HOUSTON — Arian Foster rolls down the vast field-level corridor inside Reliant Stadium on the Segway he gave his linemen to reduce wear and tear on the folks who help keep his head attached to his shoulders. Given the mileage that the Texans’ all-purpose back is expected to cover on any given Sunday, any vehicle that keeps his feet off the ground is helpful.

Not to say that Foster carries the entire load for the Houston offense, but he has more on his shoulders than anyone else. “It starts with their running game, it starts with Foster,” said Patriots tackle Vince Wilfork, whose defensive colleagues know they have to stop him on Sunday afternoon to advance to the AFC Championship game. “The more touches that he gets, in the passing game or on the ground, the better that team is.”