Yeah, that’s the big rub. If both teams have them, you have to go to some second-order gripe like “but Brady got to practice with the deflated balls.” Good luck with that.
The accusation is that they were used when the Patriots were on offense.
I have no idea how this all works, so I am withholding judgement. I can’t see the league allowing one team to manage the game equipment in that manor. The fact is that someone in the game became suspicious and went through the process of weighing the balls, etc. There must be something that triggered that. We do know the Pats have been guilty of other cheating in the past, so it will be no surprise if this is proven out. If it is, Belichek needs to be banned from the league, and the Patriots punished severely. If it’s not true, then we play on.
Former NFL official Jim Daopoulos, in an interview with ESPN on Monday morning, explained the process in which footballs are managed. Two hours and 15 minutes before each game, officials inspect 12 footballs from each team and put a mark on them to indicate they meet the proper requirements and are good for usage. Then those footballs are given to the ball attendant.There also is a second set of six footballs, used specifically for the kicking game, that are marked appropriately and remain in the possession of officials at all times.
The question is if the Patriots deflated their 12 balls after the balls were inspected by the refs.
Thing is...the home team supplies the game balls. If they are under inflated, BOTH teams have to pay with under-inflated balls. they DO NOT accept sideline balls from the individual teams...game balls are separate and controlled.
Did Indy, at the start of the game, complain to the officiating that the balls “didn’t feel right”? That is the time to make issue.
My guess is, if (let me repeat: if) the balls were under-inflated, Indy didn’t complain because the balls would be easier to grip and easier to catch.
My understanding is that after the refs check them out, the balls are handed back to the home team ball manager. I suppose theoretically that they would be able to give the rigged balls for plays to their team, and regulation balls to the visiting team.