Patriots broke rules

[theogt]

POSTED 4:05 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

BELICHICK SUMMONED TO NEW YORK?

WVCB in Boston reports that Pats coach Bill Belichick has been summoned to New York by Commissioner Roger Goodell to answer questions regarding allegations that the Patriots were stealing defensive signals on Sunday against the Jets.

WEEI in Boston reports that the Patriots deny the WVCB report.

Either way, this issue is generating all sorts of buzz in league and media circles. Though it could be driven by the perception that the Patriots are the top organization in the league and the other 31 franchises would love to seem them take a fall, there's just too much smoke on this one to disregard it.

Still, we doubt that the Pats are the only team stealing signals, if the final decision is that they are or have been. Multiple readers have told us that the Eagles were taking great pains to shield their own defensive signals from prying eyes against the Packers, which suggests that this could be a fairly common thing.

 

[zrinkill]

I bet nothing happens at all .....

The Pats are the NFL's media darlings ...... they will not be punished ..... only warned.

 

[dallasfaniac]

Bill, for your punishment, squeal like a pig.

 

[Nors]

Cheating = chess match?

It is when you switch your pieces while the other guy is looking away maybe.

Pitchers throw spit balls, coaches for years in Baseball and football have been trying to steal signals. Players use corked bats. Take amphedimines etc to enhance performce.

They got caught breaking an NFL rule and will be punished. And this is all one big chess match.

BB will be remembered as a coach with 6 Super Bowl Rings and a genius in his era.

This is a modest infraction - JMO They lose a draft pick or two and move on.It's kinda funny how brazen the camera man was actually!

 

[FCBarca]

I really hope the franchise gets slammed for this...It's lowball sportsmanship and doesn't serve an ounce of consideration, even if it's the media's darling Patriots.

Curious to see how hard Goodell comes down on them...He's demonstrated a toughness so far (Maybe not tough enough on the Vick saga) so we'll see.

Apparently, it may only be the tip of the iceberg as they've been accused of this for some time now and for higher forms of spying with radio transmissions of some sort.

It's a bit unprecedented so we're almost covering new ground here....Amazing, just about every professional sport has been mired in one controversy or another.

 

[Haley94]

I expect a harsh punishment. Look what they did to Wade Wilson.

 

[CowboyWay]

TOTAL BUSH LEAGUE !!!!


I want to see a MONSTER penalty handed out.

 

[Nors]

I bet nothing happens at all .....

The Pats are the NFL's media darlings ...... they will not be punished ..... only warned.

Zrin - i strongly disagree. Goodell sent out a league memo last fall circa the Miami and GB incidents. This is not new. BB and Saban were the culprits I believe.

That Patriots so Brazenly crossed the line here - they are going to pay here. I May go as high as a day 1 pick and heavy fines.

 

[theogt]

Pitchers throw spit balls, coaches for years in Baseball and football have been trying to steal signals. Players use corked bats. Take amphedimines etc to enhance performce.

They got caught breaking an NFL rule and will be punished. And this is all one big chess match.

BB will be remembered as a coach with 6 Super Bowl Rings and a genius in his era.

This is a modest infraction - JMO They lose a draft pick or two and move on.It's kinda funny how brazen the camera man was actually!

LOL @ being blase about cheating.

 

[zrinkill]

Zrin - i strongly disagree. Goodell sent out a league memo last fall circa the Miami and GB incidents. This is not new. BB and Saban were the culprits I believe.

That Patriots so Brazenly crossed the line here - they are going to pay here. I May go as high as a day 1 pick and heavy fines.

You are probably right ..... and I am probably wrong .....

But I will believe it when I see it ......

To me .... losing a low round draft pick will be getting away with it.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

LOL @ being blase about cheating.

No kidding.

Just because people cheat in other sports doesn't mean this is right. I guess Barry Bonds is A-OK with Nors also.

I've always kind of liked the Pats and respect their organization and Belichick. But this isn't excusable. Some portion of the media need to raise holy hell if they get off with a little slap on the wrist.

 

[SultanOfSix]

Wow Nors. You sound like a Pats fan.

 

[Nors]

Good read on the Saban/BB issues past 2 years on stealing calls......


PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK - Report: Dolphins stole Pats’ blocking calls


By ERIC McHUGH
The Patriot Ledger

FOXBORO - Jason Taylor was draped over Tom Brady so much on Sunday that the Miami Dolphins defensive end should have flown back to New England on a hanger in Brady’s garment bag.

Yet despite what your eyes seemed to tell you - that the Patriots struggled badly in pass protection while giving up a season-high five sacks - coach Bill Belichick yesterday in his news conference insisted that facet of the Pats’ game was ‘‘OK’’ and not a ‘‘major problem.’’

Could have fooled anyone who saw Brady jawing at his offensive linemen, only one of whom, right guard Stephen Neal, agreed to speak to the media after the 21-0 loss.

Belichick also tossed an oddly timed bouquet at Brady, who threw for only 78 yards while completing 12 of 25 passes. Informed that Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas had said that Brady looked as jittery as he ever has in the pocket, Belichick countered by saying that Brady instead was the picture of cool.

‘‘Actually, I thought that Tom handled the looks that Miami gave him probably as well as any game I’ve ever seen him play in,’’ Belichick said. ‘‘They gave him some really tough looks and in terms of having the protection right and reading the coverage properly and all that and looking where he should have been looking with the ball, I thought he handled a couple of those looks extremely well ...

‘‘Zach was out on the field and I wasn’t, but I’m just saying looking at the film and looking at the decisions that Tom made, I’d say that might be one of the best jobs that he’s ever done for us, and he’s done a lot of good ones.’’

The Palm Beach Post yesterday reported that Brady’s job might have been complicated by the Dolphins’ stealing the Patriots’ line calls. The paper said the Dolphins believe that the Patriots stole their defensive signals prior to last year’s 23-16 Patriots victory in Miami and that the theft allowed the Pats to successfully adjust to a Dolphins blitz on the winning touchdown pass to Benjamin Watson.
This time, according to the report, the Dolphins got their hands on game tapes that, unlike the normal coaches film, included audio of Brady barking out protection calls to his offensive linemen. Thomas was quoted as saying that the insider information ‘‘helped a lot.’’
The Patriots certainly had trouble with blitzes, but they also looked shaky against basic four-man rushes. In his weekly radio interview on WEEI-AM yesterday, Belichick was slightly more critical of the blocking, saying, ‘‘We had enough people to block just about everything (the Dolphins) did. There was one time they really got us, and (Brady) had to get rid of the ball, but the rest of the time we should have had (the Dolphins’ pass-rushers) blocked and we either didn’t block them or in one case we missed an assignment and blocked the wrong guy.’’

Last year’s game in Miami was a coming-out party for then-rookie cornerback Ellis Hobbs, who defensed two passes in the end zone in the final minute to preserve the win. On Sunday, Hobbs returned to Dolphins Stadium as a reserve. Veteran Chad Scott started opposite Asante Samuel, and, in a major surprise, Ray Mickens manned the slot in sub packages. Mickens, 33, was just signed last Monday.

Quizzed about his diminished playing time, Hobbs at first chalked it up to ‘‘nicks and bruises,’’ including the broken left wrist he suffered in Week 3 against Denver - an injury that still hasn’t fully healed. However, Hobbs quickly changed his tune.

‘‘The cast in uncomfortable,’’ he said, ‘‘but that’s not an excuse. I know when I’m on the field, I’m not playing like myself ... I’m playing more as an average player, at best, right now, and it’s just not up to par. Asante and Chad are doing a better job. I hold myself at a very high level. For me, when I say ‘average,’ that’s your everyday corner in the league, but I don’t want to be an everyday corner in the league. I want to be Ellis Hobbs. Ellis Hobbs goes out there and makes plays that a lot of guys can’t make.’’

Belichick said he and Hobbs have a ‘‘good relationship’’ and had a long conversation on Friday, presumably about Hobbs’ level of play and playing time. Belichick said Hobbs has a ‘‘clear understanding of what the situation is.’’ Belichick added that the wrist injury has affected Hobbs somewhat, but he couldn’t tell to what degree.

Defensive end Ty Warrenpointed to a DVD of Texans’ highlights in his locker stall. Warren planned to spend last night and today familiarizing himself with a Houston team that the Patriots haven’t faced since Nov. 23, 2003 - a 23-20 overtime victory at Reliant Stadium in Warren’s rookie season.

Belichick said the Texans offense likely would bear some resemblance to Denver’s (stretch plays, bootlegs, etc.) since first-year Houston coach Gary Kubiak served as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator from 1995-2005. The Patriots have lost three straight and five of the last six against Denver, including a 17-7 setback in Week 3 this season.

‘‘I’m sure they’ll look at the things that Gary did when he was at Denver and things they had success with, and I’m sure there will be some elements of that in our game,’’ Belichick said.

Before last night’s Bears-Rams game, the Texans’ offense ranked 28th in total yards - 23rd in passing, 24th in rushing. Houston also was 29th in scoring.

Copyright 2006 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Tuesday, December 12, 2006

 

[Nors]

Nope - Pats are guilty and should be given a stiff fine and forfeit draft pick(s).

But it would be naive to think lots of teams don't do this.

 

[Cochese]

Bastids!

Oh no! Look at CBS cheating for the pats by showing the Jets defensive coaches!

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

They should let them win count for the Pats... but not count as a division win. That takes care of the betting situation.

 

[SultanOfSix]

Nope - Pats are guilty and should be given a stiff fine and forfeit draft pick(s).

But it would be naive to think lots of teams don't do this.

Yeah, but you quoted an article that says Dolphins stole something, but they didn't.

It says they got their "hands on game tapes". Despite the article's title, where is the proof of thievery?

Also, what the Dolphins did isn't cheating. What the Pats did is considered so.

 

[PullMyFinger]

They'll just get a slap on the wrist. I bet if Wade Wilson coached for them he would have been suspended about 2 games. The Cowboy hatred in the NFL is mind-boggling.

 

[wahoofan22]

It will be interesting to see what comes out of the meeting with the Commish. We've seen that he does not like being lied to (Ron Mexico). What possible excuse could the pats come up with for aiming a camera at the other teams signal callers? Absolutely none. They should probably just come clean and fess up, but I wouldn't put it past Bellicheck to try to get one by the commish. Good luck with that.

 

[jimmy40]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3014677

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has determined that the New England Patriots violated league rules Sunday when they videotaped defensive signals by the New York Jets' coaches, league sources have told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella on the New England sidelines when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Sources say the visual evidence confirmed the suspicion.

Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks" because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents.

The Patriots will be allowed an opportunity to present their case by Friday, sources said, most likely via the telephone.

The league also was reviewing a possible violation into the number of radio frequencies the Patriots were using during Sunday's game, sources said. The team did not have a satisfactory explanation when asked about possible irregularities in its communication setup during the game.

Goodell is expected to have a decision no later than Friday but that is not set in stone.

The league refused comment but did confirm Monday that they were reviewing a possible violation by the Patriots.

Chris Mortensen covers the NFL for ESPN.

Gotta love the Patriots.