Coach Gary Kubiak didn’t come right out and say it, but don’t expect 2010 NFL rushing leader Arian Foster in the lineup when the Texans face the Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium Sunday.
The reason: Ben Tate, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL game, a 34-7 beatdown of Indianapolis last week.
Tate, an Auburn product who spent the 2010 season on injured reserve with an ankle injury, set a franchise record for rushing yards in a debut, and Kubiak was impressed. “He’s got a lot of ability, we’ve known that,” Kubiak said Wednesday on a conference call with South Florida reporters.
“If he can stay healthy he’ll play very well for us. This league is a league of opportunity. There’s a lot of good people backing up or running third and all of a sudden guys get hurt. Some of them go in and take advantage of their opportunities, and some of them don’t. I say it to our team all the team: If you get an opportunity and go out and do it, I’m going to leave you out there.”