PFT- Did Pats use radios on defense?

[Kentucky Jet]

DID PATS USE RADIOS ON DEFENSE?

Now that the entire pro football community is atwitter over the allegations/proof of cheating by the New England Patriots, we're hearing more rumors on the NFL grapevine regarding the extent to which this stuff went on.

In addition to the rumor we heard on Wednesday that the Pats were putting microphones on defensive players in 2006 to pick up audibles and offensive line calls, we're now hearing that there has been a rumor for years that the Patriots have inserted a radio in the helmet of one or more defensive players for the purposes of direct communications with the coaching staff.

Such a tactic, if true, would be an even more significant violation of the rules, in our opinion. As several readers have pointed out, the only thing illegal about the signal-stealing issue is the use of the electronic equipment to record the images. Nothing prevents a team from using low-tech means to track signals and connect them to the defensive coverages used. It's simply harder to do it via the naked eye, especially since the video can be used later to confirm the specific signals given, if/when the team with the video is preparing to face the same opponent in the future -- or a member of that coaching staff who might use the same signals in a new city.

So the only competitive advantage is that it's a better way of doing something that already can be done.

In contrast, using radios in the helmets of defensive players gives the team access to something that folks who follow the rules simply can't use.

Keep in mind that this new twist is only a rumor, one of many that are now on the NFL grapevine as this story continues to percolate. Still, given the events of the last 48 hours, it's hard not to rule out anything at this point.

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SO WHAT SHOULD THE PENALTY BE?

As the Patriots signal-stealing continues to dominate the headlines and the discussions regarding the NFL (we've gotten more e-mails on this one than ever), we've heard all sorts of ideas as to what should or could happen to the franchise and/or to coach Bill Belichick.

Plenty of folks think that the Patriots should forfeit the Week One game against the Jets, but we're not comfortable with the notion of altering game outcomes after the fact. However we also think that taking away a couple of draft picks is not an adequate remedy, especially in the age of free agency and the salary cap.

Another possible solution would be a reduction in the team's overall salary cap room for 2008, but the union would likely object to anything that reduces the total money paid to the players.

We think that, before any penalty is announced, Belichick should be interviewed by the NFL in detail as to what was done and how it was done, and for how long it was done. All current members of the coaching staff and front office should be interviewed as well, and the NFL should make a decision based on all of those interviews as to the extent to which this practice occurred.

Like Mike Vick's dog-fighting ring, this wasn't a "mistake." It was, by all appearances, a way of life. If that's true, there should be a separate sanction for each occasion on which it occurred.

As to Belichick, there should be a stiff suspension -- as we explained on Tuesday night and as we discuss in the following PFTV segment regarding the situation.

The belief that others have been doing it (and/or will continue to do so) shouldn't change the fact that the team that got caught should suffer the consequences. For the same reason that the federal government locks in on big targets (like Mike Vick) in order to deter the rest of us from engaging in similar conduct, slapping the Pats hard is the only way to get others to realize that the potential cost isn't worth the potential benefit.

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POSTED 2:48 p.m. EDT, September

[CobraVerde]

1st time hearing this...heard about the radio frequencies but not defensive players having radios...shocking.

[nyjetsjetsjets]

This is what happens when you cheat, it opens all kinds of did they do this, did they do that. Who the hell knows now. Even if they admit to one thing, who knows what the hell else they were up to.