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Report: Falcons Investigated For Fake Crowd Noise

The Falcons were only 24 hours from finally hiring their new head coach, so you know something bad was bound to happen.

By Matthew Chambers
Fans have struggled talking over the loudspeakers at the Georgia Dome.
Fans have struggled talking over the loudspeakers at the Georgia Dome.
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

There is no way to sugarcoat this news, but the Falcons unprecedented efficiency the last two years has had many ask questions about potential cheating. Will this news tarnish the Falcons two Super Bowl wins?

Adam Schefter has the unusually conveniently timed news, with one team in tonight's Super Bowl in the midst of their own controversy but no one will remember that now because everyone look over here:

Falcons being investigated for piping artificial crowd noise into their stadium the past two seasons, per sources. The offense is expected to result in discipline with the Falcons being fined and quite possibly losing a draft choice. A Falcons team spokesman said: "We were informed during the season that the league office is looking into crowd noise during our games. We have cooperated fully with them, and we’re awaiting the outcome." Atlanta is accused of piping in the noise while the opposing team was huddling, trying to call its play. The tactics originated from the Falcons' game operations department, per sources. Some around the league have argued that silent counts have rendered crowd noise more irrelevant and it’s difficult to discern how much of an advantage it gave the Falcons. But it was enough to have the league look into it, and now the Falcons are facing stiff penalties.

I maintain if the Falcons pumped in crowd noise, and if it helped them on the field, the defense was still hamstrung by the likes of terrible Mike Nolan schemes and forcing bad players into starting positions, so the Falcons should be awarded a few extra draft picks. Starting Tyson Jackson is worth at least a third round pick.

I mean, come on. They cheated their way to the 32nd best defense in the league this year? What is next? Investigating if Kroy Biermann was offsides every snap to get a jump on the pass rush? Starting the likes of Kroy, Tyson Jackson, and Paul Worrilow, the Falcons should be allowed at least an extra 45 decibels every game.

Thoughts? Or funny names for the controversy?

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