BEREA, Ohio -- Browns running back Ben Tate signed with the Browns in the offseason to step out of the shadows of Texans' premier back Arian Foster, who comes to town Sunday as the NFL's second-leading rusher with 822 yards.



Instead, Tate stepped into the lair of the Browns' three-headed backfield monster, and he admitted Tuesday that it's not a satisfying for him.



"I'd be lying if I said 'yeah,''' he said Tuesday. "It's not, but whatever the organization thinks is best for the team, then that's what we're going to do.''



While Foster comes to Cleveland with a stellar 5.1-yard average, tied for third among running backs, and is tied for second with seven rushing touchdowns, Tate is second too. But it's not the kind of second he imagined when he signed a two-year free agent deal in the offseason worth about $6.2 million, including $2.5 million guaranteed.

He's second on the Browns to apparent new featured back Terrance West, who leads the team with 107 carries for 396 yards (3.7-yard average) and three TDs. Tate, who missed two games with a sprained knee, has 104 carries for 342 yards (3.3-yard average) and four TDs. wants to be. Isaiah Crowell, a rookie like West, is third with 64 carries for 297 yards (4.0) and a team-high five TDs.



The fact that the Browns are the only team in the NFL with three 250 yard rushers isn't a source of great pride for Tate. He came here to be the lead dog -- said the Browns told him he would be -- and now he's just one of the pack. So what can he do now that this isn't what he signed up for?



"Nothing,'' he said. "Keep working. Keep getting better every try,'' he said. "Life never pans out the way you want it to. It's a bump in the road. Keep going."



Tate, who's role has steadily declined, was careful not to come right out and directly complain about his limited role, but the message was clear: he's not happy, but he'll roll with it.



"We're winning,'' he said. "We're 6-3 and in first place, that's all that really matters.''



Is it hard to object when you're in first place in the division?



"Who would do that?'' he asked. "You'd look like the bad guy. You don't do that (laughs)''



Would he have signed here if he knew he'd be part of the backfield trio?



"I don't really want to get into that now,'' he said. "Our focus is on the Texans this week."



Tate admitted he doesn't get the whole three-back thing, and indicated he's trying to make the best of a tough situation.



"I'm just a player, man, I'm just a number to them,'' said Tate. "I couldn't really tell you why things are happening or what's going on. The only thing I can do and when it's time to go to work, go to work.''



Tate, who carried only 10 times for 34 yards in Cincinnati -- the fewest of the three backs -- said he never has any idea who's going to get the ball or how much in any given game.



"No. I wish,'' he said.

Tate's longest run of the season was 25 yards in the opener Pittsburgh, the run on which he suffered a sprained knee and was forced to sit out the next two games. His longest since then was an 18-yarder in Jacksonville.

Are the looking for more long bursts from him?

"Possibly,'' he said. "I really don't know, but maybe. I don't know.''

Coming off a 24-3 rout of the Bengals in which the Browns ran for 170 yards on 52 carries -- the most in club annals since 1987 and most in the NFL this season -- Pettine wasn't concerned with how the three backs are handling the rotation.



"They've been productive,'' said Pettine. "They're all team guys, and they know when their number is called they've got to step up and respond. I'm not going to get too wrapped up in the psychology behind it. They're professionals, and when their number is called, they've got to be ready to go."



Tate, who came to the Browns with an impressive 4.7-yards per carry career average, indicated that he'd be producing at that clip with more carries. In each of the past two games, he's carried the ball only 10 times. Originally, the Browns had him slated for about 20 carries per game. Would that be his magic number?



"You answered it,'' he said.

In his first game back from the knee injury, Tate rushed for a season-high 124 yards and a 5.6-yard average against the Titans. Since then, his yards have decreased from 78 to 36 to 26 to 3, then back up to 34 in Cincy.



"I think it's a combination of everything. I think I'm the same player. I don't think I've changed. I think what I did when the position was open to get the position and the player that I was against Tennessee and was before, I think I'm the exact same player. I don't think I've changed. I don't feel I've got a step slower all of a sudden or anything like that. I just think it's a combination of everything."

Tate also indicated that he's not enjoying he fellowship around here the way he did in Houston, where he spent the past four seasons after they drafted him in the second round of 2010 out of Auburn.

"I had a blast when I was there,'' he said. "Had a great time in Houston. Camaraderie was great, the guys were fun. It's one of those places where ... you rarely go to a place where you have a locker room full of guys and you talk to everyone and everyone hangs out. That's the kind of locker room that that was, so I definitely miss that part of it.''

How does this locker room compare?

"I'm here and I don't want to compare locker rooms.''

He acknowledged the two rookies have gotten better, but doesn't know if that's why his role is diminishing.

"That's something you'll have to ask coach,'' said Tate.

Tate also took a subtle shot at the backs not being involved in the passing game. He has six catches the past two weeks for a backfield-high total of nine on the season. West has seven receptions and a TD and Crowell has three catches. Meanwhile, Foster is third on the Texans with 26 catches for 229 yards and three TDs -- including a 56-yarder.

"I think (it's) because they decided to throw us the ball, finally,'' said Tate. "I think it's been there, they just decided to finally throw it to us.''

In Cincinnati, West was the bellcow, running 26 times for 94 yards and a team-high 3.6-yard average. Crowell ran 12 times for a 41 yards (3.4 ave.) and Tate followed with his 10 carries for 34. yards. All three backs rushed for a TD, the first time that's happened for the Browns in a game since 1994.

Asked if the running game would be more successful if he got the ball more, Tate said, "I don't know, man, I really don't know. I can't say one way or another.''



Offensive Kyle Shanahan didn't take kindly to his rookie backs complaining earlier this season that they can't get into the flow of the game with so few carries. In fact, it seemed as though Crowell's carries diminished considerably after he spoke up.

"I don't ever worry about running backs getting into a rhythm,'' Shanahan said at the time. "They're not quarterbacks. When you hand them the ball they better run hard and do as good as they can.''

He also issued a challenge for one of them to step up and take the top job.

"I've always had a running back who really separates himself from the others,'' Shanahan said. "We've got three solid guys. But for one of those guys to just get the bulk of the carries and to take off, then that's up to them.''

Whether or not the Browns will take advantage of Tate's former-team factor on Sunday remains to be seen. For his part, he's not making it about him vs. Foster.

"Nah. You can't do that,'' he said. "If we were playing the same defense, maybe. I don't look at it like that.''

He did admit that playing against the Texans is "definitely going to be a little more fun.''

But perhaps not as fun as he originally envisioned.