Her is the $10 question: Even if the balls were deflated, didn’t the Colts play with the same balls?
No each team plays with their own balls....er can't believe I typed that. Actually the balls have to be between 12.5 and 13.5 lbs. Some quarterbacks like the high end and others like the low end.
No. Each team gets its own balls, which are used when that team is on offense. This has been discussed ad-nauseum. Look up the NFL rules if you doubt it.
That said, I think the underinflation thing is BS.
Her is the $10 question: Even if the balls were deflated, didn’t the Colts play with the same balls?
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I was surprised to learn that apparently each team provides their own footballs to use when on offense.
>> didn’t the Colts play with the same balls?
Judging by the final score about ALL the colts did during the game was play with their balls. Whether they fiddled with their own or each other’s, I do not know.
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>> “Even if the balls were deflated, didn’t the Colts play with the same balls?” <<
.
Possibly in the downs immediately after the interceptions.
Otherwise, no.
Each team has it’s own set of 12 footballs that it supplies. QB’s are particular in terms of how they are broken in. A new football has a coating of waxy plastic on it, for example.
Anyway, the only way one team would know about the ball thing is during a fumble or interception.
The ODD thing is that the refs ought to know too. During NE’s offensive series, the refs are in a position to figure this out, and perhaps didn’t.
There are an additional 12 backup footballs supplied by the home team in case either side runs out.
I don’t know. Does each team use a different lockbox of balls?
Why does not the NFL supply the balls instead of the teams?
No.
No, each team submits 12 footballs to the refs before the game.