With running back Arian Foster scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a disk in his back, Ben Tate will have to continue to carry the load, despite playing with four broken ribs.
Tate carried 15 times for 56 yards in Sunday’s 27-24 loss at Arizona. He wanted to carry the ball more. He’s playing with pain but learning to deal with it.
“There’s not much you can do,” he said today. “It’s just the same thing each week.”
Tate added that it is getting easier to play and deal with the ribs. He has yet to miss time because of the injury. Tate will likely get a bulk of the carries going forward as long as he can tolerate any pain. Dennis Johnson had just four carries for seven yards last week.