Report: New England Patriots being investigated by NFL for using ‘deflated balls’ in win over Colts

Not quite Spy-Gate but this story could rumble on for the entire run up to the Super Bowl

What was a glorious return to yet another Super Bowl for the Belichick/Brady axis may yet mire the New England Patriots in another unedifying controversy. It is being reported that the Patriots are being investigated for using 'deflated balls' during their comprehensive 45-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC title game in Foxborough. An Indiana journalist broke the story on Twitter

Breaking: A league source tells me the NFL is investigating the possibility the Patriots deflated footballs Sunday night. More to come. — Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) January 19, 2015

I'm told at one point the officials took a ball out of play and weighed it. Should hear more tomorrow on this subject. — Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) January 19, 2015

Told if a league investigation confirms deflated footballs it will result in lost draft picks. Stay tuned. — Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) January 19, 2015

There was an incident at the start of the second half when the snaps were delayed as officials spent some time looking at, and ultimately changing, the game ball but the result was so one-sided that even the most hardcore Colts fan couldn't put the defeat down to some possible chicanery with the balls. However, the incident, if confirmed, will bring back talk of Spy-Gate, the 2007 scandal when the Pats were found to be filming the signals used by the New York Jets on the sidelines. That incident cost Pats' coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and the team some first round picks. Hat-tip to Bleacher Report