With six fumbles, Texans running back Steve Slaton has coughed up the ball more than any non-quarterback in the NFL. He has lost four of the six, leaving him tied for second in that category behind struggling Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
The Texans don’t know why Slaton is struggling with ball security this season after fumbling just three times as a rookie last year.
“Coaches, players, everybody’s trying to help him out here,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’re all here to help him and we’re all here to support him, but he’s got a job to do and that’s protect the ball.”
The Texans have emphasized keeping two hands on the ball in certain situations and even added drills in practice where everyone lines up and tries to knock it loose. Kubiak believes people go for the ball more when they know a player has been fumbling.
“When you get a little bit of a reputation, you put a few balls on the ground for a couple of weeks, and it’s almost like these guys just start getting a lot tougher, as far as holding you up,” he said. “People smell blood.”
Slaton has fumbled in five of the Texans’ seven games this season and had two in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans.
“You’ve just got to be prepared and do more to help yourself,” Slaton said. “Once you have a couple, you know teams are going to stand you up, so it’s definitely tough when you have two guys yanking on you. But it has got to be in the back of my mind to know that if I can’t get any more yards I’ve got to just go on the ground, just cover up and get down.” (more…)
December 28th, 2009 
peterheinn 
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