New England Patriots: Top Super Bowl storylines

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Jan 24, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Deflated footballs with Super Bowl XLIX logo at the NFL Experience at Phoenix Convention Center in advance of the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

How much of a distraction will Deflategate be for the Patriots?

The controversy has raged ever since the Patriots beat the Colts to advance to the Super Bowl.

Deflategate

Ballghazi

Great Balls of Ire

The footballs used by the Patriots were under-inflated, and the press has gone absolutely mad with the cheating angle. This has been exacerbated by the previous controversy involving Bill Belichick and Spygate. If this were any other team, it would likely not have exploded the way it has.

As it is, this is exactly the kind of uncontrollable variable that Head Coach Bill Belichick detests.

It isn’t going away, regardless of how serious a transgression or how much of a competitive advantage it caused. Every Patriots player will be bombarded by an incessant barrage of questions.

Can the Patriots keep their focus long enough to play the game?

Next: Is the New England Defense Championship Caliber?

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