It’s not quite Deflategate II, but it’s fun to think of it that way.
Via Mark Daniels of MassLive.com, the official kicking balls were underinflated for Sunday’s game between the Chiefs and Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
The accepted range is 12.5 to 13.5 psi. At halftime, the balls were measured as having a psi of 11. The balls were properly inflated for the second half of the game.
Underinflation might have contributed to missed first-half field goals by Patriots kicker Chad Ryland and Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. Before Sunday, Butker had a perfect season of field goals and extra points.
“[The Patriots] told the refs they were a little under inflated or they felt that way,” Daniels reports. citing an unnamed source. “At halftime, they confirmed and obviously put air in them.”
The kicking balls are kept separate and apart from the balls used by the two teams. If those balls are underinflated or overinflated, it’s nothing that any specific team is responsible for.
Per the report, the Patriots noticed something was off when the opening kickoff traveled only to the three yard line, allowing for the Patriots to return it.