Ravens believe footballs may have been underinflated in game vs. Patriots

The Boston Globe ^ | JANUARY 21, 2015 | Matt Pepin

[ez]

In the wake of the news that the Patriots used underinflated footballs in the AFC Championship, several stories have emerged of other instances of footballs being modified or suspected of being altered during NFL games.

According to CBS Sports, some members of the Baltimore Ravens believe kicking balls used in their playoff game against the Patriots in the divisional round may have been underinflated. No players or Ravens personnel are identified in the CBS report, which also says the NFL did not receive a complaint from the Ravens regarding the footballs in that game.

...

[who knows what evil?]

Headline at ESPN:

Arrogance demands consequences

Arrogance IS a Red England tradition. They cheat in Presidential primaries, as well...

[Drango]

May be, but the Colts’ Luck would have equally benefited,

You understand each team supplies 12 footballs and they use their own balls while on offense? Luck would not have benefited from the alleged tampering.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Bill Cosby?

Did he drug the refs?

[gov_bean_ counter]

Does Brady have small hands for a QB?

[ez]

They have most likely been doing it all year.

Perhaps. The Patriots started the season looking horrible and the got a lot better around game 4 or 5. It would be interesting to find out what Brady's stats were before and after that point and how many drops the receivers had before and after.

[deadrock]

Not a fan of any of the final four teams.

Is it a rule or not? Is a team allowed to modify ball pressure during/before a game? No they cannot.

The integrity of the NFL has taken a beating this year and if a satisfactory(I don't know what that is) punishment is not a applied, it will just add fuel to the fire.

[Vigilanteman]

All of what you write is probably true. But none of it overturns the fact that the Pats were challenged in a timely manner and found to be cheating. A forfeit, not a slap on the wrist, would be an appropriate penalty since they are repeat offenders.

[PapaNew]

Didn’t know that.

[Resettozero]

I believe the footballs were all overinflated when I played receiver. That is the sole reason I couldn’t hang on to them.

[nonamer]

Both teams furnish and use their own balls (except balls used for kicking) on offense during a game.

[timestax]

ping

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

You use your balls when you have the ball. The opponent uses their when they have the ball.

The only time the opposing team touches your ball is if they intercept.

(How is it that I know this kind of stuff?)

[Mastador1]

It’s just that I don’t recall a new story about Cosby for a couple of days so I just wondered if he could be involved in this scandal.

[PapaNew]

Didn’t know that but in thinking about that, doesn’t that seem like a goofy rule? I mean in baseball, MLB/umpires provide the baseballs during the game. I don’t see a good reason for a rule like that which potentially allows stuff like this to happen.

[PGR88]

Looking at the record, the Pats must have been using totally flat balls against the Bills for the last 14 years.....

[Capt. Tom]

Fox Sports - "(Rodgers) said something [that] was unique," Simms revealed. "[Rodgers said] 'I like to push the limit to how much air we can put in the football, even go over what they allow you to do and see if the officials take air out of it.' Because he thinks it's easier for him to grip. He likes them tight."

As Curran astutely points, out, "Ball manipulation could be an NFL epidemic."

[dmz]

May be, but the Colts’ Luck would have equally benefited, so I don’t see that as a factor in that game.

<><><><

Nope.

Each offense has its own set of 12 balls.

[COBOL2Java]

What I want to know is, was Bill Cosby involved?

No balls belonging to Bill Cosby were involved.

[Michael.SF.]

One more thing for John Harbawls to cry about.

[McGruff]

Maybe we should have Eric Holder look into this. /sarc