Texans rookie QB Davis Mills struggled against floundering Colts
CBS commentators Spero Dedes and Jay Feely were very complimentary of Houston Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills on Sunday. And why not? Before the second half Mills had zero turnovers and was coming off the best game of his career against the New England Patriots where he threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns.
Within the context of struggling rookie quarterbacks around the league, it does seem only fair to give Mills credit for the positives he creates within a situation that is universally regarded as less than desirable for a rookie.
Sunday’s contest against the Indianapolis Colts, a 31-3 beatdown, raised the question whether those expectations are too low. Mills played a fine game by all standards for a third-round rookie quarterback. He completed 29-of-43 attempts for 243 yards and two interceptions on the day.
The contest included Mills’ usual flashes of great play that signal a quarterback that could potentially play a part in Houston’s future. Accurate ball placement, surprising mobility, and a general lack of panic one might expect from someone who has started less than two dozen games since high school.
He gave Brandin Cooks the necessary high target share (nine receptions on 13 targets) to make the offense, as constructed, work while also highlighting rookie Nico Collins to the tune of four receptions and 43 yards on six targets. It could have been so much worse.
However, that doesn’t necessarily excuse what was still a dreadful performance by the offense. Mills threw two interceptions, a “reasonable” number by rookie standards but a turnover margin that will generally make it very difficult to win football games. The offensive game plan still doesn’t look like one you’d expect from a coaching staff that has full confidence in who they’re starting under center. What is even more concerning is the offense only led one scoring drive on the day — a 31-yard field goal by Kaimi Fairbairn on a drive that had started on the Texans’ 25-yard line.
The rest of the day, which included 353 total yards of offense, was held completely scoreless by what had been a previously struggling Indianapolis defense. This should be alarming to all fans involved that Houston, even when their struggling run game created over 100 yards on the ground, only scored three points.
This loss, despite the offense’s ineptitude, will likely be pinned most likely on the defense and their incredible ability to make Carson Wentz look like the second coming of Peyton Manning and T.Y. Hilton look like a spring rookie.
Mills had an average game for an offense that struggles to do most of the concepts they hope to execute. However, his ability to produce beyond the expectations of a “third-round rookie” will dictate his future on this team. At this rate it seems also certain that Tyrod Taylor will replace Mills as the starter as soon as his health makes him able.
As projected, Houston likely travels to Miami in two weeks at 1-7 after virtually guaranteed losses against the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams. Will the coaching staff turn the reins full time to their rookie quarterback if they’re 1-8? Nobody knows.
What we do know is that Mills will have to show more than he did on Sunday in order to establish the level of confidence needed to even entertain the option of entering 2022 as the Texans’ starting quarterback.
