Allegations are flying after the New England Patriots were accused of using deflated balls in their game against the Colts this weekend. Their 45-7 victory got them a spot in this year’s Super Bowl despite the ongoing investigation. This would be their eighth time making it to the Super Bowl, but the recent scandal has caused an uproar of drama between teams and fans.

According to ESPN, almost all of the Patriot’s game balls were underinflated. NFL specifications call for the ball to be between 12.5 to 13.5 pounds, and when inspected during halftime the 11 of 12 balls were concluded to be under the norm. Suspicion grew after Tom Brady was intercepted in the second quarter. In rainy conditions it’s easier to throw and catch a softer football, which did not go unnoticed. The next day, the NFL confirmed the investigation. During a press conference, Tom Brady did not confirm the allegations. The scandal has caused an outburst of rage against the Patriots and sparked controversy amongst others.

“This whole situation is being made into a much bigger deal than it is because people are intimidated by the Patriots, so they look for anything they can to criticize them.” Said senior Alexa Mattiello. Mattiello also commented saying, “It’s annoying that everywhere I go it’s either on TV or the radio or social media. There are much bigger issues in the world than the size of a football.” Many people share Mattiello’s opinion that the situation has been blown out of proportion. However, senior Morgan Baker sees the situation as a lesson to be learned. “I don’t think what happened was an accident but I think the Patriots still won due to having more skill. I just hope the NFL can earn from this and just have both teams use the same balls provided by the refs.”

There is a wide variety of opinions on the matter, and until more information is known there is know way to say for sure if the deflation was intentional or not. It all comes down to how well the Patriots play in this year’s Super Bowl when they play the Seahawks at the University of Phoenix Stadium. This situation has shed light onto potential dishonesty in the NFL, and will hopefully be the reality check teams need to play well, and play fair.