Tom Brady wants his teammates to prepare harder to keep a playoff berth from slipping away. On Wednesday, Randy Moss and three key defensive players didn't even make it to practice.

Coach Bill Belichick declined to elaborate on their absence from the first practice since the New England Patriots' lead in the AFC East dropped to one game. Moss and linebackers Adalius Thomas, Gary Guyton and Derrick Burgess were sent home after showing up late for an 8 a.m. team meeting, according to the Web site of the Providence Journal.

"That's coach's decision," said Brady, who made it to work despite a moderate snowfall that caused traffic snarls. "I've got to do my job. I've got plenty of things to do. Like I said, I've got to show up every day and bring whatever I have _ the energy and the leadership that I have _ to this team, because that's what all those guys (do). That's what our job is."

Brady went to work the day after his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, gave birth to their son. He said they hadn't chosen a name and she and the baby were doing well.

"I didn't get much sleep," he said.

Brady didn't practice either. He was listed by the team, as he's been all season, with a right shoulder injury. The practice report also listed a right finger, which, he said "is hanging in there."

The finger didn't stop him from throwing a 58-yard touchdown pass to Moss on the first series of last Sunday's 22-21 loss at the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots fell to 7-5 and suffered their third loss in four games for the first time in seven seasons.

"We didn't change much" because of the injury, Belichick said.

He probably won't change much for Sunday's home game against the Carolina Panthers (5-7) just because Moss and the linebackers missed practice. All were listed on the practice report as missing the session for reasons not related to injury. Moss has been listed on the Wednesday report several times this season with that designation.

Belichick declined to discuss their absence.

"Anything that happens with discipline on the team stays between me and the players on the team," he said.

After the latest loss, Brady said the Patriots don't always show enough fight.

"It's not about playing hard on Sundays. I mean, we do that," he said Wednesday. "That's three hours a week that you have to show up and really commit yourself to. I don't think that's too much to ask of anybody and guys do that. It's not like we think we're not fighting out there in the game.