Instead of the media (and Patriot haters) looking for smoking guns and gotcha moments, how about asking a more pertinent but less salacious question. Why is there a range of psi at all? In the past, all teams used one set of footballs---all set at one specific psi. Then the NFL established a range of psi in recognition of the fact that QB's have a different preference for how the ball feels. And they let teams have their own set of footballs on offense. So why then was the range set at 12.5--13.5 psi? Why isn't it 11.5--13.5. Why limit the low end to 12.5? If there is such an advantage to be at 11.5, (and several QB's have said it isn't) everyone would use the low end----and there would be no advantage to anyone.
Bottom line, it very well may have been the officials who set the balls (mistakingly) at 11.5 before the game. There was no recording of the actual inflation level and the likelihood of a Patriot conspirator being so precise in deflating each ball to the exact same level in so little time is extremely remote. Mr.Kraft may be getting his apology after all.