Death to Google Ads! Texans Talk Tip Jar! 🍺😎👍
Thanks for your support!

[Pick 67] Davis Mills QB Stanford

banned1976 said:
I don't think the argument is about Mills anymore. As is often the case, it's about who is most right and who is most wrong about a player...subjectively, of course.

From all that I have read and heard about Mills, he has played well enough for the Texans to focus on other positions early in the draft. Because of what it looks like in college football this year, with there not being that "generational" quarterback prospect, and the Texans having huge needs elsewhere, every Texans fan should (I would think) be happy that Mills has at least looked capable of growing into (if he hasn't already) an inexpensive stop-gap QB while the Texans target players at other positions.
Click to expand...

Agree. Inexpensive stop gap for a few years. We had hoped Tyrod Taylor would be that. He is not. If it is Mills for a couple years while we build through the draft that is would be a huge benefit to this team.
 
Speedy said:
You tell me. Last year with the same crappy offense they averaged 24 points per game and 20 1st downs. This year they average 14.7 points per game and 14.7 1st downs.
Click to expand...

Including 6 games started by Taylor in which there were 3 games where a total of 23 points were scored
 
Speedy said:
You tell me. Last year with the same crappy offense they averaged 24 points per game and 20 1st downs. This year they average 14.7 points per game and 14.7 1st downs.
Click to expand...

It’s on Mills for sure.

But it’s more about that a team being led by a top 5 QB in the NFL vs a team being led by a rookie.

Watson was elusive enough to make tacklers miss sacks, could run the ball, and made some great throws down field.

You aren’t going to see that from this rookie.

The interesting part is that even though Mills was drafted in the third, the consensus is that there isn’t much difference between him and some of the QBs drafted in the first.

Which rookie QB has a higher ceiling and will improve the most? Don’t know. Time will tell.
 
Speedy said:
You tell me. Last year with the same crappy offense they averaged 24 points per game and 20 1st downs. This year they average 14.7 points per game and 14.7 1st downs.
Click to expand...
You're wrong. It's not the same offense.

It missed Tunsil...
But I heard the Collins guy is pretty good.
So is Brevin Jordan.
I heard Britt is an upgrade.
So was Cannon for the time he lasted.

So yeah.
It's not the same offense.

I also heard the defense is much better; and so is the ST.

But those sunshine pumpers still say that Mills doesn't have much to work with.
 
Speedy said:
You tell me. Last year with the same crappy offense they averaged 24 points per game and 20 1st downs. This year they average 14.7 points per game and 14.7 1st downs.
Click to expand...

Difference is believe it or not the ol was better last yr and they had a QB that's been starting for 4 years vs a QB that's been starting for 6 games.

So should last yrs offense look better? Of course it should.
 
Speedy said:
You mean the unrealistic expectations of saying the Texans have found Watson's replacement?

And expectations aside, I'm simply commenting on what has transpired on the football field. And that is, Mills is QB of the worst offense in football, and though there's all kinds of reasons why it is the worst, Mills seems immune from playing any part in it. Talk about unrealistic.
Click to expand...

I get lack of sample size and traits but your damn lucky to do much better with a 3rd rd. QB. Always exceptions like Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott but my point would be this, past Texan GM had chance to draft them too but passed. Failing to identify a QB for so many seasons pre Watson is atypical for Texan current plight. You have to nibble at the edges to create starter or depth for all positions.

here is a nice piece on upcoming Texan/Charger game, w/mills snapshot-

 
beerlover said:
I get lack of sample size and traits but your damn lucky to do much better with a 3rd rd. QB. Always exceptions like Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott but my point would be this, past Texan GM had chance to draft them too but passed. Failing to identify a QB for so many seasons pre Watson is atypical for Texan current plight. You have to nibble at the edges to create starter or depth for all positions.

here is a nice piece on upcoming Texan/Charger game, w/mills snapshot-

Click to expand...

Other than I thought it wasn’t very smart to take such an inexperienced QB at that spot at that time, when there’s so much more that they needed, I don’t necessarily have an issue with how he’s playing. It’s pretty much what was expected. It wasn’t expected to be very pretty. Now, I didn’t expect him to be playing so much so soon, but I guess I should have with Taylor’s history.

What I take issue with is those going off on a “this could be the guy” mantra trying to convince us that what we see on the field is everybody else’s fault but his. Yes, there’s a lot of fault to go around. That’s how you come to be a bad football team, but he’s part of it.

He’s an inexperienced 3rd round rookie on a bad bad football team who through 8 starts looks like an inexperienced 3rd round rookie on a bad bad football team.
 
Speedy said:
You tell me. Last year with the same crappy offense they averaged 24 points per game and 20 1st downs. This year they average 14.7 points per game and 14.7 1st downs.
Click to expand...

Honestly, you can't compare. Watson has a weaker arm but runs. Which cases him to be able to buy time. He played more in school and had a full off season to prep for his first game...and it wasn't game 1. Mills arguably has less talent both at the position and around him.

So, let's see what happens IF he had the (similar) cast Watson had when we were going 9+ wins and playoffs. Only then will we know what we have.
 
Pretty much every element around him is bottom end. Ol. Rb's. Wr's. Coaching. No one's going to succeed with that kind of toilet bowl talent.

He's a rookie with little experience even in college ball. I thought he looked sharp on the first drive and he out performed the "once in a decade" talent that is Lawrence.

I liked the pick and applauded it at the time (for numerous reasons.) I don't know where his ceiling is but I do see him evolving faster then expected. He has more games to play this year. Let it play out before passing judgment.
 
Lucky said:
Weaker arm than whom?
Click to expand...


Arm strength is overated. I see the merit in bad weather stadiums like Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh.

Houston? Not so much.

A lot of scouting reports on Watson questioned his arm strength. I thought it to in the little I watched him at Clemson. After watching him on the Texans I stopped doubting it. He throws a good deep ball.

Mills's arm is sufficient to make all the regular throws.

JaMarcus Russell had one of the strongest arms I ever saw. Didn't help much.

Truth is, these guys rarely showcase their arm strength on an uninterrupted platform 40 yards downfield. It's more about touch and timing then nailing a target with velocity most of the time.
 
powda said:
Arm strength is overated. I see the merit in bad weather stadiums like Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh.

Houston? Not so much.

A lot of scouting reports on Watson questioned his arm strength. I thought it to in the little I watched him at Clemson. After watching him on the Texans I stopped doubting it. He throws a good deep ball.

Mills's arm is sufficient to make all the regular throws.

JaMarcus Russell had one of the strongest arms I ever saw. Didn't help much.

Truth is, these guys rarely showcase their arm strength on an uninterrupted platform 40 yards downfield. It's more about touch and timing then nailing a target with velocity most of the time.
Click to expand...


This right here, you compare the number of times a QB has to throw a 70 yard bomb vs how many times he has to throw a 10-15 yard bullet and you see arm strength really is overrated.
 
maverick512000 said:
This right here, you compare the number of times a QB has to throw a 70 yard bomb vs how many times he has to throw a 10-15 yard bullet and you see arm strength really is overrated.
Click to expand...
Until you see guys like Mahomes, Rogers, & Herbert flicking the ball 15 yards when they can't plant their feet or follow through, or turn their hips.
 
thunderkyss said:
Until you see guys like Mahomes, Rogers, & Herbert flicking the ball 15 yards when they can't plant their feet or follow through, or turn their hips.
Click to expand...


I actually think watching guys throw without their feet beneath them is the easiest way to judge their arm strength.

At the end of the day though, a 51 mph ball gets there the same as a 54 mph ball almost every time. Your 15 yard example should be doubled before it makes a difference imo.

It's overrated.
 
Last edited:
powda said:
Arm strength is overated. I see the merit in bad weather stadiums like Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh.

Houston? Not so much.

A lot of scouting reports on Watson questioned his arm strength. I thought it to in the little I watched him at Clemson. After watching him on the Texans I stopped doubting it. He throws a good deep ball.

Mills's arm is sufficient to make all the regular throws.

JaMarcus Russell had one of the strongest arms I ever saw. Didn't help much.

Truth is, these guys rarely showcase their arm strength on an uninterrupted platform 40 yards downfield. It's more about touch and timing then nailing a target with velocity most of the time.
Click to expand...

exactly.. It's all about how quick you can process information and anticipation.. throwing people open. Elite arm strength is nice, but at the end of the day look at QB #1, 2, and 3 all time (arguably) and look who holds the most rings..
 
Last edited:
thunderkyss said:
Until you see guys like Mahomes, Rogers, & Herbert flicking the ball 15 yards when they can't plant their feet or follow through, or turn their hips.
Click to expand...

Which usually happens because something has gone wrong and they are making it up on the fly. In comparison guys like Brady and Manning have already read the defense and planned it out so things rarely go wrong and they almost never make it up on the fly.

Back on topic if we are being honest I don’t think either of these things will be talked about in the same sentence as Mills but I hope to be proven wrong.
 
thunderkyss said:
Until you see guys like Mahomes, Rogers, & Herbert flicking the ball 15 yards when they can't plant their feet or follow through, or turn their hips.
Click to expand...


You do realize between the qbs you mentioned they have 17 total seasons and only 2 sb victories? That's hardly an endorsement for any cannon armed qb being the ultimate weapon.
 
SnakeEyes said:
Honestly, you can't compare. Watson has a weaker arm but runs. Which cases him to be able to buy time. He played more in school and had a full off season to prep for his first game...and it wasn't game 1. Mills arguably has less talent both at the position and around him.

So, let's see what happens IF he had the (similar) cast Watson had when we were going 9+ wins and playoffs. Only then will we know what we have.
Click to expand...
:toropalm:
 
maverick512000 said:
Which usually happens because something has gone wrong and they are making it up on the fly. In comparison guys like Brady and Manning have already read the defense and planned it out so things rarely go wrong and they almost never make it up on the fly.

Back on topic if we are being honest I don’t think either of these things will be talked about in the same sentence as Mills but I hope to be proven wrong.
Click to expand...

Spot on. DW4 is a great QB when improvising. Unfortunately, many of the times he has to improvise is because he held the ball too long or the line collapsed. I prefer that the QB read the defense, make the necessary adjustments and run a play than have to make it up on the fly because something has gone wrong. This requires play calls and an offensive system that we don't have. However, I do believe that Mills is capable of being that guy.
 
Speedy said:
:toropalm:
Click to expand...

Hey it's fact. I didn't say I 100% agree. But look at the scouting reports and it's in black and white. Watson had played in school for multiple seasons, Mills 1. Watson can run and improvise. Mills is going to be a pocket passer and only run if he has to. Winning 9+ games Watson had WRs like Hopkins and Fuller (when he was healthy and decent TEs. Mills has Cooks but that's about it. Then he has a rookie in Collins and a few unproven guys. The OL until last year was better than it is now, which is scary to think about. As for RBs while we didn't have any great RBs even an aging Gore is probably a step up over Johnson and our current youth group. As for arm strength, Mills has a stronger arm. Some even worried about Watson making long passes due to his combine test low velocity on passes. Last, covid preseason altered everything for Mills, not as bad as the previous year, but still altered. Watson had a regular preseason his rookie season. If we turn to the coaches side, you likely have a coin toss of who had better coaches.

Bottom line is unless you switch them to the different years (Watson now and Mills then) we have no idea how either would do.
 
Carr Bombed said:
exactly.. It's all about how quick you can process information and anticipation.. throwing people open. Elite arm strength is nice, but at the end of the day look at QB #1, 2, and 3 all time (arguably) and look who holds the most rings..
Click to expand...

Rodgers is the outlier, because he can do all of the things Brady can do, plus he has a great arm and still at 38 has good mobility. BTW, Brady's mobility in the pocket and the way he navigates the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield is unmatched. IMHO There's more to mobility than running with the ball.
 
Lucky said:
Weaker arm than whom?
Click to expand...

Mills according to scouting reports and combine tests. True the difference in the 50+ yard throw is not as big a deal. Be it a fast (stronger arm) 50+ mph throw (numbers for simple example use) vs a 40mph throw. The latter will still make it to a target. However, the lower velocity can make it wobble or allow for DBs to get a better position on it.

It is true however that besides Roger's (current QBs) they claim Brady had a weak arm. It has improved over the years, true. So, is it a big problem to have a weaker arm? Not really, if the cast around you is good enough it shouldn't matter
 
powda said:
Pretty much every element around him is bottom end. Ol. Rb's. Wr's. Coaching. No one's going to succeed with that kind of toilet bowl talent.

He's a rookie with little experience even in college ball. I thought he looked sharp on the first drive and he out performed the "once in a decade" talent that is Lawrence.

I liked the pick and applauded it at the time (for numerous reasons.) I don't know where his ceiling is but I do see him evolving faster then expected. He has more games to play this year. Let it play out before passing judgment.
Click to expand...

I say let it play out this season and next season.
 
steelbtexan said:
Rodgers is the outlier, because he can do all of the things Brady can do, plus he has a great arm and still at 38 has good mobility. BTW, Brady's mobility in the pocket and the way he navigates the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield is unmatched. IMHO There's more to mobility than running with the ball.
Click to expand...

That's very true. And I believe Brady has increased his arm strength over the years. I would rather have a QB who is still got his head up while under pressure than a guy who folds and runs. The top QBs have the ability to run 10yrds backwards, scrambling to a side and still have the ability to keep track of targets. Only running if nothing is open or throwing it away. Watson is not so great at this or throwing it away. The forum jumped all over him many times for trying to make something work or not throwing it away. Nobody can say that is false. It is an issue that has been talked about his need to fix since day 1
 
powda said:
Pretty much every element around him is bottom end. Ol. Rb's. Wr's. Coaching. No one's going to succeed with that kind of toilet bowl talent.

He's a rookie with little experience even in college ball. I thought he looked sharp on the first drive and he out performed the "once in a decade" talent that is Lawrence.

I liked the pick and applauded it at the time (for numerous reasons.) I don't know where his ceiling is but I do see him evolving faster then expected. He has more games to play this year. Let it play out before passing judgment.
Click to expand...

Excellent points and that's what I am saying also. Maybe he is going to be better than some think or maybe not. Won't know until we see what happens
 
SnakeEyes said:
That's very true. And I believe Brady has increased his arm strength over the years. I would rather have a QB who is still got his head up while under pressure than a guy who folds and runs. The top QBs have the ability to run 10yrds backwards, scrambling to a side and still have the ability to keep track of targets. Only running if nothing is open or throwing it away. Watson is not so great at this or throwing it away. The forum jumped all over him many times for trying to make something work or not throwing it away. Nobody can say that is false. It is an issue that has been talked about his need to fix since day 1
Click to expand...

And it's an issue that I dont Derrick can, or for that matter wants to change. It's why I call him a top 10-12 QB rather than a top 5 QB and why I think he will never win a championship.
 
SnakeEyes said:
Mills according to scouting reports and combine tests. True the difference in the 50+ yard throw is not as big a deal. Be it a fast (stronger arm) 50+ mph throw (numbers for simple example use) vs a 40mph throw. The latter will still make it to a target. However, the lower velocity can make it wobble or allow for DBs to get a better position on it.

It is true however that besides Roger's (current QBs) they claim Brady had a weak arm. It has improved over the years, true. So, is it a big problem to have a weaker arm? Not really, if the cast around you is good enough it shouldn't matter
Click to expand...
Whoever claimed that Brady has a weak arm was just talking nonsense.

www.cbssports.com

Tom Brady fires back at doubters by touting his impressive throwing velocity as his 42nd birthday nears

Brady responds to the claim that he's going to 'fall off a cliff'
www.cbssports.com www.cbssports.com
 
Mr teX said:
Every young qb in the league can flash potential for 1, 2 drives or even a quarter of a game. Saying Mills is "a little better than that" says that he's putting together halves of games where he's flashing more than looking like a deer in the headlights. & he's really only done that once in my estimation...The Pats game.

The team around him ain't doing him no favors, but he's not exactly doing himself a whole lot either. The best thing he does right now is not lose us games.
Click to expand...

That's your interpretation, not what I said. We just have differing opinions, I see it much differently.
 
maverick512000 said:
This right here, you compare the number of times a QB has to throw a 70 yard bomb vs how many times he has to throw a 10-15 yard bullet and you see arm strength really is overrated.
Click to expand...

Reality is that a stronger arm is going to have the ability to get into tighter windows even on shorter throws. Throws that have to be thrown hard and accurately. Something that is not as easy with a weak arm.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top