The Patriots are dirty stinkin' cheaters, and the virtuous Andrew Luck and the Colts had to suffer for it. That's what many thought when this #DeflateGate thing broke out. After all, this fit cleanly into New England's narrative as villains. Ever thought it fit too cleanly, though?
And here's where you get the curveball: There's another conspiracy theory that claims it was the Colts who were guilty of deflation. **Cue quick zoom on to Luck's face**
It's preposterous, I know. But we're talking about deflated footballs after the end of a football season. Thus, the realm of possibilities has been widened.
Anyway, this theory originates from when linebacker D’Qwell Jackson reportedly first noticed the football felt under-inflated after intercepting a Tom Brady pass. That's because, allegedly, the Colts deflated the ball at the sidelines after that pick.
NFL insider Adam Schefter told Boston's WEEI he did hear of the theory, while Boomer Esiason told Boston radio’s 98.5 The Sports Hub that he did believe the theory. He even took it one step further by thinking that head coach Chuck Pagano and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh—who he worked under as defensive coordinator—were deliberately plotting against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
“This is what I believe happened: they all wanted to embarrass Tom Brady, and they wanted to put him on the spit if you will," Esiason said. "They wanted to make him answer questions about said rule book.”
So are the Colts somehow NFL's Keyser Soze? Nah. Remember, Indianapolis got its ass whooped at that conference championship. Plus, there has been varying reports on just how many balls were found to be deflated. This theory leaves the other balls unaccounted for if there's been more than one.
This is definitely not the last you'll hear about #DeflateGate. But as the mystery unfolds, take solace in these two facts: You think, so therefore, you exist, and the Patriots are the Super Bowl champions.
[via Pro Football Talk]
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