courtesy of massholesports.com

By: Andrew Bruss, YawkeyTalkies Correspondent

Even with a 20-10 win over the North Carolina Panthers under their belt, all is not well in the world of the New England Patriots. True, Randy Moss has been underperforming, and word of Tom Brady possibly having a bad shoulder are concerning enough, but the real problem lies in the drama. In-fighting, trash talking, and baby-mama-drama have all contributed to a season that has many Pat’s fans worrying about post-season prospects in a way New Englander’s haven’t since the days of Drew Bledsoe.

Incomplete passes and interceptions have proven to play a big part of the problem on the field, but for a sport as combative as football, the moral of the troops is just as significant as the force of the blitz.  Herein lies the problem.

For every interception Brady has thrown, Pat’s fans everywhere have been asking, “What’s going through his mind?” With a pregnant wife at home, that question was answering itself.  Plenty of folks are hoping that now that Brady and Gisele are proud parents, the cornerstone of the Patriots offense will be more capable of keeping his mind on the game.

But aside from Brady’ attention span, clubhouse politics have taken their toll on team moral. Signs of further turmoil came from Foxboro on Wednesday December 9^th, when Coach Bill Belichick sent home four players, including Randy Moss (receiver) and Adalius Thomas (linebacker) for being late to a meeting. Like a well-oiled machine, players refused to comment to anyone and everyone.  When Kevin Faulk was asked about Belichick’s judgment call, he responded, “That’s why he’s the coach and I’m the player.” Belichick himself went on record saying, “Anything that happens with discipline on the team will stay between me and the players.

However, Thomas broke from the ranks and spoke out against the decision in a very public way. Refusing to apologize, Thomas told the Boston Globe he was dumbfounded as to why he was sent home, blaming his tardiness on the weather, saying “It’s not the Jetsons. I can’t jump up and fly.” He added, “There’s nothing to apologize about. I wasn’t trying to be late.”

Whether you approve of Belichick’s tough love, or think the players deserved a break, the effect of dissent on any team cannot be ignored. For a franchise that so masterfully manages the sports media, the loss of perception control on this story is sure to be a hit to the gut for any player who appropriately refused to comment. And if Belichick were to cave and give Thomas some wiggle room, the message would be sent that the coach’s “final word” was the farthest thing from.

As bleak as all of this sounds, it’s easy to forget that the Pat’s are still #1 in their division and have promise for an exciting postseason. This is a team fronted by one of the best coach/QB combo’s in NFL history and for the press to sell the team short due to a couple of headlines would be a disservice and an insult.

As of publishing, the New England Patriots are still in the running to be the Super Bowl XLIV Champions, and here’s hoping they bring home another trophy. But if Miami is the goal, putting drama and petty bickering aside is the prerequisite.

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