Arian Foster Not Expected to Play Against Cincinnati Bengals

Nov 2, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) rushes during the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at NRG Stadium. The Eagles defeated the Texans 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Opposing running backs have been pounding the Cincinnati Bengals defense all season long in 2014, and RBs must lick their chops when they see Cincinnati creeping up on their schedule. Houston Texans featured back Arian Foster will likely be licking his wounds instead when the Texans host the Bengals this afternoon, as Ian Rapaport reports at NFL.com the Foster is unlikely to play.

Foster has been out of the Texans’ lineup since injuring his groin in Week 9, and he didn’t practice this past Thursday or Friday, though Rapaport does say that the veteran RB will go through Houston’s pregame regimen just to be sure he can’t play.

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Rookie Alfred Blue filled in for Foster two weeks ago against the Cleveland Browns and is expected to do so again versus the Bengals. In Cleveland, Blue ran 36 times for 156 yards, so not facing Foster will not necessarily represent a rest for Cincy’s beleaguered run defense. Still, they’ve had two weeks to study game film of Blue, and good teams are usually able to find chinks in the armor of rookie phenoms.

Overall, having Foster on the sideline rather than on the field should be net plus for the Bengals, but they could still be Blue by the end of the game if they sleep on the rookie.