New England Patriots: 5 Things to Watch in Matchup Against Houston Texans

#2 Defending the Deep Ball

If there is one area in which the Patriots must improve on in the second preseason game, it’s defending the deep ball. Seemingly every time Chad Henne or Brandon Allen heaved a pass downfield, a Jacksonville receiver came down with it. With the success the Jaguars had with the deep ball, Tom Savage, Deshaun Watson and Brandon Weeden will surely challenge the New England secondary downfield.

More times than not, the main culprit in the secondary was Cyrus Jones. Jones was burnt deep on multiple go routes throughout the game, including a 97-yard strike from Chad Henne to Keelan Cole. The Alabama product has been in Bill Belichick’s doghouse since early last season when he struggled to hold onto the ball when returning punts. Eric Rowe and Jonathan Jones are clearly the third and fourth best cornerbacks on the roster, and Justin Coleman has been more dependable as well.

Cyrus Jones was a second-round pick in 2016, but his roster spot is far from safe. The same can be said for New England’s second-round pick in 2015. Safety Jordan Richards struggled as well, and miscommunication between Richards and Jones led to a long touchdown pass for the Jaguars. The third-year safety from Stanford is buried on the depth chart, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he fails to make the team.