Atlanta Falcons Being Investigated for Artificial Crowd Noise, NFL Discipline Expected

The Atlanta Falcons have been dirty birds the past two years, according to an Adam Schefter report this morning.

The NFL is currently investigating the Falcons for cheating during home games by piping in artificial crowd noise during games in the Georgia Dome. Here are the details from Schefter:

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.

Just when you thought you'd had enough cheating-related drama in the NFL, the league has found a scapegoat to take the attention away from their poster boy Patriots.

"Hey! How can we distract America from Deflategate? They don't seem to want to let it go. I know! Let's bust another team for something!"

But we'll take it. This could end very badly for Atlanta, and great for us here in New Orleans! Plus, the even better news is that this finally answers the age old question: who could possibly cheer for the Falcons? Though it's hard see how this artificial crowd noise could have had any advantage for a team that went 3-5 at home in both the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Apparently, the Falcons can't even cheat properly.