The New England Patriots have given the NFL a black eye with Deflate-Gate. New England was found to have 11 of 12 footballs they used in the AFC Championship Game underinflated by two pounds per square inch. The Patriots, as we well know, beat the Colts 45-7 to advance to the Super Bowl. How could this have happened?
The NFL requires teams to have their footballs inspected before the game. Deflating a football can help the quarterback grip it and change the way it travels through the air. Each team provides footballs for game use. These are used when their team is on offense. It’s the head referee’s job to check these footballs. In this case, Walt Anderson approved them. The approved balls are then placed into bags for each sideline. Once they are on the sideline, the bags are not watched over during the game. The footballs are then given to the sideline ball boy who gives a football to the official when they ask for one. It would be hard to deflate these footballs during play with 70,000 people watching at the stadium and many millions watching at home. It would be really difficult to let air out on the sideline.
There are so many unanswered questions. Bill Belichick this week said in a press conference he knew nothing about it. It’s possible Tom Brady has information that he is not revealing. He is the one throwing the football to receivers. Brady has a certain way he likes the ball to feel. If Tom Brady told an equipment manager to let some air out of the balls, when did it happen? These footballs were to be inflated to be between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. They weighed between 14 and 15 ounces. This was regulation size. By halftime they weren’t. How could it have changed so soon? If it wasn’t Brady, who deflated the footballs?
This isn’t the first time this year teams have accused the Patriots of using deflated footballs. When Indianapolis played New England in week 11, the Colts thought the footballs were underinflated. Nothing happened after that game. Going into the AFC Championship Game, the Baltimore Ravens tipped off the Colts saying they thought the Patriots were using footballs with less air in them in the Divisional Round.
This is cheating. This is giving your team an advantage over your opponent. The Patriots didn’t need to do this. They drummed the Colts in the AFC Championship Game 45-7. There was no question they were the better team from start to finish.
It’s not the first time the Patriots have tried to gain an edge illegally. In 2007, Bill Belichick had an assistant spy on the New York Jets. He was looking for which defensive signals the Jets used. The NFL fined Belichick $500,000 and the Patriots were also fined $250,000. New England lost a first round draft pick.
If it’s found that New England purposely deflated the footballs, the NFL can only fine the Patriots $25,000. This is the NFL rule. It should be more. The Patriots would be repeat offenders. The NFL should not only give them the fine but a loss of an NFL draft pick. That might teach New England not to break the rules again.
What punishment should the NFL impose on the New England Patriots?
Why hasn’t the NFL started to investigate ? Are they afraid of what they might find or are they afraid of the Patriots?
The NFL is investigating what happened with the footballs. They were going to complete it by the week of the Super Bowl. That isn’t going to happen. They want to make sure they have all the facts before they give a punishment.
Belicheat should be banned for life from the NFL! Brady’s reputation is forever tarnished and he should not be voted into the NFL HOF in my opinion. Go Seahawks!
He has been caught twice. First spy-gate and no Deflate-gate. The Pats are now the most hated team in the NFL. As for Brady still a HOF QB.