Arian Foster Will Sit Out Final Pre-Season Game, Hopeful To Play In Texans’ Opener
By Zach Ragan
Aug 25, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (center) congratulates center Chris Myers (55) and running back Ben Tate (44) after a Texans touchdown against the New Orleans Saints at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Arian Foster is hopeful he’ll be ready for the Texans’ opener on September 9 against San Diego.
If he is active for the game, which would be a homecoming for Foster (he graduated from high school in San Diego), he’ll do so without taking a single pre-season snap — that much is a certainty.
On Tuesday the Texans’ ruled out Foster for the team’s final pre-season game against the Dallas Cowboys.
What started out as a nagging injury, has blossomed into a source of concern for Gary Kubiak and the Houston Texans.
Foster has been vocal about his dislike of pre-season, saying recently “I’m not a huge fan of preseason….I just have to get myself back and acclimated for football”. The former Vol is no stranger to missing time in the pre-season.
In 2011 Foster strained his hamstring twice in the pre-season, causing him to miss the first game of the season. When Foster tried to return in week two, he managed only 33 rushing yards before re-aggrivating the injury.
Houston has been wise to not rush Foster back this time around. Even if Foster is forced to miss a game or two to start the season, the Texans have a more than capable running back in Ben Tate.
Tate, who was expected to have a bigger role this season anyway, has averaged 5.7 yards a carry in the pre-season so far. Tate was hampered by injuries during most of 2012, increasing the load for Foster.
Houston would be smart to roll with Tate in week one and keep Foster fresh.
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