After a string of 100-yard rushing performances from running back Lamar Miller, the Houston Texans ground game has hit a dead end.

With quarterback Deshaun Watson the leading rusher both of the last two games, and Miller nursing an ankle injury, combined with poor blocking and a lack of creativity from the rushers, the rush attack has been all but nullified.

Thankfully for Houston, there is some good news. Second-year running back D’Onta Foreman has been practicing in recent weeks after he completed his recovery from an Achilles injury suffered last season.

The former Texas Longhorn has real potential to be a strong downhill threat, and should he return from injury with the same sort of speed he showed last season then he would add another dimension to this somewhat flat run game.

On Monday, coach Bill O’Brien addressed the media regarding Foreman and his readiness to return in relation to Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“As far as injuries go, I’ll just let the injury report speak for itself every day, but I would say that D’Onta has had a good two weeks of practice,” said O’Brien.

And when asked whether or not Foreman could be playing this week, O’Brien quite simply said: “You could. Yeah, no doubt.”

It would appear that this decision relies as much on Foreman’s preparedness at this point as it does the injury itself.

“I just want to see, obviously, good vision, good knowledge of how the play’s being blocked, decisive running, continuing to improve in his knowledge of pass protections,” O’Brien said on what he wants to see from a long absent Foreman. “Just good, solid play. Take care of the ball, number one.”

Week 16’s game is crucial for the Texans if they are to hang on to the No. 2 seed in the AFC, and potentially take the AFC South. With that in mind and a potential playoff berth just weeks away, if there is still any doubt whatsoever surrounding Foreman come Sunday, the Texans had better not risk it. However, should he be good to go for his season debut, Houston’s ground game may be about to wake up.