Did the Patriots deflate footballs in their win?

Uh oh. Looks like another potential cheating scandal for the Patriots. Here’s the info from FoxNews.com:

A reporter from Indianapolis, whose Colts were annihilated by Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and company, tweeted after the 45-7 loss that the NFL had seized at least one game ball from the AFC championship game to examine whether pigskins were intentionally deflated to make them easier to throw and catch.

“The NFL is investigating the possibility,” Bob Kravitz, of WTHR, tweeted, adding that, “at one point the officials took a ball out of play and weighed it.”

New York Newsday confirmed the report in a tweet early Monday, saying that NFL spokesman Michael Signora saying the league is looking into whether footballs were properly inflated during the game.

Deflating footballs would theoretically have made it easier for quarterback Tom Brady, who completed 23 of 35 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns, to throw and for his receivers to catch in the bad weather of Sunday’s game in Foxboro. But it also should have benefited Colts’ quarterback Andrew Luck, who had a miserable game, completing 12 of 33 passes for a mere 126 yards.

According to NFL rules, home teams are required to provide 36 balls for outdoor games and make the balls available for testing with a pressure gauge prior to the game.

The results of the game show that the Patriots obviously didn’t need an advantage but it will be interesting to see the results of the investigation and what happens from there.

About Kevin Causey

dry humorist, craft beer enthusiast, occasionally unbiased SEC fan, UGA alumni, contributor for The Student Section, This Given Sunday and Crossover Chronicles

Quantcast