Post by rainman on Nov 21, 2008 11:31:21 GMT -5
Steve Slaton shines for Texans
BY KRISTIE RIEKEN AP SPORTS WRITER HOUSTON — Texans rookie running back Steve Slaton has no problems dealing with menacing NFL defensemen. He faces a much more trying foe at home: his soon to be 2year-old son Julian.
“A cranky 2-year-old is more difficult than a defense because defenses you only deal with on Sunday. The son you deal with 24/7,” Slaton said with a smile.
All kidding aside, the former West Virginia standout has been dealing with both pretty well this year. The 22-year-old leads the Texans in rushing with 701 yards and has embraced his second job as a father to Julian.
Slaton is coming off a season- high 156 yards rushing, including a 71-yard touchdown run, in Houston’s loss to the Colts. His performance was the second highest rushing total in franchise history and his touchdown run was the longest run in team history.
He’s averaging 5.1 yards a carry and leads the team with seven touchdowns. Slaton’s rushing yards are 12th in the NFL and third among rookies.
“I don’t know what we would have done from Week Two on had he not stepped to the plate and held up the way he’s held up,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We could have really had some serious, serious issues with Ahman (Green) missing some time. We would have kind of been back in the same boat we were last year.”
Slaton’s girlfriend and Julian lived in his hometown of Philadelphia while he was at West Virginia, so this is the first time he’s lived with his son full-time. Julian doesn’t understand exactly what his father does, but three of his favorite words are da-da, football and touchdown, so he seems to have an idea.
“It’s a new adventure in my life,” he said. “In college I didn’t have the stability of them around all the time, so it’s definitely a bright spot to come home from a game and just stay home and forget about it. He brings a brightness to me every day.”
Slaton’s play has been a bright spot in a tough season for the 3-7 Texans. Houston has had problems at running back since Domanick Williams (formerly Davis) was placed on the injured reserve just days before the start of the 2006 season.
They signed Green to a big contract before last season but their woes continued when he missed 10 games with a knee problem. Hoping to avoid similar problems this year, the Texans signed Chris Brown in the offseason to back up Green.
When they drafted Slaton in the third round, the plan was for Green and Brown to split most of the carries and for the rookie to be a third-down back.
BY KRISTIE RIEKEN AP SPORTS WRITER HOUSTON — Texans rookie running back Steve Slaton has no problems dealing with menacing NFL defensemen. He faces a much more trying foe at home: his soon to be 2year-old son Julian.
“A cranky 2-year-old is more difficult than a defense because defenses you only deal with on Sunday. The son you deal with 24/7,” Slaton said with a smile.
All kidding aside, the former West Virginia standout has been dealing with both pretty well this year. The 22-year-old leads the Texans in rushing with 701 yards and has embraced his second job as a father to Julian.
Slaton is coming off a season- high 156 yards rushing, including a 71-yard touchdown run, in Houston’s loss to the Colts. His performance was the second highest rushing total in franchise history and his touchdown run was the longest run in team history.
He’s averaging 5.1 yards a carry and leads the team with seven touchdowns. Slaton’s rushing yards are 12th in the NFL and third among rookies.
“I don’t know what we would have done from Week Two on had he not stepped to the plate and held up the way he’s held up,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We could have really had some serious, serious issues with Ahman (Green) missing some time. We would have kind of been back in the same boat we were last year.”
Slaton’s girlfriend and Julian lived in his hometown of Philadelphia while he was at West Virginia, so this is the first time he’s lived with his son full-time. Julian doesn’t understand exactly what his father does, but three of his favorite words are da-da, football and touchdown, so he seems to have an idea.
“It’s a new adventure in my life,” he said. “In college I didn’t have the stability of them around all the time, so it’s definitely a bright spot to come home from a game and just stay home and forget about it. He brings a brightness to me every day.”
Slaton’s play has been a bright spot in a tough season for the 3-7 Texans. Houston has had problems at running back since Domanick Williams (formerly Davis) was placed on the injured reserve just days before the start of the 2006 season.
They signed Green to a big contract before last season but their woes continued when he missed 10 games with a knee problem. Hoping to avoid similar problems this year, the Texans signed Chris Brown in the offseason to back up Green.
When they drafted Slaton in the third round, the plan was for Green and Brown to split most of the carries and for the rookie to be a third-down back.
