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RENTON, Wash. - The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots used underinflated footballs during their AFC championship game victory over the Indianapolis Colts. But what advantages does a deflated football hold for a team? Former NFL quarterback Hugh Millen, who played two seasons for the New England Patriots and now helps designs footballs for manufacturer Baden in Washington state, explains.ADVANTAGES OF DEFLATIONNFL rules mandate that a ball must be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. But a football deflated a couple of pounds below the range is softer, allowing for better grip, Millen said.If youre going to be challenged to handle the ball in either very cold conditions or wet conditions, then having the ability to grab the ball and squeeze it, youre going to have more of a chance to remain in contact with the ball, he said.Deflated balls could also mean faster balls thrown by quarterbacks. Because of the softer grip, the index finger remains on the football a tad longer, allowing for faster spirals during a throw, especially for quarterbacks who like to keep their fingers on the seams, Millen said.We know from having put a football in wind tunnels, the faster the ball rotates, the more it cuts through the air. It has less drag, therefore more velocity on the ball, he said, adding later, most quarterbacks like to have less air than more air.HOW COULD THE REFEREES MISS IT?Referees inspect game balls about two hours before the game, checking the air pressure among other standards. NFL guidelines are clear: a football cannot be tampered after the pre-game inspection.While veteran officials could probably feel a difference between a properly inflated ball and a deflated one, referees arent thinking about ball air pressure during the game since theyve already checked them, Millen said. Theyre busy trying to move the game along.If theyre not of a mindset to check the ball, theyre not engaging their senses, Millen said, adding that some may be wearing gloves.POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONSIn his years in the NFL, Millen said it was common for quarterbacks to ask for balls to be deflated, within the leagues acceptable range, if the footballs felt too hard for their preference. It takes just a couple of seconds to lose 2 pounds of air pressure after inserting a needle. A team equipment staffer could have been careless.Ive seen somebody say, Hey, stick a needle in there for a second just to get the air right, Millen said.Another possible reason: footballs can sometimes leak air. Millen said all football manufacturers produce balls that lose air pressure without tampering. But he adds that would be an easy possibility to test. 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With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line.PHOENIX -- Eric Bledsoe scored 15 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Phoenix Suns pulled out a 98-92 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. Goran Dragic added 20 points, 15 in the first half, and Markieff Morris scored 16 for the Suns. Rodney Stuckey scored 23 and Andre Drummond had 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Pistons in their fourth overall loss and 12th straight on the road. Bledsoe, in his biggest game since returning from knee surgery March 12, made a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to put the Suns ahead for good 89-86 with 3:22 to play. Detroit was just 10 of 26 at the foul line, to Phoenixs 24 of 35. Phoenix outscored Detroit 12-6 over the final 3:22. The victory pulled the Suns within a half-game of Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, although the Grizzlies have the tiebreaker. Detroits worst culprit at the foul line was Josh Smith, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds but missed all eight of his free throws. Greg Monroe scored 16 for the Pistons. After quickly erasing a 12-point Phoenix lead in the third quarter, Detroit played the Suns close and had an 82-80 lead when Drummond made one of two free throws with 6:31 left. The game was tied three more times before Bledsoe, as the shot clock neared zero, hit a 3 from the top of the key to maake it 89-86.dddddddddddd Monroe made two free throws with 3:02 left to cut it to 89-88, Morris scored on a drive, Channing Frye blocked Kyle Singlers layup try. Morris and Bledsoe each made free throws to put Phoenix up 93-88 with 1:05 to go. Will Bynum scored, then Bledsoes driving layup had the Suns ahead 95-90 with 48.9 seconds to play. Neither team led by more than six points in the first half, with Phoenix up 51-50 at the break. Dragic hit a 3 and Miles Plumlee made two free throws to put Phoenix up 51-46 with 1:59 left in the half. Drummonds layup with 1:22 left, followed by his tip-in with 6.8 seconds to go, left the Suns with a one-point halftime lead. Phoenix opened the second half with a 14-3 run to go up 65-53 on Plumlees reverse dunk on a pass from Bledsoe. Plumlee scored seven in the spurt. But Detroit responded, outscoring the Suns 14-2 to tie it at 67-67 when Drummond made one of two free throws with 3:34 left in the quarter. Smith was fouled by Dragic on a 3-point try but missed all three at the line and Phoenix led 73-71 entering fourth. Notes: The Suns Markieff Morris drew his 12th technical foul, fourth-most in the NBA. ... Detroits last road win was at Washington on Jan. 18. ... Nine of the Suns remaining 13 games are on the road. ... The teams split the season series 1-1. 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