

 

Give them credit for cheating? I don't think so.

 

However, I do give them credit when they work within the rules to outsmart the competition like against Baltimore.

Give them credit for cheating? I don't think so.

 

However, I do give them credit when they work within the rules to outsmart the competition like against Baltimore.

 

Now the question of whether they did the same in the Ravens game or not but didn't get caught.

 

It was very cold for that game and it was a very close game which deflated balls could have made a difference especially at the end of the game.

Did the deflated balls actually hurt the Patriots? Jerry Austin, former NFL ref, was just on Mike and Mike. He said the refs discovered the under inflated balls when they checked all the balls at halftime. The assumption is they then brought the balls back to regulation for the second half. It was a 17-7 game at halftime and then the Patriots blew the Colts out in the second half. Maybe the underinflated balls in the first half hurt the Patriots?