Foster has Patriots' scout team on the run

FOXBORO --New England's preparation for the Texans ground game is something like a symphony.
It starts with simulating Arian Foster.The running back's 351 rushing attempts and 15 touchdowns led the NFL in 2012's regular season.
"It comes down to a lot of film study," said Patriots rookie Brandon Bolden. "It sounds very boring, but it's just a lot of film study. We just try to give the defense the best look as possible, just try to imitate them as best as possible.
"Patience is a big part of his game. It's a very big part. He tries to set things up and he works around it. We're not him exactly, but we can try to do the stuff that he kind of likes to do."
"Shane Vereen, Woody Danny Woodhead, Stevan Ridley, Brandon Bolden, all of them. . . they're different than Foster, but it's close enough, certainly good enough for our defense to work against," said coach Bill Belichick. "Those guys make good cuts, they see holes well. I think our backs do a good job giving us the look on the scout team in the running game."
Houston's penchant for zone blocking can make things interesting.
The Texans' offensive linemen rely more on athleticism than muscle in creating running lanes. They are disciplined, coordinated. They will trick opponents, double-team them, cut block them.
Yet another challenge for the Patriots scout team.
"I think its harder actually to simulate, to get all the offensive linemenit doesnt matter who you playits usually harder to get them too, to get the blocking schemes kind of exactly the way the other team does it," Belichick noted. "Its probably easier for the runner than the overall blocking patterns, depending on how each team does it during the week. You have to try to get all those guys coordinated."
Defensive end Rob Ninkovich elaborated on the challenge of facing a fleet-footed offensive line.
"This team does a good job of all moving together," he said. "All the offensive linemen are athletic and they can move, so the challenge is, for us as a D-line, to play strong and be fast, kind of reset the line of scrimmage. That's your job, really, is to get those guys knocked back and not be run into the sideline."
For the Patriots, knocking O-lineman back starts with nose tackle Vince Wilfork.
"Playing cut blocks is always a big challenge when youre facing a team like this because it seems likeI dont care if youre getting cut on the front side or the back side, that running back sees it and he hits it right off that cut block," said Wilfork. "So up front its going to be very important for us to try to stay on our feet and make sure that we are playing our blocks pretty good."
New England's defense held Foster to 46 rushing yards when the teams met December 10. Houston gained just 100 ground yards on the night.
The Patriots offense did its part by jumping out to a 28-0 lead, thereby forcing the Texans to air the ball out. Foster's 15 carries in Week 14 marked his third-lowest single game total of the season.
But Wilfork feels like the run defense can hold its own. The Patriots are preparing for, expecting Houston's best shot. They will be ready.
"Weve faced it, weve seen it a bunch of times, so we kind of know how we want to play this game. If we play it the way that we need to play it, well be okay."