Final X’s and O’s thoughts – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

Pats should shut down Foster running the ball, but below is what most concerns me…

Arian Foster was largely contained on the ground against the Patriots in Week 14, but he did manage his most receiving yards in a single game this season. Foster was able to outflank the Patriots linebackers on underneath routes, allowing him to gain sufficient yardage as a check-down receiver. The Patriots did well to cut down on big plays against Houston in the first meeting, and would be likely to stick with their plan of conceding shorter gains to Foster rather than compromising their downfield coverage. Nonetheless, it’s worth watching Foster out of the backfield in the passing game.