As if trying to avoid the longest losing streak in team history isn't tough enough, the Houston Texans must attempt to do so without their coach and perhaps their star running back as well.
With ailing Gary Kubiak out indefinitely and running back Arian Foster sidelined, the visiting Texans look to avoid a seventh straight defeat Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Kubiak collapsed while suffering a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini-stroke, while jogging off the field at halftime of Houston's 27-24 loss to Indianapolis last Sunday night. Without their coach, the Texans were outscored 24-3 in the second half en route to matching the club record for consecutive losses.
The 52-year-old Kubiak was released from the hospital Tuesday and is expected to make a full recovery, but when he will return to the field remains uncertain.
"I've been through an ordeal and my focus now is to get back to good health," Kubiak said in a statement released by the team.
Serving as interim coach, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will try to help the Texans end a disastrous slide during which they've scored 20 or more points twice and allowed an average of 28.7.
Houston yielded 19.0 points per contest while going 22-10 and winning the AFC South the previous two seasons.
"It's been frustrating, especially after the past two seasons and the expectations," receiver Andre Johnson said. "But if you don't go out and play the way you're supposed to play you're not going to win. And we didn't do that so that's why we haven't been winning ... somehow some way we've got to go out and fix the mistakes we've been making and try to win a game."
After topping the 100-yard receiving mark twice and not scoring over the first seven games, Johnson caught nine passes for 229 yards and three TDs against the Colts.
Case Keenum has been a nice surprise for Houston, throwing for 621 yards with four TDs and no interceptions in two starts since replacing the benched Matt Schaub. However, the Texans have managed one touchdown while being outscored 94-19 after the first half of the last six games.
Keenum won't be handing the ball off to Foster, who departed after Houston's first possession last Sunday with a back injury. Foster, who has rushed for 542 yards, left the Texans' previous game at Kansas City on Oct. 20 with a hamstring injury after running for 11 yards on four carries.
Backup Ben Tate rushed for 81 yards on a season-high 22 carries against the Colts despite dealing with four broken ribs, and he'll start in Foster's place.
