A statistical analysis that shows how out of line with normal the number of fumbles by the cheatriots has been. Nails them to the wall and removes the "It doesn't make much difference" apology. It does make a difference, and it shows. http://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/blog/?p=2932
Good article. Notice that from 2006 to 2010 Jets were 2nd best in the NFL at 135 plays per fumble, 2nd only to the Colts which are a dome team and rarely play in bad weather.
Anyone that has played the game knows the difference between a pumped up regulation football and what the patriots were doing. Would they have beat the Colts regardless? Yes Was this still cheating? Yes big time. This isn't scuffing up the balls to keep them from being slick this is big time cheating.
I think the Pats lack of fumbles was due to a combination of deflated footballs and Vince Wolfork spilling honey BBQ sauce from his lunch on them. That stuff is damn sticky!
I played the game. Coached it too. I doubt lowering balls 2 psi would have ANY affect on fumbles whatsoever much less show a statistical difference.
Why didn't the refs notice that the cheaters were using underinflated balls? They handle the ball after every play. The Colt player who intercepted the ball and only touched it once knew right away that it was underinflated. And the refs handled the balls of the Colts too so they had to know the difference. Don't the refs inspect the balls before the game to make sure they are properly inflated? Do they have an excuse for not knowing what a properly inflated ball and an underinflated ball feel like? And was this the only game that it happened? Should I mention that the cheaters almost never get called for holding and get so many more calls in their favor? If you don't believe that ask a Jet fan. Oh yes, they do make some calls against the cheaters but that is because they are trying not to make it too obvious. Are the refs in the pocket of the Kraft man? It couldn't possibly be when the NFL is all about integrity. See, they ban people like Peterson for a year or Ray Rice for doing something off the field. Does the NFL have an off the field violence conduct code? Or did they make it up on the fly to protect the NFL who knows from what.
Not to rain on the parade but from 2000 to 2004 the Jets offense lost 38 fumbles. The Patriots offense lost 57 over that time span. So the Pats had 50% more fumbles lost than the Jets over that span of time. Why? Curtis Martin. From 2010 to 2014 the Patriots offense lost 30 fumbles. The Jets lost 57 over that span. So the Jets had 90% more fumbles over that time span. Why? Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith on the one hand and Tom Brady on the other? The evidence is that the Pats played with deflated footballs against the Colts. However that doesn't mean the 5 year run was anything more than the product of the skills of the players involved and a random element on top of that. You have to remember that nobody was better at fumbling the football than Mark Sanchez in 2011 and 2012. The Jets had a nightmarish 34 fumbles lost by the offense over those two seasons. Obviously you can take a more in-depth look and see if Brady's fumbles have gone down significantly over time. If that's the case, and I didn't bother to look at that, then the case for him altering the balls as he got older would become much stronger.
good one here It's fumbles lost. If you recover your fumbles the stat changes. Graph the % running plays vs passing over the same timescale and you'll notice a decrease. Most fumbles are by RBs.
Lol evidently you did not then. I guess you could've been a lineman or maybe your used to handling different types of balls. And it's not about "fumbles" that notion is dumb. There is a reason there is a certain PSI the balls are suppose to be at.
Does it make the ball slightly easier to grip yes....If a 250 pound plus linemen is running at you full speed does it mean the balls not coming out?No.Is it cheating regardless?Yes.We used to do this in the rain and the snow it does make it easier to throw and catch but not by much.Its also easier to catch an interception .Honestly it makes it harder for a running back to fumble because of the way he's running with the ball
the possibility is that Brady has been throwing a deflated ball for years and years. While one QB may not need a deflated ball for improved accuracy, it is possible another does. Hands come in all sizes and all strengths. A lot of close games could have been influenced by improved accuracy if this actually was the case. And I have no problem believing that BB (and Tommy Boy) is capable of long term deception.
Brady was the one proposed and pushed the NFL to allow each team to supply their own footballs. He got other top QB's to sign off on it. NFL should have known this was opening Pandora's box. Especially with NE's cheating history. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...e-to-let-visiting-team-provide-own-footballs/
