Vin+ 3,121 Posted September 30, 2011 TIME: 01:00 P.M. ESTVENUE: Reliant Stadium With his balky hamstring healed, Houston Texans running back Arian Foster is anxious to prove last year's breakout season wasn't a fluke. His first extended action will come against a team that's been punishing opposing runners for more than a decade. Foster and Texans meet the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Reliant Stadium. Foster - last season's rushing champion with 1,616 yards and an NFL-best 16 touchdowns on the ground - has played only in the first half of a 23-13 win over Miami in Week 2, finishing with 10 carries for 33 yards. "It's good to be back out there. I'm eager. I haven't played football that much this year, so I'm excited to get the opportunity to do so," Foster told the Texans' official website after practice Wednesday. Houston apparently didn't miss Foster too much. With Ben Tate running for 301 yards, the Texans rank fifth in the NFL with 138.0 rushing yards, but will be facing a Steelers run defense that's 12th at 99.7 yards per game this year. However, since 2001, Pittsburgh's defense has allowed a league-low 85.0 rushing yards per game. "Obviously we respect (Foster) ... but I think that Tate and others have also shown us that these guys are going to be very capable of running the football," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We better prepare ourselves to defend it." Foster, who has never played against Pittsburgh, also provides Matt Schaub with another target after leading all running backs with 604 receiving yards on 66 catches last season. "He's a big piece to our puzzle offensively and can do a lot of things for us," said Schaub, who's completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 823 yards through three games. Schaub set season highs with 373 passing yards and three touchdowns last Sunday, but Houston's defense allowed 23 fourth-quarter points in a 40-33 loss at New Orleans. After holding a 66-13 scoring advantage in the first half, the Texans have been outscored 47-24 in the final two quarters this season. "There's definitely no question about the frustration that comes away with losing that ballgame," linebacker Brian Cushing said. "You've just got to finish out that fourth." Houston (2-1) has blown five fourth-quarter leads since the start of last season, joining Cincinnati and Cleveland for most in the NFL. Pittsburgh is coming off a lackluster 23-20 win over the Peyton Manning-less Colts last Sunday on Shaun Suisham's 38-yard field goal with four seconds to play. The Steelers (2-1)are still looking for a signature win after being routed by division-rival Baltimore in Week 1 before blanking Seattle at home on Sept. 18. "It's early. We're 2-1. We'd like to be 3-0, obviously. We're making strides and we're slowly getting better," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who's tied for sixth in league with 314.0 passing yards per game despite an offensive line that continues to be shuffled around due to injuries. Doug Legursky (shoulder) and Jonathan Scott (ankle) are questionable for Sunday. Marcus Gilbert, who injured a shoulder last week, should be ready to go. "We'll be fine," lineman Trai Essex told the Steelers' official website. "Everybody doesn't need to overreact. We had two guys go down. We had the same thing happen last year and we had to band together and, look what happened, we made it the Super Bowl." Despite playing behind a patchwork line, Roethlisberger - three passing TDs short of 150 for his career - is still finding enough time to get the ball to Mike Wallace, who's rounding into an elite receiver. Wallace hauled in an 81-yard scoring pass in Indianapolis, and finished with five catches for 144 yards. It was his sixth straight 100-yard game, leaving Wallace one shy of the all-time record, last done by Dallas' Michael Irvin in 1995. Wallace also has 11 touchdown catches of at least 40 yards, the most in the league since 2009. "Great speed, but he makes all the tough plays, too," Texans' coach Gary Kubiak said of Wallace, who's second in the NFL with 377 receiving yards. "... you better be on your toes all day because he's making huge plays." Pittsburgh is 2-1 all-time versus the Texans, including a 27-7 win in its only previous visit to Houston in 2005. Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeyDay Posted September 30, 2011 Everyone is picking Houston but i took Pitt. I just dont trust Schuab to come thru against that D. And i know their has looked slow but still , Houston problems have always been mental and defense. They fixed their defense but idk about mental. Foster wont be a factor imo. And they are going to go after AJ. Leaving owens and with harrison there i say they match up well. For pitt on offense lets see how the run game does. Im thinking 24-17 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted October 1, 2011 If Houston has a 2nd half like they did last week, Pittsburgh should have little trouble. I'm still VERY concerned about our O-line though. Luckily the Texans have only 1 solid pash rusher so it hopefully won't be a major factor. I'll say 26-14, Steelers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted October 1, 2011 (edited) Steelers RG Doug Legursky (shoulder) has been declared out for Week 4 against the Texans. Ben Roethlisberger will also be missing LT Jonathan Scott. Ramon Foster will start in Legursky's place, while Trai Essex is spelling Scott. Roethlisberger has taken an average of three sacks per game thus far this season, and will likely take at least that many on Sunday. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Edited October 1, 2011 by Vin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 2, 2011 Yea... have a really bad feeling about this game. 27 20 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
housemd 338 Posted October 2, 2011 This will be a really close game,won by either Texans or Steelers...the winner is the one that remains calm in desicive moments...no predictions by me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted October 2, 2011 Mike Wallace (ribs) is active for the Steelers in Week 4. This one was never in doubt. Wallace will square off against backup CB Jason Allen, and should have a field day. No surprises for Pittsburgh, as LT Jonathan Scott, RG Doug Legursky, CB Bryant McFadden and DE Brett Keisel were all ruled out earlier in the week. Journeyman Trai Essex is expected to start on Big Ben's blindside while Ramon Foster fills in for Legursky. Rounding out the inactives: QB Dennis Dixon, RB Jonathan Dwyer and LB Chris Carter. Texans declared CB Kareem Jackson (questionable, knee) inactive for Week 4 against Pittsburgh. RB Arian Foster will start and is expected to see a heavy workload, and Ben Tate will be his backup with Derrick Ward (out, ankle) sidelined. CB Sherrick McManis (doubtful, hamstring) will sit. QB T.J. Yates, WR David Anderson, T Andrew Gardner and G Thomas Austin are all healthy scratches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 2, 2011 No playoffs for us this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted October 2, 2011 Mike Wallace had his streak of 6 games w/ 100 receiving yards broken today. One shy of the record. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeyDay Posted October 2, 2011 So much for Pitts run D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted October 3, 2011 Oh you guys! Pittsburgh's defense looked like crap, and had Houston not committed so many stupid penalties it would have been a lot worse for the Steelers. Their o-line looked terrible, and they couldn't get the run game going with Mendenhall (Averaging 2.8 a carry.) I'm sorry, but if the Steelers keep it up they're looking at one and done in the playoffs at best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 3, 2011 Oh you guys! Pittsburgh's defense looked like crap, and had Houston not committed so many stupid penalties it would have been a lot worse for the Steelers. Their o-line looked terrible, and they couldn't get the run game going with Mendenhall (Averaging 2.8 a carry.) I'm sorry, but if the Steelers keep it up they're looking at one and done in the playoffs at best. lol, please... we both know that the Steelers aren't even going to make the playoffs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted October 3, 2011 lol, please... we both know that the Steelers aren't even going to make the playoffs. lol! I guess I have more confidence in your team than you do Sarge! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 3, 2011 The game against the Colts was handed to them. There's no way any fan could be optimistic with how they have played so far. And I don't see how it is going to get better. Not as long as Bruce Arians is OC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
