Jerod Mayo's clear reason for benching the Patriots' veteran wideouts

There were some significant changes to the New England Patriots' wide receiver depth chart ahead of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans.

Tyquan Thornton was a good player for the game, and KJ Osborn didn't get a single snap. Meanwhile, second-year wideout Kayshon Boutte saw an increased number of snaps.

Osborn was a complementary member of a Patriots wide receiver unit that struggled to find production. He tallied five catches for 31 yards, while Thornton caught two passes for 27 yards.

“One way to put it is, it's the same thing we're going through with the offensive line,” Mayo said in a team-provided video, via Sean T. McGuire of NESN.com. “When I watch the movie, I think it's Boutte, it's Pop (DeMario Douglas), it's (Kendrick Bourne).

“We need the rest of these guys to step up and make plays.”

All three wideouts mentioned above have experience in the Patriots' offensive system. Douglas had a great game against the Texans, leading all receivers with six catches for 92 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.

Thornton and Osborn both need to work to regain their original spots on the roster. Boutte caught a 40-yard touchdown pass in Sunday's game against the Texans.

It's worth watching to see if the wide receiver combinations stay the same for the rest of the season.