Investigative journalists offer more substantiation than simply listing the claims of unnamed sources. The research they do to offer support to what's being said goes in the article. How can you not know that?
This is quite hopelessly false. Journalists typically rely on multiple sources for such things. There's almost never a "smoking gun" or other substantiation unless you're watching a movie. They typically don't just print whatever one person says, unless they think that person to be of exceptional or intrinsic integrity. If they hear the same story from multiple, independent, reliable sources, they print it. For perfectly understandable reasons, those sources may demand anonymity. This is EXTREMELY common. If you don't know that, then that's on you.
Outside the Lines and Sports Illustrated used multiple independent sources--that's often the only research that can be done. Both Outside the Lines and Sports Illustrated have excellent reputations and have no reason to participate in any conspiracies. The Patriots just aren't all that important in the overall world of sports.
They relied on the reputations of their sources, their own judgment and the judgment of their editors. This is how journalism works--lots of judgment calls. Again if you don't understand that, then that's on you.
I understand you're emotionally invested in sticking up for your team so no one talks bad about them, but to think that ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the NFL are conspiring to bring down the Patriots is quite honestly fucking insane. The NFL, the other owners and Roger Goodell have nothing to gain from promoting or creating any scandals.