Patriots scratch Thomas, activate Seau

Adalius Thomas has been deactivated for today's Patriots-Titans tilt, a bombshell that comes pretty much out of nowhere. Thomas did not appear on the Patriots' injury report all week but did not practice on Thursday and Friday before the game against the Broncos for "not injury related" reasons.

Left tackle Matt Light (knee) and wide receiver Joey Galloway (healthy scratch for the third straight week) likewise were deactivated for the Patriots. Light was listed as doubtful on Friday's injury report, and rookie Sebastian Vollmer lined up at left tackle during the team's warmup drills. (That leaves Nick Kaczur at his more traditional spot at right tackle.) Galloway continues to look like a bust for the Patriots, who once again chose to leave the veteran in street clothes and go with Sam Aiken and Julian Edelman as their third and fourth receivers.

The absence of Thomas and the activation of both Jerod Mayo and Junior Seau could mean that Gary Guyton will move back to outside linebacker. Guyton has played mostly middle linebacker so far this season -- and in the Patriots' nickel package against Denver, Guyton and Mayo played alongside one another with no outside linebackers on the field. If the Patriots want to go with any type of traditional base formation, be it a 4-3 or a 3-4, they're left with only Pierre Woods and journeyman Rob Ninkovich as outside linebackers. Guyton and his speed might be a fit out there.

The deactivation of Thomas appears to be a performance-based decision, something that's tough to figure given the way the Patriots have used Thomas to this point. It seemed as though the arrival of Seau and the return of Mayo would create opportunities for Thomas on the outside, but unless there's a Jonathan Wilhite-type situation, Bill Belichick has decided that his team is better without Thomas on the field this week.

(It shouldn't be a surprise that Seau is active. With his understanding of the Patriots' system and his fanaticism about keeping himself in shape, there really were no obstacles to his playing this week.)

Safety James Sanders was limited in practice all week with a shoulder injury and was listed as questionable on Friday's injury report; he likewise is inactive. That would be a far bigger deal, however, if not for the emergence of Brandon McGowan, an offseason acquisition who has overtaken Sanders on the depth chart at safety. Sanders was inactive a week ago as well, but the versatility of veteran Shawn Springs and the team's depth at cornerback allowed the Patriots to go with five or six defensive backs at a time as necessary.

Wilfork, Welker a go -- but not Galloway

Wes Welker and Vince Wilfork, both listed as questionable for today's game against the Baltimore Ravens, have been listed as active and presumably will play. With both players being veterans of the Patriots' system, it doesn't seem as though they'd have missed much by being limited in practice and thus ought to be able to contribute quite a bit today.

Among the inactives:

* Ron Brace. It was telling a week ago, when Wilfork went down, that Myron Pryor received the bulk of the playing time over second-round draft pick Ron Brace. It's telling now that the Patriots have activated new acquisition Terdell Sands, who wasn't with a team in September and who just signed with the team on Monday, ahead of Brace.

* Joey Galloway. The veteran of 14 NFL seasons had five catches against the Jets and two more against the Falcons -- but a healthy scratch today seems to imply he's not up to speed within the Patriots' offense. Not dressing Galloway means the Patriots will go with five wide receivers -- but Sam Aiken and Matthew Slater tend to be more significant contributors on special teams than at wide receiver.

* Jerod Mayo. No surprise. You have to wonder if his appearance at practice on Friday was a real sign of progress or a matter of gamesmanship.

* Kendall Simmons. The eighth-year guard missed most of last season with an Achilles' tendon injury but has not been listed on the injury report this season. He started every game in which he appeared in his seven years with the Steelers and signed a three-year deal with the Patriots in early September, but he hasn't yet appeared in a game. The Patriots certainly have entrenched stalwarts at guard in Logan Mankins and Stephen Neal, but it's interesting that he hasn't yet cracked the game-day 45.

* Terrence Wheatley. The second-round pick a year ago was active for the first time a week ago and even drew praise from Bill Belichick for his part in containing Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez. But with Jonathan Wilhite is back to full speed and rookies Darius Butler and Patrick Chung continuing to impress, there's no room for Wheatley.