The Houston Texans are placing it all in the hands of Davis Mills in 2022.
The second-year quarterback has had no competition either from the team’s free agent signings or the team’s draft class. Kyle Allen, Kevin Hogan, and Jeff Driskel are in a support role to provide a stable quarterback room to help Mills process the game along with offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton.
Chris Simms from NBC Sports released his top-40 quarterbacks listing for 2022, and Mills barely made it out of the bottom-5. The third-rounder from Stanford was No. 35, ahead of the guy he replaced in the New York Giants’ Tyrod Taylor. Baltimore Ravens backup Tyler Huntley was ahead of Mills at No. 34.
The FULL 40. 🏈@CSimmsQB's complete QB countdown. Thoughts?! pic.twitter.com/vPwcWcP3zM
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) June 17, 2022
What the list represents is how the dysfunction of the Texans over the past two seasons has spilled over onto a relatively unknown quantity — at least on the national stage. It is easier to conclude the roster problems still facing the Texans will overtake Mills and he will be ineffective, rather than actually evaluate whether, say, Geno Smith, whose ceiling already has been quantified, is better than Mills.
Mills went 2-3 down the final five games in 2021 with a 9-2 touchdown to interception ratio, including a 102.4 passer rating. In Week 18, which was hardly inconsequential for the Tennessee Titans, who needed the victory to wrap up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, Mills completed 23-of-33 for 301 yards and three touchdowns. The Titans led 21-0 at halftime at NRG Stadium, but the Texans rallied down 21-18 with 11:40 left. Ultimately the Titans prevailed 28-25, but Houston made Tennessee sweat, and it was the play from a rookie Mills that helped.
The only metric that is going to help Mills’ case is the win-loss column. Until the Texans start hovering near .500 for a substantial part of the season, Mills’ play will continue to be overlooked in the broader picture of NFL quarterback play.
Across the rest of the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts’ Matt Ryan was No. 14. The Titans’ Ryan Tannehill was No. 15. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence was No. 24.
