Houston Texans: Arian Foster Listed as Game-time Decision, Gary Kubiak Should Play it Safe, Start Ben Tate

By Bear Heiser
Senior Writer

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster is the odds-on favorite to win the rushing title this season. But Foster’s campaign will have to play from behind if he were to miss Sunday’s opener against the Miami Dolphins.

Foster was pulled off the field during Thursday’s practice due to knee soreness. He then went to have an MRI done on the knee, but the results yielded nothing that was cause concern, according to head coach Gary Kubiak.

Kubiak told John McClain of the Houston Chronicle that he is “optimistic” about Foster’s availability for Sunday, so this may not even be anything Texans’ fans need to worry about.

Foster has been listed as a game-time decision, but if he can’t go, big Ben Tate will get the call to start in his absence. Tate was a beast for the Texans in 2011, and he didn’t even start. Tate rushed the ball for 942 yards on 175 carries with four touchdowns while playing behind Foster.

Not much of a drop off there, wouldn’t you say?

The bottom line is this: if Foster isn’t near 100 percent, there is no reason to risk injury by playing him against the Dolphins; a team that, based on how they were portrayed on HBO’s Hard Knocks, could be one of the league’s worth this season. And the Texans have been slotted by many to be the AFC’s representative in the Super Bowl.

Foster or Tate? Tate or Foster? Honestly, does it really matter? Play it safe, Gary.