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What would happen? Like would the Colts go through? Rematch? Lol

 

[Orbis Tabula]

Lol, 45-7. Take away every thrown TD and it's still 24-7 (or 21-7 if you want to say it helped the field goal).

Yeah it's cheating but srsly, no one wanted to see that Colts team try to go against the Legion of Boom.

I feel like that raises a further question though. Why cheat against the Colts if they're so bad? Either the Patriots weren't confident they would win against the Colts, and felt the need to cheat that game specifically, or they cheated in multiple games, and just happened to get caught against the Colts.

 

[Byakuya769]

And this is why you've heard it all, Brady.

 

[Big Baybee]

Refs got some 'splainin to do.

 

[Stat Flow]

Indeed, sorry if my post implied you said that. Your post seemed to be downplaying the importance of the fact they cheated, and I was replying to that.

It's all good. I agree with your sentiment that it shouldn't be swept under the rug, but I think certain factors will make it so that it will. I think the results of the Superbowl will be another factor.

 

[Battersea Power Station]

Wouldn't under inflated balls actually have hurt the pats in this matchup? Their strategy was to run and take away Luck's passing game, but under inflated balls would help Luck, in theory.

It probably helps more with Brady's short passes than it does when you air it out like Luck does.

 

[Off-Kilter]

so the Patriots have shriveled up balls?

I am shocked

 

[KHarvey16]

The fact that teams bring their own balls to games is a fucking joke.

Don't bother getting your hopes up. The NFL is (rightfully, I guess) an entirely self-serving organization, so when thinking about what's going to happen, do yourself a disheartening favor and look at it in the context of 'what will make the most/lose the least money for the NFL?'.

-2 7th round draft picks for the team that banks the most picks in the league.

The league sends each team the balls a couple days before the game. The trainers then rough them up and work the slickness out of them. Before the game, the referees check each ball and the teams never touch them again. They go to the ball attendants who hand them to the refs throughout the game as needed.

 

[Zeus Molecules]

So if the Patriots win they will still have not won a Super Bowl during the Brady/Belicheat era without an asterisk next to it for cheating. LMFAO.

basically

 

[damisa]

What will Goodell do?

Hide the evidence by burning the footballs

 

[A Human Becoming]

Is Chris Mortensen reliable? I'm not seeing this anywhere else.

 

[StanleyStutters]

So what's gonna happen the Pats got docked a 7th round pick? As far as cheating goes, I can't imagine this is high on the NFL's list of offenses. If it was they wouldn't let teams use their own balls to begin with.

The real story is how did the refs miss it for an entire half? They were handling the balls both teams provided and didn't do a thing until the start of the 3rd quarter.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

So now they bribed refs?! The leaps in logic here are amazing when it comes to the Pats.

It's almost as if the Patriots have a rap sheet filled with ridiculous bullshit.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Lol, 45-7. Take away every thrown TD and it's still 24-7 (or 21-7 if you want to say it helped the field goal).

Yeah it's cheating but srsly, no one wanted to see that Colts team try to go against the Legion of Boom.

Point

Pat Forde retweeted
Geoff Calkins ‏@geoff_calkins 5m5 minutes ago
We all understand the Patriots would have won anyway. And Nixon would have beaten McGovern anyway. But why the pathological need to cheat?

Counterpoint

 

[DarkFlow]

So what's gonna happen the Pats got docked a 7th round pick? As far as cheating goes, I can't imagine this is high on the NFL's list of offenses. If it was they wouldn't let teams use their own balls to begin with.

The real story is how did the refs miss it for an entire half? They were handling the balls both teams provided and didn't do a thing until the start of the 3rd quarter.

Fans will whine, no one will care.

 

[Jarrod38]

Help us Drew Bledsoe you're only hope.

 

[Superman0]

Gee the Cheatriot cheating. Who would have thunk it? Hey Goddell, why don't you cover it up like you did with spygate prick.

 

[Mxrz]

Yeah I'm just ready to call it quits with the NFL. It had a good run up until tuckgate.

 

[grandjedi6]

I feel like that raises a further question though. Why cheat against the Colts if they're so bad? Either the Patriots weren't confident they would win against the Colts, and felt the need to cheat that game specifically, or they cheated in multiple games, and just happened to get caught against the Colts.

Patriots have embraced their heel status.

 

[Enron]

25K fine incoming. Then a lifetime of even more whiny non pats fans.

So basically

the patriots cheated...and we are being punished?

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

If it took the hands of one equipment manager to notice something was slightly off, with players on the Colts side not noticing anything when they used it along with a while team of refs, then I don't really think it's that big of a deal.

Not like the dude who intercepted the ball was like "Holy shit this ball is whack".

 

[Delta Assault]

Well gee whiz, this makes who to root for in two weeks a lot easier...

Kinda like a couple years ago when it was Aaron Rodgers against some suspected rapist.

 

[freenudemacusers]

So any volunteers to inspect Brady's balls for the Super Bowl?

paging patsgaf

 

[JohnTinker]

A deflated balls investigation not involving PEDs? Huh.

 

[thefro]

That wasn't the only thing the Pats cheated on though

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/useofhands

No player on offense may assist a runner except by blocking for him.

They picked up 3-4 first downs by linemen pushing Brady over the line that would have been punts or a turnover on downs (one was a 4th and 1).

 

[GameGuru59]

Make them replay the game this Sunday, and take away their draft picks. That'll teach them.

 

[Sanjuro]

What would happen? Like would the Colts go through? Rematch? Lol

Since the Colts are cheaters as well, probably the next team in line would be in the CFL.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Counterpoint

This.

The outcome is irrelevant.

 

[The Shogun]

Patriots have embraced their heel status.

They're taking after Jon Jones now day's. Playing up the heel role hard.

 

[GamerSoul]

So what's gonna happen the Pats got docked a 7th round pick? As far as cheating goes, I can't imagine this is high on the NFL's list of offenses. If it was they wouldn't let teams use their own balls to begin with.

The real story is how did the refs miss it for an entire half? They were handling the balls both teams provided and didn't do a thing until the start of the 3rd quarter.

The weather looked pretty bad so I wonder if that's why they didn't notice right away. Imo, the Patriots were probably going to win either way, so why even risk it.

 

[jtb]

If it took the hands of one equipment manager to notice something was slightly off, with players on the Colts side not noticing anything when they used it along with a while team of refs, then I don't really think it's that big of a deal.

Not like the dude who intercepted the ball was like "Holy shit this ball is whack".

that's exactly what happened, I thought

 

[Jonm1010]

So what's gonna happen the Pats got docked a 7th round pick? As far as cheating goes, I can't imagine this is high on the NFL's list of offenses. If it was they wouldn't let teams use their own balls to begin with.

The real story is how did the refs miss it for an entire half? They were handling the balls both teams provided and didn't do a thing until the start of the 3rd quarter.

How does the league possibly not make a big deal out of this? It is literally going to become the most talked about thing in all of sports Until the superbowl. Heck probably during it too. And especielly after if the Patriots win.

I doubt Indy just stands by and accepts it either. That organization knows it has an obligation to its fans to raise shit.

 

[Veritigo_X]

How did the refs not notice? They handle the balls after every play. If a player catching an interception noticed you would think trained referees would notice too.

 

[Aquamarine]

another reason to hate the patriots

#goseahawks

 

[KHarvey16]

That wasn't the only thing the Pats cheated on though

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/useofhands


They picked up 3-4 first downs by linemen pushing Brady over the line that would have been punts or a turnover on downs (one was a 4th and 1).

Lol, that's like saying any team that has ever committed a penalty without it being called are cheaters.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

that's exactly what happened, I thought

No, from my understanding he just gave it to the ball boy/equipment manager cause I guess that's what you do when you have a ball from an interception.

It was the equipment dude who noticed it, not the player.

 

[pulga]

This would never happen in soccer.

Jot down another point for best football.

Spoiler

Shouldn't they lose their Superbowl spot? It's fucking cheating, they should.

 

[VeryGooster]

Not like the Pats did something horrific like wear Beats and use an iPad.

#ProtectTheShield

 

[DarkFlow]

It's almost as if the Patriots have a rapsheet filled with ridiculous bullshit.

Yeah because no team has ever cheated in the NFL other then the pats...

Oh wait, the jets video taped people!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3151217

So did the Broncos!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5854856

 

[CrazyDogg77]

Damn I never would have guessed New England would cheat

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

If it took the hands of one equipment manager to notice something was slightly off, with players on the Colts side not noticing anything when they used it along with a while team of refs, then I don't really think it's that big of a deal.

Not like the dude who intercepted the ball was like "Holy shit this ball is whack".

Actually, yes he did.

Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who intercepted the pass, told the equipment manager to check out the ball.

Yeah because no team has ever cheated in the NFL other then the pats...

Oh wait, the jets video taped people!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3151217

So did the Broncos!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5854856

"They do it too!" is not a solid argument.

 

[Fjordson]

Point



Counterpoint

Yeah, that's kinda what I'm wondering. Like..why? Did they really feel this would help seal the win for them? They needed this to beat the Colts? Obviously not in hindsight, but the motivation was there. Pretty bizarre to me.

 

[Brakke]

Go Hawks.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Actually, yes he did.

Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who intercepted the pass, told the equipment manager to check out the ball.

Oh really? Huh, then how did the refs not notice?

Pats are lucky they won in such a lopsided fashion, would be a legit cluster fuck if it was a one score game.

 

[Jarmel]

Actually, yes he did.

Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who intercepted the pass, told the equipment manager to check out the ball.

If that's the case, in that it was obvious to a guy after one play, then I have to assume the Patriots knew too.

 

[Dead Man]

Yeah because no team has ever cheated in the NFL other then the pats...

Oh wait, the jets video taped people!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3151217

So did the Broncos!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5854856

What about them, mommy?!

 

[Jonm1010]

Yeah because no team has ever cheated in the NFL other then the pats...

Oh wait, the jets video taped people!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3151217

So did the Broncos!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5854856

"But your honor, I only stole a few hundred dollars from the register, I've heard of people stealing thousands!"

 

[Gentleman Jack]

What will Goodell do?

Make Janay Palmer go on camera and apologize for her involvement in the scandal.

 

[pulga]

So let me get this straight, both teams bring their own balls?

Who the fuck was the dumbass who thought this should be a thing?

 

[entremet]

Funny thing is it didn't even matter. Colts wouldn't have won anyways.

How do we know they haven't been doing this before?