Between the scrambling of rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson and physical running backs Lamar Miller and D'Onta Foreman, the Texans' running game is ascending.

The Texans have climbed to third overall in the NFL in rushing offense, averaging 137.7 yards per game.

A Pro Bowl alternate last season, Miller leads the Texans with 372 rushing yards and has one touchdown.

A third-round draft pick from Texas who grew up in Texas City, Foreman has gained 207 yards and had a season-long 39-yard run against the Cleveland Browns.

And Watson has rushed for 202 yards and two scores.

"I think there’s a lot of different things that go into that," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "I think that our backs and our line and our tight ends are doing a really good job. I think they’ve really been coachable as to what we want them to do.

"I think the addition of having Deshaun, Deshaun’s rushed for a lot of yards, so that helps that stat. I think that’s a great stat, I think it’s an accomplishment to this point in the season, but it has to continue."

Foreman is averaging 4.1 yards per carry. after leading all college running backs last season with 2,028 rushing yards for the Longhorns.

“He still has a long way to go, but he’s coming along," running backs coach Charles London said. "He runs hard, he gets pads down. He’s getting better and better each week. He’s still learning how to be a pro, but you can see progress, I think.

“He’s a downhill, north-south, violent runner. He’s always falling forward. He runs tough. He gets better with the more carries that he gets, so hopefully that continues as the season goes on.”

Heading into Sunday's game against the Texans, the Seattle Seahawks rank 13th in rushing defense. They're giving up 113.7 ushing yards per game.

"We have to be able to run the football," O'Brien said. "This defense, Seattle’s defense, is obviously a great defense. I mean, they have their own nickname, ‘Legion of Boom.’ They’re a great defense, so we’ve got to be ready for what they do and we have to continue to improve.”