The Message?

A project to build a footbridge spanning Route 1 to connect a satellite parking lot to Patriot Place was recently cancelled. It would had been the perfect metaphor if the bridge was half done, resembling a path to walk the plank.

On Wednesday morning, WR Randy Moss, LBs Adalius Thomas and Gary Guyton, and DE Derrick Burgess were late for an eight AM team meeting, because of bad weather and resulting traffic. Head coach Bill Belichick doesn’t accept excuses and he sent the quartet home for the day, missing the game plan installation meetings and practice.

So here’s what we know: Four players booted for the day for being late. Here’s what we don’t know: Nothing else. But it doesn’t prevent speculation from rising.

It’s interesting to note the four players sent to their rooms without supper. Thomas and Burgess have been huge disappointments this season. Moss has been schemed into a non-factor in the second half of the last three games (58 second half receiving yards total). And Guyton, a first time full-time starter in his second year.

Is Belichick sending a message?

It would be easy to reach that conclusion. A lot more was expected out of Burgess after the Patriots traded for him after the NFL Draft. Thomas was benched for a game earlier this year. Moss hasn’t been the weapon all are used to in the last three games. Guyton lost snaps to veteran Junior Seau for the first time this season. They all look like they need a kick in the pants.

Being sent home in front of the whole team is humiliating and humbling at the same time. There isn’t a better way to make an example out of players than by embarrassing them in front of everybody.

After the loss to Miami, QB Tom Brady said about the team, “…I don’t think we fight very hard.” When asked to clarify on Wednesday, Brady said some weren’t putting in the hard work during the week to get the team out of the slump they’re in.

If Belichick had every intention to send a message to some players or to the team, the oportunity couldn’t be better. New England was ripe for a slap in the face. Toss four players for being late. Cold shower, y’all. Now let’s get down to serious business.

Belichick possibly got the team’s attention, but it may not be intentional.

Brady feels the pulse of the team. His recent comments hold value throughout the locker room. How valid they were to his teammates is up to debate. Some players will believe it 100 percent, while others will dismiss it as blowing things out of proportion. Large groups rarely are in complete agreement.

But add the coach kicking four players out of Gillette Stadium for tardiness, especially on the day Belichick installs the game plan for the next opponent, and that will catch everyone’s attention. Belichick expects unconditional commitment from everyone, rain or shine, sick or well, no excuses. You are either all the way in, or you take a long walk off an incomplete footbridge.

If that’s the message the players drew from the incident, then Belichick is all for it. The team needs extra effort from everybody right now to break the first losing streak in three years. But to Belichick, it boils down to a violation of team rules gets punished, no matter who you are.

Weeks ago NT Vince Wilfork put a sign up in his locker simply saying, “Do Your Job!” It’s there for all his teammates to see. If there was another message delivered this week, it won’t be posted. It understood by the players and Belichick shouldn’t have to reinforce it.