New England head coach Bill Belichick isn’t known for being patient with his players when they do something that draws his ire. So his decision to send home part of the team yesterday, after they arrived to practice late, isn’t all that unexpected.

That being said, the feeling of harmony that we’ve seen in years past with the Patriots isn’t present right now, and this latest incident has only added more fuel to that fire.

One of the players sent home was LB Adalius Thomas, who, for reasons unknown, has been stuck inside Belichick’s doghouse for the majority of the season. Thomas spoke to the media this morning, refusing to get into details over his relationship with Belichick, but doing his best to explain why he was late.

“I think everyone woke up to the snow yesterday. I didn’t know it was going to snow. There was traffic. I can’t run people over getting to work. I don’t do that. I actually almost had a car accident. It is what it is. He did what he thought was best for him. That’s what he did.”

– New England linebacker Adalius Thomas

Thomas went on to deliver a classic one liner in response to a question about whether he felt the need to discuss the matter further with the rest of the team.

“It’s not the Jetsons, I can’t jump up and just fly. What the heck am I supposed to do?”

– New England linebacker Adalius Thomas

Obviously, the Patriots are going to need to figure all of these things out before they get into the playoffs, or an early exit will likely be in the works. Much of the responsibility for that falls at the feet of Belichick, who is the unquestioned leader in New England, and while it may be difficult for him to admit his faults as a coach, doing so with the team could help in bringing them all together as one just in time to make the late season run that has been a Patriots staple for most of this decade.