"Steve Slaton is ailing. The diagnosis is easy: fumbleitis.

As is the case with the common cold, there might not be a cure for coughing up the football .

Slaton could just get over it in time, or — and yes, this sounds a bit dramatic - it could end his career. (See Sammie Smith.)

From the Texans coaches' thoughts that Slaton tends to run with a higher posture when he is tired, thereby increasing the likelihood of fumbles, to a local physician's speculation in an e-mail that Slaton might unknowingly have a decreased sense of proprioception and wearing gloves only exacerbates his problem, there are a host of theories on how Slaton came down with the disease and what can be done to cure him.

For now, Slaton's analysis is more basic: "I just need to hold on to the ball. I've been playing this game for a long time. I just need to go out there and play the way I know how to play."

Slaton's approach is smart. If he starts letting everyone tell him what his problem is, he might never move past it. Too much chicken soup can be bad for fumbleitis. Texans running back coach Chick Harris has worked with Slaton on a few things, and that should be enough. Better be.

The pressure is building. Coaches won't play a running back who fumbles too much.

Slaton's fumble into the end zone against Arizona in the Texans' preseason opener last Saturday continued a disturbing trend for the tailback, who fumbled seven times, losing five, in 11 games on just 175 touches (rushes and receptions) last season. By comparison, Titans tailback Chris Johnson had 408 touches and put the ball on the ground three times."