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UpdatedAug 13, 2011 12:24 PM ETPatriots coach Bill Belichick alwayssays a player makes his biggest jump between his first and secondyear in the league.Safety Patrick Chung backed up Belichick's assertion lastseason. Chung went from hardly playing as a rookie to a playmakerin 2010.Chung, who never seemed to come off the field last year,finished second on the team with 89 tackles. Despite missing threegames because of a knee injury, he also had three interceptions andnine passes defensed, numbers that also ranked second among the Patriots.On special teams, Chung was equally aggressive. He made eighttackles and had that memorable performance in Miami when he blockeda punt and a field goal, and also had a 51-yard interception returnfor a TD.Belichick likes what he has seen so far of Chung in trainingcamp."He's worked hard," Belichick said. "He's in good condition.He's attentive. He continues to work on all the little things tomake him a better player. He's very determined, and he spends a lotof time on it, and I think he continues to improve in all areas -defensively and in the kicking game."He's got a lot of responsibilities and various groupings,"Belichick added. "He works hard at those, and we're very confidentwith him out there."In last night's preseason opener against the JacksonvilleJaguars at Gillette Stadium, Chung started and played the firsthalf. He finished with four tackles. Brandon Meriweather, the Patriots' other starting safety,also played the entire first half."We have to be able to communicate," Chung said. "It's good forus to go out there and hopefully do the same thing the next gameand the next game so we can get our communication on point."With 4:18 left in the second quarter, Chung let a potentialinterception go in and out of his hands."I was thinking touchdown and took my eyes off the ball," hesaid. "Can't do that. Learn from it. Catch it next time."In addition to his rising numbers last season, Chung alsoemerged as a leader of the young secondary and is expected tocontinue in that role this year."I'm not thinking about that right now," Chung said. "I'm justtrying to take it day by day. We have a long season. There are abunch of leaders out here that you can look up to. You just go fromthere. We're a family. You do what you've got to do."Chung and quarterback Tom Brady led the Patriots out of the tunnel lastnight. On the field, Chung encouraged the crowd to get into it -not an easy task during a preseason game.Chung was a second-round draft pick in 2009 out of Oregon, wherehe starred on defense and special teams. Chung played in all 16games as a rookie and finished with 26 tackles, two sacks and aninterception.As far as transactions go, it has been quiet in the defensivebackfield this camp. Up front, of course, has been a differentstory with the additions of Albert Haynesworth, Shaun Ellis, AndreCarter and Mark Williams and the return of Gerard Warren as the Patriots try to improve their passrush."If you have guys who can get to the quarterback," Chung said,"it makes it a lot easier to cover receivers. We'll have to see howthat goes."