Coach Bill Belichick says Patriots 'followed rules to the letter'

FOXBOROUGH, MA -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is defending the way his team preps its game balls and said his team earned its spot in the Super Bowl fairly.

Belichick gave an unscheduled talk to the media covering the team on Saturday. He described how the footballs are prepped and said he's learned a lot more about the science of air pressure than he knew from a lifetime around the game.

The NFL is investigating why footballs used by the team in the AFC championship game against Indianapolis were insufficiently inflated. Belichick could not provide answers, but he explained how other things such as temperature could have an effect.

The Patriots are scheduled to play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1.