2) The PSI drop is about what science expects, and renders the idea of further tampering ludicrous. The gauge readings were not that exact and the refs only recorded a binary "pass/fail" on the tests. Naturally, the Patriots were going to fail those tests at half-time, the science demands it. The discrepancy with the Colts balls has to do with the nature of the initial pumping of the balls, temperature and pressure they were pumped to. The NFL has never conducted a halftime inspection before so did not know what to expect. But the NFL was too dumb to realize this - however the competent investigators are not. The investigation works to our advantage and reveals this basic fact. NFL has huge egg on its face and has to essentially fully exonerate Pats.