With gimpy Black benched, Foster steps up

If LB Quincy Black didn’t look like himself in the first half, it’s because he wasn’t. Coach Raheem Morris said he benched Black after discovering he had an ankle injury that presumably played a role in Black’s several missed tackles. Not that Black used it as a defense. “That’s not my thing,” he said. “If I’m out there, I’m out there. I don’t make excuses. That’s why when I don’t make plays, guys are surprised.” Black’s loss meant rookie Mason Foster, who has been playing only in the base defense, would be asked to also play in the nickel defense in passing situations. That’s a situation he has little experience with, one that requires him to get downfield in coverage. He had a costly pass-interference against WR Percy Harvin in the fourth quarter, an infraction that moved the ball 23 yards and led to a field goal. But the day proved a learning experience for the kid, who finished with ...