What should the NFL do about Patriots cheating?

[Rich]

Some players just suck and no amount of cheating will help that. And no cheating is "full proof" either....but that stat about BGE does tell alot

I don't think him having 3 fumbles and then 2 fumbles says a lot either. If he had 8-10 fumbles in a season that would be more of a red flag. The guy wasn't going to go his entire career without a fumble.

Anyway, that doesn't mean something doesn't stink up in New England.

[Spider-Dan]

I suspect the Super Bowl game balls will be under strict supervision from the officials.  To see if my theory is true, we would see Brady play a miserable game, overthrowing receivers all night, and maybe 2-3 picks in the Super Bowl.  If that happens, then its a clear indicator that the cheating actually DID make a difference.  We shall see...

That prediction is on pretty shaky legs, as they switched the deflated balls for regulation balls at halftime of the AFCCG and NE promptly doubled their first half offensive output.

[Brian Fein]

That prediction is on pretty shaky legs, as they switched the deflated balls for regulation balls at halftime of the AFCCG and NE promptly doubled their first half offensive output.

Perhaps...  We will see, I guess.  Its a no-risk prediction for me, really.  I just said "if it happens, its an indicator" but not the converse.  If it doesn't happen, it proves nothing.

[MikeO]

My suspicion...

Belichick is actually clean, as is Kraft.  I think Brady is the orchestrator.

I suspect the Super Bowl game balls will be under strict supervision from the officials.  To see if my theory is true, we would see Brady play a miserable game, overthrowing receivers all night, and maybe 2-3 picks in the Super Bowl.  If that happens, then its a clear indicator that the cheating actually DID make a difference.  We shall see...

The NFL has appointed the Chicago Bears crew to prepare all the super bowl balls for the game and be "ball boys" for the super bowl

It doesn't matter if cheating made a difference, they cheated and broke the rules. Whether the cheating helped them a lot or a little or not at all is meaningless.

[Rich]

The NFL has appointed the Chicago Bears crew to prepare all the super bowl balls for the game and be "ball boys" for the super bowl

It doesn't matter if cheating made a difference, they cheated and broke the rules. Whether the cheating helped them a lot or a little or not at all is meaningless.

I have a different spin on your fumble argument.

Since 2010, the Patriots lead the league in play run per fumble. And it isn't even close. The Patriots run 187 plays per fumble. The next close is Houston with 140. And from there the difference between one team and the next is minimal. Atlanta is third with 131 plays per fumble, a difference of 9 from Houston. That is the 2nd largest difference from one team to the next behind the 47 play difference betweeh Houston and New England.

To put it another way, no team has fumbled the ball less than the Patriots (33 times) since 2010. Denver has the most fumbles since 2010 with 73.

It isn't just that the Patriots happen to be the best team at protecting the ball, it is that they are beyond an anomoly. They are off the chart.

[Brian Fein]

^^ great stats there, Rich!  That one really tells the story.  Wow!

[Spider-Dan]

SharpFootballAnalysis has had several blog posts over the last week to the same effect.

However, some people are taking issue with SFA's massaging of the statistics.

Overall, those stats seem unusual, but not suspiciously so.  For example, it's fair to point out that one of the other teams that was frequently at the bottom of "fumbles lost" lists were the Peyton Manning Colts.  When you have a great QB that can get rid of the ball quickly, you are less likely to endure the beloved sack-strip-fumble.

[Rich]

The stats I am referencing are fumbles, not fumbles lost.

[Phishfan]

Perhaps...  We will see, I guess.  Its a no-risk prediction for me, really.  I just said "if it happens, its an indicator" but not the converse.  If it doesn't happen, it proves nothing.

If it happens it proves nothing either. It can be a sign but not any kind of proof.

[Brian Fein]

^^ fair point.  Its not "proof" of anything.  I didn't meant o imply that it was.  But as you said, it could be a trending indicator.

[Pappy13]

Belichick is actually clean, as is Kraft.  I think Brady is the orchestrator.

Kraft I can believe, not Belichick. This BS that he doesn't know anything about footballs is a load of crap. The guy knows everything that goes on in New England and you want me to believe that Brady has never said to Belichick that he likes a deflated ball? Bullshit. Those 2 guys finish each others sentences. Even if Belichick didn't want to know about footballs he would because he doesn't take anything for granted. Wasn't it just a couple weeks ago that him and Brady were telling the Ravens that they should know the rule book? Um, hello this is pot, you're black.

[Pappy13]

Did anyone else see this? http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tom-brady-had-interesting-response-215828546.html

Very interesting theory there at the end that perhaps the balls were inflated with hot air so that the balls would not need to be deflated in order to still achieve a deflated ball once the hot air cooled sufficiently.

[dolphins4life]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7jjX0lTgMc

Maybe that is why the ball didn't bounce into the end zone on that kickoff 

[SCFinfan]

It's official: I don't like the Patriots, after kinda being OK with them for a long time.

Kraft is an asshole.  He wants an apology.  Fuck that guy.  #1 - You're cheating now.   #2 - Even if you aren't cheating, you have a long history of cheating, so pardon me if there's a ton of smoke and we have the gall to suggest fire.  #3 - It's the NFL's job to investigate things like this.  And there's certainly enough evidence to investigate.  It's like the cops apologizing to you for questioning you when they find a dead hooker in your trunk.

I got a cop to apologize to a guy for arresting him once.

[Dave Gray]

Wrongful arrest is one thing.  Questioning suspects is another.