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Patriots vs. Chiefs snap counts: Alex Austin emerges as surprise starter at cornerback

When the New England Patriots announced the inactive players for their Week 15 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Shaun Wade was the only cornerback listed. Four others, meanwhile, were all seemingly ready to play in the game: Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Alex Austin and J.C. Jackson.

The latter, however, ended up playing zero snaps and was not spotted on the sideline either. According to his agent, he was unable to participate in the contest due to “mental health issues.”

With the projected starting outside cornerback unavailable, the Patriots had to quickly change their plans.