Houston Texans running back Arian Foster admitted Wednesday that he was frustrated for his limited role in his team's Week 1 31-28 victory over the Chargers Monday night in San Diego, but admitted that he will continue to follow his coaching staff's plans after his first in-game action since injuring his calf and back against the New England Patriots in last year's playoffs.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Foster was upset in the fourth quarter of Monday's game when running back Ben Tate started to trot towards the sideline to be relieved by Foster during a series, but was told to stay in the game and went back to the huddle. Foster then returned to the sideline, unable to hide his emotions, and he spoke about it in an understanding way on Wednesday.
"They had a game plan going in about how much they wanted me to play and they were trying to ease me back into it, but my competitive nature, of course you want to be in," Foster told ESPN.
A video on NFL.com talks about the possible need of an attitude adjustment for Foster.
In his first in-game action since Houston's 41-23 divisional round playoff loss to the Patriots last year, Foster rushed for 57 yards on 18 carries during Houston's biggest comeback win in franchise history Monday. Foster averaged 3.2 yards per carry and caught six passes for 33 yards in the game.
Tate, meanwhile, carried the ball nine times for 55 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak acknowledged the hunger for both running backs to see game time.
"They're competitors, and they both want to be on the field," Kubiak told The Houston Chronicle. "I understand that. I think that's a good thing for the team."
Kubiak added: ""I wish it would have come out closer to even," referring to the number of carries each back received, according to The Houston Chronicle. "Obviously, it was Arian's first time out. He didn't play in the preseason."
Houston is coming off of a year where it finished a franchise-best 12-4 and won the AFC South on its way to topping the Bengals in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the Patriots. Houston looks to carry the momentum of the team's historic comeback Monday night into its Week 2 match up with the Tennessee Titans at home.
Foster, who had a career-high 351 carries last year for 1,424 yards and 15 touchdowns, is hungry to repeat his success this year, but the three-time Pro Bowler and 2010 NFL rushing leader is taking a patient approach to the season coming back from injury despite being frustrated.
"It's getting to crunch-time, it's the fourth quarter and you want to be out there. But this is kind of how it played out. In my opinion, you would be concerned with a player that's happy he's not in there in the last minutes of the game when the game is on the line."
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