FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Clock work: Do the Patriots have a time management problem?
As coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt considered solutions to hopefully snap a four-game losing streak in Sunday's home game (1 p.m. ET, CBS) against the 4-1 Houston Texans, this is one question they have pondered.
Twice in their first five games, the Patriots have had the ball deep in their own territory late in the second quarter, with their opponent having all three timeouts each time.