New England Patriots

5 New England Patriots players to watch in Week 3

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Jacoby Brissett (7) is the top New England Patriots player to watch in Week 3. Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

As we prepare for the New England Patriots to face the Houston Texans on a short week, here are five Patriots players to watch in Week 3. We start with the man who everyone will be watching on Thursday night.

Patriots Players to Watch in Week 3: Jacoby Brissett

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Of course, Jacoby Brissett is the top Patriots player to watch against the Texans in his first pro start. The last time the Patriots started a rookie at quarterback was way before this writer was even alive, so this is unfamiliar territory for not only the Patriots, but also the New England fan base.

We didn’t get a great glimpse of Brissett in relief duty of Jimmy Garoppolo last week, as Josh McDaniels had to scramble to design plays that the rookie could run with players he’s barely practiced with. Certainly, the playbook was very limited, and that is partly why the Patriots nearly lost after getting out to a 31-3 lead.

Look for Brissett to be supported by an array of short-yardage passing patterns, such as Julian Edelman slant routes and James White screens (as well as more tight end double screen throws to Martellus Bennett). Additionally, expect Brissett to be supported by a running back who the Patriots are increasingly relying on this season…

LeGarrette Blount (29) New England Patriots – Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots Players to Watch in Week 3: LeGarrette Blount

Without a doubt, the Patriots are going to give running back LeGarrette Blount another healthy workload of carries in Week 3, making him a player to watch this week against a threatening Houston front seven.

Through two games, only three running backs in the NFL have rushed for more yards than Blount, who has seen a larger-than-average workload due to the nature of the Patriots’ quarterback position in the first quarter of the regular season.

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To put it in perspective, Blount is on pace to rack up 1,544 yards on the ground in 2016; that is unlikely to happen, but we can at least hope that Blount will be the first Patriots’ running back to pass the 1,000-yard mark since Stevan Ridley did it in 2012.

To quell the fierce Houston pass rush, Blount will be counted on to establish the run game early. Hopefully, the revamped blocking schemes instituted by the return of offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia will benefit Blount for the third consecutive week.

Marcus Cannon (61) New England Patriots – Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots Players to Watch in Week 3: Marcus Cannon

Next up on this list of Patriots players to watch in Week 3 is right tackle Marcus Cannon, the man who will be tasked with blocking superman pass rusher J.J. Watt in Week 3.

Many Patriots fans sigh at the mention of Cannon, but the veteran offensive lineman has been impressive so far this season. In fact, Cannon had his best game as a pro last year going against Watt and holding the star defensive end in check. Cannon’s standout play was the difference in that game, and it will be the deciding factor in this encounter with the Texans as well.

Cannon has the opportunity to more or less push Sebastian Vollmer out of the starting right tackle job over the long term if he can piece together several noteworthy performances this season, such as the job that awaits Cannon on Thursday night. Vollmer is the oldest offensive lineman on the Patriots’ roster, and his absence from the team in 2016 opens the door for Cannon to force the Patriots’ hand.

Alright, now let’s shift our attention to the defense.

Dont’a Hightower (54) New England Patriots – Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots Players to Watch in Week 3: Dont’a Hightower

Assuming Dont’a Hightower suits up for the game, he will be a top Patriots player to watch against the Texans because he is the eyes, ears and brains of a defense that struggled mightily without him in the second half last week.

Furthermore, Patriots fans should watch Hightower closely to see how his knee injury may be hindering him (again, assuming he plays in Week 3).

An argument could be made that Hightower is the most valuable member of the Patriots’ defense. Not only does he normally wear the green dot on his helmet (worn by the signal caller of the defense), but Hightower has also put together quite a portfolio of outstanding linebacker traits. These include his sideline-to-sideline tackling range, run stuffing ability, pass rushing threat and improved coverage.

In particular, the Patriots are going to need a big game out of Hightower on run defense, as the Texans are keen on running the ball via Lamar Miller.

Logan Ryan (26) New England Patriots – Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots Players to Watch in Week 3: Logan Ryan

Last but not least, Logan Ryan is a top Patriots player to watch in Week 3 because he will be going up against one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, DeAndre Hopkins. We can project that the Patriots will place Ryan on Hopkins because they tend to put Ryan on a team’s top wideout with Devin McCourty’s safety help over the top and let Malcolm Butler tee-off on the No. 2 guy.

The good news is that Ryan had arguably his best game as a pro last year in coverage of Hopkins. He surpassed expectations and impressed the entire Patriots’ fan base by limiting the threat of Hopkins; it was definitely Ryan’s best game in a very good 2015 season.

The bad news is that the Texans have another promising wideout developing right now: Will Fuller. In fact, Fuller ranks fourth in the NFL right now with 211 receiving yards, highlighted by his 23.4 yards per catch average. With Fuller a threat on the other side of the field, McCourty will have to respect him and shift his attention away from Hopkins a bit more than Patriots fans would like.

So there you have it: Brissett, Blount, Cannon, Hightower and Ryan are the top five Patriots players to watch in Week 3. Stay tuned here on Musket Fire leading up to and after the game for fresh points of analysis.

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