Seeing posters go up everywhere about the New England Patriots makes it the toughest week to be an Atlanta Falcons fan, especially when I’m not even excited for this year’s Super Bowl. In reality, there is no reason why it shouldn’t be the Falcons, this brings up the first instance of my point on why the NFL is rigged.

After running away with the divisional and conference title with huge wins, the Falcons were set to dominate the Super Bowl, which they did for the first two and a half quarters. With a 28-3 lead with 8:31 remaining in the third quarter, the game should have been over without a doubt, but then the Patriots start the greatest comeback in Superbowl history. Yes, there were some plays that kept them alive and really can’t be rigged like the catch made by Julian Edelman, but other things can like the Falcons’ play-calling. The Falcons did not run the ball like they should have, they kept the game in the air, giving the Patriots plenty of time for their comeback. Then, Falcons’ wide receiver, Julio Jones, makes the best Superbowl catch that won’t be remembered, setting them into field goal range, which would have secured the game. But the rigging took place, a pass was called right after which resulted in a sack. The following play, was a completed pass, but holding was called, pushing the Falcons out of field goal range and giving the Patriots the ball back to finish off the miracle in overtime handing Tom Brady his fifth ring.

That was the tipping point for me as an NFL fan. I kept close watch on the Patriots throughout the past season trying to find anything to prove my point, and let me tell you, there are so many moments that proves this. Starting just in week three, the Patriots were trailing by five with one drive left in them. A missed pass interference call on a crucial third down keeps them in the game, just for Brady to throw up a prayer to Brandin Cooks in the endzone. Cooks pulls the ball down, just to bobble it and lose control of the ball when he hits the ground. According to the NFL catch rules this year, there is no way that this should be called a completed catch and touchdown, but for the Patriots it is called completed, giving them the three point victory over the Texans.

Another moment came about in week six against the Jets. In the fourth quarter, Jets tight end Austin Seferian Jenkins caught a short pass and took it to the outside, just to lose control right before hitting the pylon. There was an obvious recovery before hitting the pylon, which should have been a touchdown. But the call goes the Patriots’ way, not only is it called a fumble, it is called a fumble out the back of the endzone giving the Patriots the ball. The Jets go on to lose this game by seven, which would have come if the call was made right.

Week 15, we are in Pittsburgh, this game decides which team will receive home field advantage throughout the playoffs and take the No. 1 seed. The Steelers take control early and keep control until Dion Lewis scores with 56 second remaining in the game to take the 27-24 lead. Steelers’ receiver Juju Smith-Schuster hauls in a 69 yard pass which puts them down to the 10 yard line. Next play, Jesse James catches what seems to be the game winning touchdown. Although his knee was down at the one yard line, the refs claim he loses control of the ball when hitting the ground, therefore it is an incomplete pass. Brandin Cooks in week three had much less possession of the ball when he caught the game winning touchdown, and that call stood, unlike James’. The Steelers then try to pass it into the endzone once again, just for the ball to get tipped up into the hair and intercepted to seal the Patriots win.

Fast forward a whole week, right at the end of the half Bills’ receiver Kelvin Benjamin hauls in a short touchdown in the back of the endzone, dragged both feet in bounds, gets the on-field touchdown call. Reviewing takes place, and once again for the Patriots, the call is reversed into a dropped pass. This probably wouldn’t have changed the game much, but it shows that throughout the season, not a single controversial call has gone against New England, a little suspicious.

We are now in the conference championship game, the Patriots face a deficit of 10 points late in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville Jaguars seem that they are doing the impossible, turning around from being a laughing stock in the league to Super Bowl participators. Jaguars’ linebacker seems to seal the game with a strip fumble on Dion White. The play is wrongly called dead, which normally is fine, but in this case, Jack had no one near him. He could have easily turned it into another touchdown for Jacksonville, sealing the victory and a Super Bowl birth with a 17 point lead. Patriots march the comeback and clinch their eighth Super Bowl appearance.

Yes, I am a Patriots hater, but there is no excuse for the way every controversial call has been in their favor. These calls have saved them several losses, which in the end, gave them the home-field advantage. Going into Super Bowl Sunday, it’s weird that I’m not excited to watch this year. Normally, even if it isn’t my team in the big game, I’m excited and eager to watch, but in this one, I already know how the outcome will turn out. You have an inexperienced quarterback, Nick Foles, who actually has fewer wins in his career than Brady has Playoff wins, in the Super Bowl. There isn’t a chance Foles can lead this team to another underdog victory, yes the defense may be one of the best in the league, but the offense will have to put up points, and I simply don’t see Foles being able to do that against Matt Patricia’s defense.