Previously on Toro Times, we highlighted the fantastic successes of running back Arian Foster and his status as a staple in the team record books. The team record holder for most rushing yards and touchdowns in a single season also has his name cemented somewhere else.
Running backs Arian Foster (2010), Ryan Moats (2009), and Ben Tate (2013) are each tied for the Houston Texans record for most rushing touchdowns in a single contest with three according to Statmuse. These occurrences not only showed a dominant performance from the team's rushing attack but reminded fans of just how impactful these individual backs were in the blue and white.
Looking at each game under a microscope there were a few similarities that helped make an iconic moment in history all the much greater. For starters, each rusher finished with over 100+ rushing yards and over 4.5 yards per carry. I highlight this specifically because rushing touchdowns in large quantities can oftentimes come from primarily goal-line touches. In these instances, however, each running back was far from a one-trick pony.
Additionally, in two out of the three games, the decisive performance resulted in a Houston Texans victory. The only game in which the dominance did not translate into a victory was in the case of Ben Tate, where Houston’s 31 points were not enough to overcome the dominance of the New England Patriots dynasty according to ESPN’s game logs.
Despite the results, each rusher put their team in an excellent position to win their respective contests. The best individual records are those that coincide with a potential positive team benefit, creating a double positive that’ll be immortalized in history.
Since the NFL's inception, dominant rushers have long been at the forefront of team and league records. In the case of the Houston Texans and the team’s single-game rushing touchdown record, it proves that you don’t have to be a superstar in order to make a statement.