We finally have an answer to #DeflateGate. Yes, the New England Patriots did in fact cheat during the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Sources told ESPN that the NFL found that 11 of the Patriots 12 balls inspected by referee Walt Anderson two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff were tampered with prior to the start of the game. The 11 under-inflated balls were each two pounds short of the required 12.5-13.5 pounds per square inch threshold. Each ball must also weight between 14 and 15 ounces.
NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello told ESPN, "We are not commenting at this time." However, it's expected the league make some sort of announcement within the next 48 hours.
The Patriots manhandled the Colts in a 45-7 victory, one that doesn't even put manipulated balls into question to determine the outcome. However, how much longer can cheating be allowed by one team? Was such a blatant act for an advantage a one-time occurrence? Given the Patriots past of trying to gain an advantage (see: Spygate), probably not.
Were the Ravens cheated?
Many Ravens fans are still bitter about the 35-31 loss to the Patriots a week prior, in which they saw two 14-point leads vanish. Had the Ravens not had a major flaw, which was easily exploited by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, I'd feel different about the whole thing.
As much as I want to be upset, I think the biggest reason for the loss was Ravens cornerback Rashaan Melvin being targeted by the Patriots 19 times, allowing 15 receptions, 224 yards and two touchdowns. Deflated balls or not, that's exactly what lost the Ravens the game.
Please don't get me started on the nine-yard cushion Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees allowed Melvin to have for most of the game instead of using press coverage.
As a consolation to this whole nonsense, I'm just going to sit back and relish in the fact that the Patriots once again look like jackasses.
Much like the Ravens had the Deer Antler Spray controversy surrounding Ray Lewis in 2012, the Patriots will have to be talked about as a team full of cheating members, starting with the NFL's most tenured head coach, Bill Belichick, trickling all the way down that franchise.
For the sake of the integrity of the National Football League, I personally hope that the outcome for the Patriots this Super Bowl won't be ending like the Ravens' did in 2012.
This is downright embarrassing for the league and especially the New England Patriots on the NFL's biggest stage.