I clearly said in the op and thread title - this is NOT AN EXCUSE.
It’s not why we lost. It’s not why the Chiefs won yesterday.
Just don’t tell me the league can’t ensure that the playing field can easily be tilted if it needs to do so.
Is it a certainty? Nope. We could have beat NE in spite of the refs. Doesn’t mean they didn’t have an agenda.
We have a lot of evidence across sports that they’ve rigged games and in a country with legalized gambling - and a league that stands to gain significantly if certain outcomes happen it is absolutely right to question.
The agenda last week wasn’t - make Buffalo lose. But question - who did the league want to win last Sunday? What was better for the league and for the franchise with the leagues most influential owner?
Make the Pats relevant. That’s what they did. Because without phantom holds and no DPIs NE job was a lot harder. And the AFC East was wrapped up. If they lose at least they got their narrative. If they win all the better.
And last night it was “let them play.” Knowing the Chiefs were probably winning anyway.
Sometimes “rigging” is limit the flags. Or just don’t throw them at all.