The New England Patriots may want to bring hand sanitizer to their Thanksgiving dinner tables.
Eight Patriots players weren't spotted during the portion of Wednesday's practice outside Gillette Stadium that was open to the media:
- CB Stephon Gilmore
- LB Dont'a Hightower
- LB Jamie Collins
- DB Patrick Chung
- DB Joejuan Williams
- OT Isaiah Wynn
- OL Jermaine Eluemunor
- TE Ryan Izzo
As our own Phil Perry pointed out, it's possible a bug is going around the Patriots' locker room after right tackle Marcus Cannon played through an illness Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Chung also has been battling heel and chest injuries. We'll know the reason for these absences when New England's injury report comes out later Wednesday afternoon.
The good news for New England was that wide receivers Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett as well as cornerback Jason McCourty all were present Wednesday after missing Sunday's game.
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The Patriots will need as many healthy players as possible for a Week 13 matchup with the AFC South-leading Houston Texans on NBC's "Sunday Night Football."
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