New England Patriots decisive win against Colts deflated

Derrick Walton
MC 301 Practicum 

The newly crowned AFC Champion New England Patriots are headed to the Superbowl XLIX in the midst of a scandal. Delflate gate, as it has been coined in the media, asserts that the Patriots used under inflated balls to gain an unfair advantage in the crucial game.

On Jan. 18, 2015, viewers watched two very familiar NFL teams compete. The Patriots took the win over the Indianapolis Colts in an astonishing 45-7 victory. According to an ESPN report however, 11 of the 12 balls used by the Patriots in the championship game were under inflated by two pounds. The ball is supposed to be inflated to between 12.5 pounds and 13.5 pounds per square inch.

Too many, this did not seem like a normal victory and the NFL is investigating if New England is up to its cheating tactics once again.

Jeremy Anderson, a sophomore mass communications major from Baton Rouge, La. believes deflate gate has been blown out of proportion.

“I don’t think it’s true. I can’t imagine a professional team purposely deflating balls. I’m surprised that no players or referees brought that to light during the game,” said Anderson, a JSU football player. “It’s just too hard to believe that professionals would cheat in that kind of manner.”

However, this isn’t the first time that the Patriots have been accused of cheating. One of the earliest accusations occurred in 2002 during Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams. Allegations were made that the Patriots may have filmed the last Ram practice before the big game.

In 2007, the Patriots were accused of recording the sideline signals of the New York Jets defensive coaches, a violation of NFL league rules.  The incident, dubbed Spygate, led to the NFL fining Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick, $500,000, which was the largest fine ever given in NFL history. The team was fined $250,00 and lost their first-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Some students at Jackson State University were not surprised to hear of the Patriots latest cheating allegations.

“I am a Cowboy’s fan. Therefore I don’t care because it is not my conference. But I must say that cheaters never win,” said Alvin Perkins, a senior marketing/accounting major from Jackson, Miss.

Some students however feel that the Colts would have lost the game regardless of the under inflated balls.

“Deflated balls make you underthrow the ball, not overthrow the ball like the Colts. If they played with deflated balls, then the Patriots played with deflated balls as well without any problems. The better team won,” said Marquez Walker, a senior art major from Itta Bena, Miss.

Deunta Pittman, a senior physical education major from Jackson, Miss. said, “I don’t think it made too big of a difference. The deflated balls didn’t have anything to do with the Colts giving up 45 points.”

If the Patriots are proven to have intentionally used deflated balls, fines and the loss of draft picks will be the only penalties, along with another blight to the teams reputation of course.  According to NFL league rules, the Patriots will still play in Superbowl XLIX with a chance to win the most sought after championship in football.

“I feel like they beat the Colts earlier this season so there’s no reason why they had to cheat because it wasn’t like it was a close game. If it was up to me, they (Patriots) wouldn’t be playing in the Super Bowl,” said Levarious Dorsey, a junior industrial technology major from Natchez, Miss.

The Patriots will meet the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 1, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. in the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale Arizona. Are you ready for some football?