The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... According to WEEI.com's Ryan Hannable, Blount is missing from practice again Thursday.

Diehards Line:Blount is dealing with an unespecified illness. He reported for practice today, but was sent home instead of working. His status bears watching, but it's rare for player to miss game -- especially games of this importance -- due to illness. We'll continue to follow up as needed.