They did have more controversial things happen...and they handed out some stiff penalties in turn. The Patriots deserve punishment for CHEATING. Do deflated balls make a big difference? Hell yes they do...they provide better grip under less than optimal conditions (IE: Rain or Snow...like the AFC Championship game). Would the outcome have been different? Probably not, but does that mean that CHEATING should be justified regardless of whether it would effect the outcome?
Here's another example of cheating...which the NFL investigated and handed out a punishment for...and it didn't make a difference at all to a team that ended up 6-10, didn't make the playoffs and barely squeaked in those 6 wins in the first place, lol!
Atlanta Falcons lose 2016 pick for pumping fake noise - NFL.com
And you're going to say that people are getting too worked up over this? I'm not worked up over the event...cheating is cheating and it's not the first time the Patriots have crossed that line. No...I'm getting worked up over the idea that the punishment won't fit the crime, and they'll simply get a slap on the wrist because the team is one of the "elite" teams of the league, and Brady is a golden boy to the franchise and NFL.