NFL finds Patriots used underinflated footballs

Boston Globe ^ | 1-21-15 | Ben Volin

[Colehill1999]

The Patriots used underinflated footballs on Sunday night.

The next question is how did it happen?

According to a National Football League letter about the investigation into the controversy that was shared with the Globe, the Patriots were informed that the league’s initial findings indicated that the game balls did not meet specifications. The league inspected each of the Patriots’ 12 game balls twice at halftime, using different pressure gauges, and found footballs that were not properly inflated.

According to ESPN, 11 of the 12 game balls were found to be underinflated by about 2 pounds each. The NFL specifications say they must be inflated to 12½ to 13½ pounds.

[Starstruck]

One of the few balls the Colts were able to catch in that game was an interception of a deflated ball, so they should thank the Pats for that.

[Gargantua]

"They are the dirtiest team in the NFL."

LMAO!!!!

Waaaaahhhhhhhhh, waaaahhhhh!

[Individual Rights in NJ]

Yes, true.

[Phlap]

The NFL has to make a ruling. If they don’t this story will fester like a teenagers forehead.

[Responsibility2nd]

The Patriots led, 17-7, at intermission, and outscored the Colts, 28-0, after the officials seemingly corrected the ball issue.

 

 

Thank you. It is 100 % entirely upon the game officials to ensure the air pressure is correct in all game balls. If they were under-inflated - blame the refs.

[M Kehoe]

Hi.

Everyone knows that the Patriots cheat. Plus, they are rarely fined or sanctioned.

But 38 points!? This game had nothing to do with balls.

Double entendre?

5.56mm

[Responsibility2nd]

NFL finds Patriots used underinflated footballs

_________________________________________________________

Idiot Headline. Might as well also read.....

NFL finds Patriots AND COLTS used underinflated footballs

[Moonman62]

The league inspected each of the Patriots’ 12 game balls twice at halftime, using different pressure gauges, and found footballs that were not properly inflated.

...

Were they inflated back up to legal pressure at halftime?

[MeshugeMikey]

it was a joke....

[CTyank]

If this is intentional - and it looks that way.... it’s the equivalent of stealing a pack of gum from a grocery store.

BTW - Seahawks lose the SB to the Pats.

Belichik is the best coach ion the NFL - hands down.

You think other coaches and QB’s aren’t prone to getting just the right “feel” for their offensive units to handle the ball?

Pagano just ticked off a lot of QB’s and coaches around the league.

[Steven Scharf]

“Is this the first time a game has been played in freezing temperatures? Ever?”

It was in the 40s for most of the game.

[kidd]

The New Orleans Saints purposely tried to injure Bret Farve in the NFC playoffs a few years ago. And they succeeded.

The Saints were allowed to retain their win over the Vikings, but they received some fines that didn’t seem to hurt them too bad.

Use that as your yardstick on what the NFL is going to do. Which is worse, a 2 psi deflation or a hit squad

[roofgoat]

isn’t that the real question that needs to be answered?

Why the NFL hasn’t addressed it?

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Seahawks - 50 Patriots - 0

[Moonman62]

That is why the rules state 12.5-13.5 psi to compensate for that.

2 lbs. below the lower limit is not a mistake.

...

Yep. And they say some QB’s like the lower end of the legal range and some the upper. A ball at 10 lbs is a big difference.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

No! Give it to my Lions! They have been the [supposed] recipients of bad officiating for years, decades even. Why if it hadn’t have been for that bad call against the Pack in October 1966, the Lions would have been in SB-I

Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!

In summary, get over it fans. Belicheck cheats and when he gets caught, he shuts-up and pays the fine. His owner aids&abets him. Gooddell wonders about the impact of an owner losing money.

The most effective response will never happen...that is, large areas of (on camera) empty seats (and sky-boxes) at the SB.

Roger might pay attention then, provided he isn’t getting enough revenue from EVERY mention of the term “Super Bowl” in commercial advertising.

[Red Badger]

Not me. Some NASCAR fan...............

[AngelesCrestHighway]

The Patriots are ridiculous. Why do they need to pull crap like this?

[onedoug]

The New England Cheats and the whole NFL can get effed.

They don’t get any of my money unless there’s some theft of already stolen tax receipts to fund these a-holes to begin with.

Super Bowl: Super Hole.

I’ll re-watch “Gone With The Wind”, thanks.

[mmichaels1970]

The balls are controlled by the refs until 10 minutes before the game.

I believe this is incorrect. The balls are controlled by the refs until 2 hours 15 minutes prior to the game and then handed over to team representatives. Plenty of time to take a needle to the balls.

From this link:

Each team provides 12 footballs for their offense to use each game. The footballs are inspected by the referee 2 hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, then are given to the team of attendants who handle the balls throughout the game. The attendents are provided by the home team, in this case the Patriots.

Also, regarding the weather scenario, it was over 50F outside...a relatively average nfl gameday temp. The chief of Boston College's physics department says it is impossible that weather could have affected the ball this much.

Here is a link.

“The pressure loss due to the temperature alone cannot be the issue in my mind,” said BC physics professor Michael J. Naughton, after plugging temperature data into a formula that calculates pressure loss. “If the footballs were notably lower pressure, then the only way it could have happened was if someone went in and stuck a needle in the ball and let two-thirds of the gas out, which means it is now up to the NFL to follow the chain of command — but no logical physics can explain the kind of pressure loss they’re talking about.”