To the surprise of no one, the New England Patriots were officially busted for cheating in the AFC Championship Game when the NFL released its findings that 11 of the 12 footballs weighed after the game were under-inflated by at least two pounds.
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.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) enero 21, 2015
Under-inflated balls are easier to throw and catch, especially in poor weather conditions like those in Sunday’s 45-7 Patriots win over the Indianapolis Colts that propelled New England to its eighth Super Bowl appearance and sixth under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. This appearance also marks their third trip since they were busted in the notorious SpyGate scandal in which they used video equipment to record calls and signals from the opposing sidelines.
The league is continuing its investigation to find exactly how the footballs were under-inflated, but it doesn’t take a van full of pothead kids and their talking dog to figure out that someone on the Patriots staff likely tampered with them after the pregame football inspection.
[related_post_one]
NFL senior executive vice president Troy Vincent told reporters the investigation should be wrapped up in the next two to three days. According to ESPN, a source describes the league as “disappointed… angry… and distraught.”
Once the investigation is concluded the Patriots could be fined and lose one or more 2015 draft picks, which should be little consolation to the Colts, who followed the rules and will be watching the Super Bowl at home on Feb. 1.
Ironically it was an interception of the “easier caught” ball by the Colts’ D’Qwell Jackson that tipped the Colts, and subsequently the NFL, that something might be amiss.
