The Texans are still waiting to get one very important part — running back Arian Foster — back in the lineup.
But they showed Sunday against the Saints they’re still able to move the ball without him.
After slow starts in the run game the first two preseason games, the Texans ran for 141 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry against the Saints. Backup Ben Tate had 74 of those yards, showing he’s more than capable of filling in while Foster’s slow coming back from back problems. Granted, it was against the Saints, but the point stands.
“We had a big emphasis on the running game,” Tate said, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “Even though we didn’t play much [in the first two games], we felt we hadn’t run the ball well enough. We definitely had to step it up.
”I was amped up and ready to go. I was out there to prove a point, and I felt like I got my point across. I’m right where I want to be.”
The Texans put 281 yards on the board with quarterback Matt Schaub leading the ones, with wide receiver Andre Johnson catching seven passes for 131 yards.
It’s the kind of performance every coach wants to see in the third preseason game, so they can tuck those important players safely away until the start of the regular season.