The Patriots had three big problems with their third-down defense last year, which slid from 12th in the league (37.1 percent) in 2009.

They were last in the league in three different areas: conversions of 10 or more yards (31.5 percent) and 4 to 5 yards (60 percent), and had a league-high 35 third-and-1 situations.

In ’09, the Patriots ranked 25th (24.1 percent), 11th (40.6 percent), and tied for fifth (21) in those categories.