Near the end of the preseason, Texans running back Arian Foster said that he felt fresh and rejuvenated after spending camp on the sidelines rehabbing calf and back injuries.
He’s back at work now as a full participant in Texans practices and he’s still full of energy. Foster said after practice on Thursday that he feels “game-ready to carry the load” in the Texans backfield. With 956 carries and 159 catches over the last three years, Foster’s certainly experienced at that. He said he thinks he’ll get his “feet wet” in this game, however, and coach Gary Kubiak sent similar signals while raving about how Foster looks in practice.
“I’ll tell you what, he looks really good,” Kubiak said, via Dale Robertson of the Houston Chronicle. “He’s come a long way. I’ve been impressed with his wind, his conditioning. It’ll be the first time he’s been hit -- that’s just part of it -- but he’s come a long way. He had some good work. He had a really good day today. Obviously, we’re going into the game with both he and Ben [Tate] ready to get after it. That’s the way we’ve got it orchestrated.”
Limiting Foster’s touches won’t be easy if it’s a close game on Monday night, but it’s a move that would likely have long-term benefits for the Texans. Foster’s been a workhorse for three years and his offseason was filled with examples of the toll that can take, so limiting him early might help keep him feeling sprightly all the way through the season.