Sorry, but 2 lbs per square inch on a ball is very noticeable, football, basketball, soccer ball... there is no way you can claim that you can’t tell.. the difference between 12.5-13.5 and 10.5 is VERY noticeable, that’s a 20% psi difference... that’s noticeable by anyone, let alone someone who’s a professional and does it for a living day in and day out.
I am not saying the Pats wouldn’t have won the game either way, but to claim you couldn’t tell or didn’t notice just doesn’t pass the smell test. Anyone will notice a 20% differential in pressure almost immediately, so long as they know what it should feel like in the first place.
anyone? Multiple NFL QBs have tried and said they can’t. A couple claim they can.
It is a very notable difference below about 9 PSI. 10+, it’s all just “hard”. For most people, it’s like differentiating brass fom granite by squeezing it...with your bare hand. There’s a huge difference in hardness, but not for your flesh.