I hate that I am one of these tin foil hat guys right now but I can't make sense of this otherwise.
If you want to believe that this has been fair and balanced that is your right. And if Goodell overturns the decision you'll have evidence your right.
But when Goodell doesn't what's your explanation then?
It has not been fair and balanced. Just look at the facts.
1) The NFL either leaked biased data or intentionally failed to refute it.
2) They used incorrect data on an accusatory letter immediately after the AFCCG.
3) The NFL finally released the accurate data months later under the condition that NE could not release it.
4) The NFL went beyond every imaginable precedent when laying down punishment, including but not limited to:
a) Brady was considered a multiple offender despite having nothing to do with Spygate and recent precedent of Suh having his transgressions waived after less than two regular seasons and the Jets not being considered a multiple offender despite committing their third infraction since 2008.
b) The team was considered a multiple offender despite being cleared of all wrongdoing by the report itself.
c) Recent ball manipulation tactics were punished with $25,000 fines or simply a warning.
5) All science outside of the Wells report demonstrates that their results were, at best, inconclusive. Most consider it to be outright false.
6) The NFL's case rests entirely on the presumption that balls were surreptitiously deflated prior to the AFCCG. Without that, the texts and obstruction are little more than eyebrow raising.
7) Despite 5 and 6, the NFL quite clearly still believes that the Patriots are guilty of something, as evidenced by the "not credible" leak and the fact that Goodell didn't just vacate the penalty at the end of the session. Yes, due process can take time, but the Wells report has been under the microscope for weeks now and most of the defense's testimony was known going in.
Of course, there are also loads of inferences that supplement this, but the facts themselves spell it out clearly enough.