I see where you're trying to go with this stream of logic, but it doesn't follow. This is the NFL, where the QB position represents the nerve center of a team's offensive potential and on-field performance. The QB, more than any other, is responsible for knowing the assignments of his teammates as well as the tendencies/formations of the defense. The same cannot be said for the RB, sorry. Even the O-line (especially C and LT) are more constant to a team's overall offensive success. That's why you won't see many in-game substitutions for those key positions. It's not sustainable. On the other hand, RBs are the workhorses that drive the offense. They should be fresh and explosive in order to attack the defense relentlessly. The nature of their assignments and offensive strategy (i.e. 3rd and long, short and goal, etc) allow for teams to cycle in appropriate RB personnel suited to get the job done. You're right when you say it isn't smart to add unneccessary pressure to a franchise QB if he throws a few incompletions (see RG3 & Cousins), but that's not really why teams don't structure their offenses with two QB systems. Only a few teams (Steelers w Kordell Stewart and Neil O'Donnell comes to mind) have ever attempted a QB by committee approach. It didn't work then, and it doesn't work now. As you know, dozens of teams throughout the years have had success with RBBC. The question here isn't so much 'splitting carries' as much as the split ratio -- especially in close and late situations. I believe that's where Foster lost his cool and showed frustration. Not a bad thing at all, IMO. Just shows he's a healthy competitor who wants to be on the field during 'winning time'. As Kubiak said today, that's good for the team.
^^^ I'm just saying, there's no fair or logical reason that Foster's job or work load should even be close to being in jeopardy right now. It's insane. People are acting like he's plodding like Eddie George at the end of his career. He had ONE not-so-amazing game. After not playing a real game of football for 7 months. He tore up in the playoffs (his prior 2 games), and 3 of the last 4 regular season games before that. Give the guy a freaking break. I can see where he's coming from being pissed as hell about that. You're treating him like "just another guy" by quickly reducing his workload just because a backup has a good camp and finds a couple holes. If he were to continuously suck for the next 5 or 6 games, then start to re-think things. But until then, reducing his load even slightly is a slap in the face to him. He's been an elite talent, and the league's best RB over the past 3 seasons.
RBs, relatively speaking, are interchangeable parts, provided they know the schemes equally.. QBs, the whole offense can change.. its like the brain of the offense you can get a arm (they're pretty nice now) but you can't get a new brain
OK, I see where you're coming from, but that's not what's happening here. Kubiak isn't splitting his carries with Tate because Foster's 'just another guy' or 'plodding like George at the end of his career'. Kubiak is working Arian back into game shape due to his missing all of preseason. Nothing more. Meanwhile, it's an opportunity for Tate to step in, continue his impressive brand of running, and help the team establish a formidable running game while winning games. It's why we have Tate on this roster, and it's what should be happening while Arian gets back to 100%. I'd say those are logical reasons why, for the time being, Foster should share the work load with Tate. Let's not get dramatic. This is still the NFL, where deep teams remain successful by overcoming losses to key players. They do this by smartly acquiring talent -- especially at skilled positions like RB -- and playing them when the need arises. The Giants will tell you as much.
yeah, he wasnt elite, he was the leader in TDs and top 6 in rushing yards with over 1400, and no. 5 in 20+ rushing yards with 9 (the same as marshawn lynch and alfred morris). and it was clear that ben tate was going to play better this game, he is 100% healthy now, and played in preseason, and practiced all training camp, against foster than didnt play since january, and has only practiced for like 2 weeks.
Is it better to have Foster play a full series and let Tate play the next and alternate every series? Or to let them switch in between series? I see some coaches that keep it at one running back a series so they have momentum.
History shows us when a Rb carries the ball as much as foster they don't tend to be good the year after.
I think you are going to the extreme. Most guys on here are just saying that he needs to check his attitude and ego at the door. No one is saying Tate is better than Foster, just saying that he ran better that game. And if they both are healthy that they need to split carries 60-40. I'm thinking about what would be best for the team, not Foster numbers. With Tate sharing the load, this can help Foster stay fresh which in turn helps the team in the end. No one is saying he is done (well maybe a couple posters did), just that he didn't run the same last year as he did the previous yrs. You have to admit that..... We can blame it on the o-line or not having a real fb or even the numbers of carries (which history shows that wears on a rb), but the point is his ypc declined. I was very disappointed to see him run 2-3 or 4-5 yrds and just fall down (you should know this to be true also). Yes, I know he had 1400+ yrds and 15 tds but he should have reached that with the number of carries he got. Heck he could have had more, but showed no determination to run people over or break tackles. Maybe he was trying to preserve his body for the long season and all the carries, and in that case it is very important for him to share carries with Tate.
Glad you agree. So many people over rate stats that are accumulated by RBs who just have so many carries that it doesn't matter if most of the carries are unproductive. If we are talking 2010, 2011 Foster....that guy was elite.
Arian Foster wants carries but is willing to share load for Texans Yes, Arian Foster is competitive. And, yes, he wants to carry the ball as much as possible. Especially Monday, when the Texans’ star running back returned to his former home city of San Diego for the first time to play as a pro. Foster split rushes with backup Ben Tate during the Texans’ 31-28 come-from-behind victory against the Chargers. He acknowledged that, as a competitor, he wanted to be on the field late in the contest. But Foster also knows he’s not in prime game shape yet, and he’s willing to share duties with Tate if it makes the Texans better. Foster ran for a game-high 57 yards on 18 carries, while Tate rushed nine times for 55 yards. Foster was frustrated by at times being held out of action. But he said it was for the right reasons. “Obviously, they had a game plan going in of how much they wanted me to play and they’re trying to ease me back into it,” Foster said Wednesday at Reliant Stadium. “But my competitive nature, of course it’s getting (to be) crunch time and the fourth quarter and you want to be out there. It’s just how it played out. In my opinion, you probably (should be) concerned with a player that’s happy he’s not in there.” Asked if he’s comfortable splitting time with Tate during upcoming games, Foster laughed and said he “has to be.” But the Pro Bowl back made it clear he has no issues with Tate, nor his team’s offensive game plan. “We’re chess pieces,” Foster said. He added: “It’ll probably be a couple games before I feel back to 100 percent myself. But I felt good — I felt comparatively good.” Before Foster addressed the media, Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison said he had no idea if Foster was frustrated after seeing limited action against the Chargers. Dennison was focused on helping the Texans rally for a 31-28 victory. If Foster’s displeased, the OC hasn’t heard about it. “He just got back (to the team), he didn’t play very much, we’re just trying to rotate him in and keep fresh guys in,” Dennison said. He added: “I don’t know if he’s unhappy — I don’t know that. But I know that he’s happy that we won.” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said the team will continue to monitor Foster’s progress for a Week 2 home contest against the Tennessee Titans. “I’m just going to keep watching him,” Kubiak said. “I’d like (the carries) to be pretty close right now.”
The competition element should be good for both of them. Tate looked great, so hopefully he can bring some new energy to our offense.
The posters who're saying that Foster looked super rusty and appears to be on a downhill slope of his career are ridiculous. Seriously? That last game was a terrible game, we only performed well in the second half where our DEFENSE stepped up and our offense did what it was supposed to do. Okay so we caught a glimpse of Arian Foster angry because he was pulled out. How many times does a star player on ANY team enjoy being on the bench or side lines? Seriously? Some other posters are critiquing him on his attitude? How does on incident on caught on camera depict who a person is as a team player? You guys who are bashing Foster for getting upset have obviously never played any competitive sport before, if you're being pulled from the game when you think you have something to contribute to win the game for your team I'm sure I would act the same way. I may not be caught on camera but I would be pissed I got pulled because I'd rather be involved in the game than be sitting on my hands doing nothing. Give it a few more games, sure everyone is entitled to their own opinion but for people to expect Foster to have a big game is too much, does no one remember him not being able to play in any preseason games? Outside of playing games, preseason or not, it's hard to replicate game time situations.
Talk of what to do next off-season is way premature. This thing has to play out over 16+ games. But if Arian continues slipping/falling down with little or no contact and Tate keeps running hard, anything is possible. Sorry, Arian but when you aren't producing and Tate is, coach has to go with the hot hand.
