OK, I see what you're saying. You are right. Good catch. So then, Foster's $20.75MM signing bonus (guaranteed salary spread over 5-years) calculates to $4.15MM per season. For 2012 and 2013 (this season) that's $8.30MM already paid. If holding to my prior hypothetical release date (after June 1, 2014), then Arian's remaining guaranteed salary would be $12.45MM. That's a cap hit of $6.225MM in 2014 and 2015 -- $2.075MM more per year (since CBA rules don't allow for 2016 proration).
See, this is what I hate about the double-edged criticism from fans. Now everyone's on Foster's back for his "attitude problem", but what the hell do you expect a starter to react like??? If he had quietly accepted that he had been benched, you'd all be in here mocking his inability to play and then the fact that he "quit" and didn't show any "passion" or "fire". But there he is, on the sideline, livid that he's not out there in the 4th quarter, and you're all saying he has an "attitude problem"?! Gtfoutta here with that bull****, man. That's just not a fair assessment. There's just no way the players can win with some of you people. Ridiculous.
He stopped running hard last season. He's doing too much laterally, too much waiting. Dont know if it's still an injury issue or what, but it's not working.
I didn't think Foster had a bad game. Tate is obviously the more "down-hill" runner, but Foster still looked pretty good. He had several 8-9 yard gashes. My only concern was he dropped two passes he should have grabbed, even though they weren't great passes. I definitely thing Tate should/will get more touches this year, if only to ensure Foster remains healthy. They have two different running styles. Tate seeks contact, Foster avoids it. That isn't to say Foster can't take a hit, or necessarily shies away from contact, but he doesn't lower his pads and try and run through you, he is too gifted athletically to bother with such a strategy. He is all about deception, baiting you into a move, and then making a quick opposite move and into open field.
Ben Tate definitely out-performed Foster last night. He looked stronger and more explosive, and he made several big plays. Foster was inconsistent. At times, he seemed slow and ineffective. On the opposite side, though, he had several runs where he displayed his patience and one-cut ability. Tate may end up outplaying Foster this season. But we can't know that yet. It was Foster's first real-game action in a long time, and he needed to shake off the rust. Let's wait a few weeks before passing any definitive judgment.
The "2 dropped passes" garbage is ridiculous. One was behind him and borderline uncatchable. He caught 6 other passes. His hands still work. That's a silly reason to want him thrown to the scrap heap for Ben Tate.
Foster missed the entire off-season and was shaking off some rust. He'll be back to his old self by game 3. In the meantime, I'm glad Kubiak is using a liberal dose of Tate. Foster is the type of rb that gets better as the game goes on, with more carries, but he needs to understand that keeping him fresh over the course of the season by mixing in a rb as talented as Tate, is good for the team.
Foster will shake it off. He's going to be rusty and was frustrated in the heat of the moment. This is being overblown.
It wasn't just two dropped passes. They were critical drops. Yes, one was a poor throw, but still catchable. The man had an off game. He will bounce back. But his attitude lately really has been crap. If he had not made a huge deal about being waved off/pulled from the game late, no one would have ripped him for it. Be a supportive team player. You're free to be an eccentric free-spirited weirdo when you're producing, but coffee is for closers.
Kubiak responds today to Arian Foster's frustration: (on RB Ben Tate waving off RB Arian Foster and Foster looking like he was angry about it and if he was tempted to run Tate more at the end of the game) “I wish it would have come out a little more closer to even. I think I said that after the game. Obviously, it was Arian’s first time out this year. He didn’t play any in the preseason. I think Ben’s had an excellent preseason. I want to keep it somewhat close right now and watch them working to what’s going on. As far as waving a guy off, they’re competitors. They both want to be on the field. I understand that. I think that’s a good thing for the team.” (on if he talked to RB Arian Foster after RB Ben Tate waved him off the field) “No, I actually didn’t see the waving off.” Sounds like a non-story. Should put things to rest (for now, anyway).
Yes it is, but if one of them are not willing to except that the carries will be split 60-40, then there may be trouble. I have no complaint about Foster's ability. I do hate the run 2-3 yrds and fall down that's been going on last yr and this first game, but I do believe he's still a really good back. My problem is him not seeing that Tate was having a better outing than he was, and getting upset. It's about team Texans not team Foster.
Why should he care if Tate is having a "better outing" than he is?? He's our franchise back. He doesn't want to be standing on the sidelines for his backup in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. Nor should he be doing so. Who knows...maybe Cierre Wood would have "looked even better" than Ben Tate last night!!! Why doesn't Kubiak rotate Schaub, Yates, and Keenum and give the QB who is playing the best the majority of the snaps?
He's a competitor. Wants to be the best. I'm sure he was more frustrated than anything else at his own performance. Reading way too much into this. Also, Tate needs to prove himself for a few more games before being handed anywhere close to 40% carries. He is more prone to fumbles, and doesn't have the TD awareness of Foster.
Come on now....RB's are on rotations on a lot of teams, not QB's. I guess its a person personality, everyone can't think like me. Team Texans
I can agree on this. It should be game by game, but Foster still shouldn't be upset. Like I said in the post above, "everyone can't think like me".
Yep, that's smart...you don't want to add unnecessary pressure to your franchise QB that he's gonna get yanked if he strings together a few incomplete passes. Same should apply for your franchise RB.
No it shouldn't. Running backs always come out of the game. Most teams split the carries 3 to 1 to begin with. Arian Foster should start, and should be given more carries, but if Tate is clearly out performing Foster in the carries he gets, het should keep getting the ball. Arians ego is not more important than the teams success. I'm not mad at Arian for being frustrated, nor am i ready to throw him on the scrap heap, but if Tate is better, he's better.
