Vic's line to Patsy at the restaurant really stuck with me, referring to Silvio. Something like: "If it was Tony that clipped Ralphie over a horse, he'll be the first one to make a move"

Silvio is the consiglieri and knows the importance of the Rules in "this thing of ours". Tony is the one betraying the family, not the other way around. Ralphie's a jerk, but the powers that be made him a "made guy" for a reason and Tony made him a captain. He has to honor that, unless Ralphie puts the family at risk, like Pussy did. If suddenly Tony starts going around the rules with no business justification, he has to go.

Maybe that's what Chase is going for, the breakdown of the family and structure with our hero as the culprit. Tony's getting too popular with the viewers and he has to remind us that he's not a role model.