▁team ' s ▁backup ▁quarter back ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁ 1 6 ▁weeks ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁appearing ▁in ▁ 3 ▁games . ▁During ▁the ▁team ' s ▁Week ▁ 1 3 ▁game ▁against ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Soul , ▁Austin ▁received ▁his ▁first ▁extended ▁playing ▁time ▁after ▁st arter ▁D erek ▁Cass id y ▁was ▁pulled ▁for ▁his ▁play . ▁The ▁game ▁ended ▁in ▁a ▁ 2 1 – 5 9 ▁defeat , ▁with ▁Austin ▁throwing ▁for ▁ 3 ▁touch down s ▁and ▁was ▁intercept ed ▁twice . ▁Austin ▁would ▁not ▁see ▁the ▁field ▁again ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁starting ▁quarter back ▁Week ▁ 1 7 ▁against ▁the ▁San ▁Jose ▁Sab er C ats . ▁Austin ▁and ▁the ▁Power ▁strugg led ▁might ily , ▁losing ▁ 7 8 – 2 0 . ▁By ▁losing ▁by ▁ 5 8 ▁points , ▁the ▁Power ▁set ▁an ▁A FL ▁record ▁margin ▁of ▁victory ▁for ▁a ▁home ▁loss . ▁Despite ▁struggling ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁start , ▁Austin ▁started ▁the ▁remaining ▁ 2 ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁for ▁the ▁Power , ▁winning ▁ 4 8 – 3 7 ▁at ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Storm , ▁and ▁losing ▁ 6 1 – 4 3 ▁to ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁Sho ck . ▁ ▁Cleveland ▁Glad i ators ▁Austin ▁began ▁the ▁season ▁as ▁the ▁backup ▁quarter back ▁to ▁Chris ▁Die ker . ▁With ▁Die ker ▁struggling ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁team ' s ▁second ▁and ▁third ▁games , ▁Austin ▁came ▁in ▁relief ▁and ▁r al lied ▁the ▁Glad i ators