In a game that raised suspicions reminiscent of the infamous Deflategate scandal, the New England Patriots found themselves embroiled in yet another ball inflation controversy. The Patriots, who have been struggling this season with six losses in their previous seven games, suffered their 11th defeat of the season against the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday. However, it was not the loss that caught everyone's attention, but rather the amount of air in some of the game balls.

On Friday, six-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Belichick confirmed that the kicking balls used in the game were not properly inflated. This revelation immediately brought back memories of the 2015 Deflategate scandal, which suggested that the Patriots had engaged in an illegal process to lower the inflation of game balls in order to provide quarterback Tom Brady with footballs that had a softer grip. The scandal had led to an extensive investigation by the NFL, resulting in sanctions and a tarnished reputation for the Patriots.

Belichick, however, made it clear that the Patriots were not responsible for the underinflated kicking balls in last week's game. He acknowledged that they were aware of the issue during the first quarter, as both kickers had a shaky start with missed field goals. The officials handle the inflation of the balls, and according to Belichick, the kicking balls were underinflated by 2-2.5 pounds. This was evident in the kicks and kickoffs, as two almost went out of bounds. Belichick emphasized that the Patriots had nothing to do with the situation and that they had no control over the status of the balls.

Under NFL policy, kicking balls should be inflated to a range of 12.5-13.5 pounds per square inch, and it is the responsibility of the game officials to manage them. Touchbacks on kickoffs have become more common due to a rule change, but the Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker failed to kick the ball into the opposite end zone on the opening kick, raising further suspicions. Belichick stated that adjustments were made to correct the issues with the balls at halftime, and all subsequent kicking attempts were successful.

The NFL declined to offer a comment on the situation, leaving many questions unanswered. Belichick remained firm in his position, referring any further inquiries to the league. He reiterated that both sets of balls were affected and that the Patriots had no involvement in the matter. The controversy surrounding ball inflation continues to haunt the Patriots, evoking memories of past scandals. As the team's struggles on the field persist, they now find themselves once again facing scrutiny and suspicions.