Houston Texans RB Arian Foster was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1 following a record-breaking day on the ground that helped his team defeat AFC South Division rival Indianapolis last Sunday.
In just the seventh game and second start of his career, Foster carried the ball 33 times for 231 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-24 win against the Colts. His rushing total set a team record and was the second-most rushing yards on Kickoff Weekend in NFL history, trailing only Hall of Fame RB O.J. Simpson, who ran for 250 yards on 29 carries vs. New England on September 16, 1973. Foster is the first player to rush for 200 yards and three touchdowns on Kickoff Weekend in NFL history.
Foster also set a Texans single-game record for carries and tied a team record with three rushing touchdowns. The rushing total eclipsed Domanick Williams' former team record of 158 yards, set against Jacksonville in 2004, and marked the first 200-yard individual rushing effort in Texans history.
Coach Gary Kubiak lauded Foster's performance.
"It wasn't like it was a surprise that he would play well," Kubiak said. "I thought he was pretty darn good in (training) camp. Just to be able to hold up and carry the ball 33 times; that's another animal, right there. That's something special. We thought he could be a guy that could carry the load. But that's a heck of a day's work."
Originally undrafted out of Tennessee in 2009, the 6-1, 227-pound Foster gained 191 rushing yards in the second half against the Colts, including 125 yards in the fourth quarter. Foster's big second half keyed a team-record 257 yards rushing for the Texans.
The award is the first of Foster's career. He is the fourth Texan honored as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, joining WR Andre Johnson, QB Matt Schaub (twice) and RB Steve Slaton. Below is a list of Texans who have won the AFC Player of the Week Award.
Foster also is in the running for FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week.
List of Texans AFC Player of the Week Award Winners:
| Player | Award | Week | Year |
| Arian Foster | Offensive | 1 | 2010 |
| Brian Cushing | Defensive | 8 | 2009 |
| Brian Cushing | Defensive | 6 | 2009 |
| Jacoby Jones | Special Teams | 4 | 2009 |
| Matt Schaub | Offensive | 2 | 2009 |
| Matt Schaub | Offensive | 14 | 2008 |
| Steve Slaton | Offensive | 13 | 2008 |
| Jacoby Jones | Special Teams | 8 | 2008 |
| Jacoby Jones | Special Teams | 6 | 2008 |
| André Davis | Special Teams | 14 | 2007 |
| Kris Brown | Special Teams | 5 | 2007 |
| Mario Williams | Defensive | 1 | 2007 |
| Kris Brown | Special Teams | 16 | 2006 |
| DeMeco Ryans | Defensive | 13 | 2006 |
| Andre Johnson | Offensive | 4 | 2006 |
| Jerome Mathis | Special Teams | 8 | 2005 |
| Kris Brown | Special Teams | 3 | 2004 |
| Chad Stanley | Special Teams | 9 | 2003 |
| Avion Black | Special Teams | 15 | 2002 |
| Aaron Glenn | Defensive | 14 | 2002 |
