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Davis Mills is a poor man's...

xtruroyaltyx

Hall of Fame
Matt Schaub/Kirk Cousins . If anyone thinks you can beat the top tier qbs with those guys, be my guest. You'll never be able to build a perfect team to beat those guys. They gotta at least have the right coaching staff to give anyone a chance.
At some point you gotta give it a go with the best guy you got though right? Especially of that guy shoes some promise.

I never fully believed in those Matt Schaub led teams but I damn sure tuned in and hoped..maybe a ball bounces this way...maybe a guy rises to the occasion...

Let's say Mills can get to a top 12 type guy (hopefully higher)...I think a good staff can work with that

But the Ravens did win with Flacco...Rex Grossman qb'd a team to the Superbowl...the corpse of Manning won one...not to mention Dilfer, Foles, Kerry Collins, Chris Chandler, Jared Goff, Garrapolo, Kaepernick, Brad Johnson...

There's been a few below average or slightly above average guys that have at least gotten there.

I mean, if this team can even get to a conference championship Mills would have qb'ed the most successful playoff team in Texans History.
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
That's kinda my worst fear with Mills. He plays next year shows he isn't "it"? Whatever, we are rebuilding anyway and can look around in the draft for one.

Shows he can play in the NFL, but isn't top tier? I doubt the Texans can break away from the "keep him around, quit looking" mindset

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If he shows he isn’t it next year than that is better than showing he might be it.

Next year the QB talent in the draft is better than this year supposedly. So if he sucks it up we are probably drafting high.

If he is showing flashes and might be it than that will suck because we either don’t draft when we should or draft when we shouldn’t.
 

xtruroyaltyx

Hall of Fame
That's kinda my worst fear with Mills. He plays next year shows he isn't "it"? Whatever, we are rebuilding anyway and can look around in the draft for one.

Shows he can play in the NFL, but isn't top tier? I doubt the Texans can break away from the "keep him around, quit looking" mindset

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

That's an interesting scenario and one I think they handled poorly when Schaub was here.

I think if you have a non elite QB and you evaluate a guy and think he can be an elite QB and you have a chance to take him, you do.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Matt Schaub/Kirk Cousins . If anyone thinks you can beat the top tier qbs with those guys, be my guest. You'll never be able to build a perfect team to beat those guys. They gotta at least have the right coaching staff to give anyone a chance.
It’s not like Bradys & Mannings are falling off the QB bus.

I hope Caserio isn’t sold on Mills being the guy. But I don’t want him taking blind stabs with any QB just because he’s the best of whatever bunch is coming out this year.

If he falls in love with Strong or Pickett or whoever, fine. Go get him. But if he’s not feeling them… pass.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
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At some point you gotta give it a go with the best guy you got though right? Especially of that guy shoes some promise.

I never fully believed in those Matt Schaub led teams but I damn sure tuned in and hoped..maybe a ball bounces this way...maybe a guy rises to the occasion...

Let's say Mills can get to a top 12 type guy (hopefully higher)...I think a good staff can work with that

But the Ravens did win with Flacco...Rex Grossman qb'd a team to the Superbowl...the corpse of Manning won one...not to mention Dilfer, Foles, Kerry Collins, Chris Chandler, Jared Goff, Garrapolo, Kaepernick, Brad Johnson...

There's been a few below average or slightly above average guys that have at least gotten there.

I mean, if this team can even get to a conference championship Mills would have qb'ed the most successful playoff team in Texans History.
I’m with you. But let’s be real. We ain’t getting to a Super Bowl next year, or the year after even with Brady in his prime.

Too much work to do before we’re in the wild card hunt. Mills (Schaub/Cousins) suits this team just fine.
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
Matt Schaub/Kirk Cousins . If anyone thinks you can beat the top tier qbs with those guys, be my guest. You'll never be able to build a perfect team to beat those guys. They gotta at least have the right coaching staff to give anyone a chance.
They wouldn't have to beat a top tier qb every game and Schaub and Cousins have both shown they can beat those guys with an above average team around them. You're not going to get a Patriots dynasty but most will be happy with competitive
 

leebigeztx

Keep it Movin!
At some point you gotta give it a go with the best guy you got though right? Especially of that guy shoes some promise.

I never fully believed in those Matt Schaub led teams but I damn sure tuned in and hoped..maybe a ball bounces this way...maybe a guy rises to the occasion...

Let's say Mills can get to a top 12 type guy (hopefully higher)...I think a good staff can work with that

But the Ravens did win with Flacco...Rex Grossman qb'd a team to the Superbowl...the corpse of Manning won one...not to mention Dilfer, Foles, Kerry Collins, Chris Chandler, Jared Goff, Garrapolo, Kaepernick, Brad Johnson...

There's been a few below average or slightly above average guys that have at least gotten there.

I mean, if this team can even get to a conference championship Mills would have qb'ed the most successful playoff team in Texans History.
Some of those guys you mentioned don't fit with this era of team construction. A guy like Flacco had elite talent, but was inconsistent, like Eli. The closest is probably someone like Jimmy G who doesn't have elite talent and the team was able to pack him to a superbowl. Few years later, 49ers decided he wasn't the dude. I'm sure you see the gauntlet that's in the afc right now. Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrough, Herbert. All of those guys are 26 or younger. I didn't even mention Watson who might be in the AFC also. Your dude better be one of those dudes.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
That's kinda my worst fear with Mills. He plays next year shows he isn't "it"? Whatever, we are rebuilding anyway and can look around in the draft for one.

Shows he can play in the NFL, but isn't top tier? I doubt the Texans can break away from the "keep him around, quit looking" mindset

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You could say this about any rookie QB.

Lawrence is Wentz

Fields is Garrard

Wilson is Jeff George

Jones is Everett

Etc... and you can make these comparisons to QB's in this yrs class too. Mills has more arm talent than either Schaub or Cousins.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Some of those guys you mentioned don't fit with this era of team construction. A guy like Flacco had elite talent, but was inconsistent, like Eli. The closest is probably someone like Jimmy G who doesn't have elite talent and the team was able to pack him to a superbowl. Few years later, 49ers decided he wasn't the dude. I'm sure you see the gauntlet that's in the afc right now. Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrough, Herbert. All of those guys are 26 or younger. I didn't even mention Watson who might be in the AFC also. Your dude better be one of those dudes.
We will see, Jimmy G (you know that talentless hack,) took his team 90 yds in a little over a minute to take his team to an overtime win. It's about coming up big in clutch. We dont know about Mills in this area at this point. But he's certainly got the arm talent to do the job.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
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We will see, Jimmy G (you know that talentless hack,) took his team 90 yds in a little over a minute to take his team to an overtime win. It's about coming up big in clutch. We dont know about Mills in this area at this point. But he's certainly got the arm talent to do the job.
I wonder who Mills has been watching. Who he’s been imitating or “trying” to be.

I hope he spends the off-season studying Rodgers & maybe good Matt Ryan
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
I want to see what Mills can do with a run game and being well protected before I can begin to pass judgement on his play. Right now I'm glad that he's a smart QB (Well advanced seeing how little he's played, Thanks Pep) who has an above avg arm and throws with accuracy/anticipation.

Right now I would say his floor is Dalton

His ceiling is Rivers.
I think you nailed it.
I am pleased with his deep passing - that is an aspect of his play that will keep opposing defences on their toes.
I also like his calm demeanor in the pocket - that tells me he is confident and bodes well for his future.
If he turns out as good as Rivers, Texans fans will be singing Caserios praises for years.
Personally, I think he will be a better Dalton with a better arm.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
It’s not like Bradys & Mannings are falling off the QB bus.

I hope Caserio isn’t sold on Mills being the guy. But I don’t want him taking blind stabs with any QB just because he’s the best of whatever bunch is coming out this year.

If he falls in love with Strong or Pickett or whoever, fine. Go get him. But if he’s not feeling them… pass.
If Caserio was watching the games, especially the final 4…..he’ll shelve the thoughts of drafting a QB in the 2022 NFL Draft and ask himself about the pieces needed to make this offense competitive.
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
If Caserio was watching the games, especially the final 4…..he’ll shelve the thoughts of drafting a QB in the 2022 NFL Draft and ask himself about the pieces needed to make this offense competitive.
I won't mind if he takes a flyer on an interesting guy late in the draft - like Bailey Zappe for example. At the very least he could be a camp arm and possibly a QB #3.
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
They wouldn't have to beat a top tier qb every game and Schaub and Cousins have both shown they can beat those guys with an above average team around them. You're not going to get a Patriots dynasty but most will be happy with competitive
Especially for the next couple of years.
After that we will raise our expectations, especially if Mills is looking even a little above average - which I think is very likely.
 
You're forgetting Tannehill and Carr and Wentz and Jones and Wilson and...
I don't think it was omission, the 5 AFC guys mentioned have shown elite talent that you could depend on to lift their team IF needed. Tannehill, Carr and Wentz are serviceable to win with, but not QBs you would think could be counted on to carry their team if needed. Wentz seemed to have that type of talent before his injury in Philly. Wayyy to early to compare Mills to anything but to play along, I would say Mills is a poor man's Carson Palmer.
 

welsh texan

You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one
At some point you gotta give it a go with the best guy you got though right? Especially of that guy shoes some promise.

I never fully believed in those Matt Schaub led teams but I damn sure tuned in and hoped..maybe a ball bounces this way...maybe a guy rises to the occasion...
Another thing about Matt Schaub, when he got injured the HC/GM stuck by him, but really it should have been the jumping off point. That team was stacked, and if you drafted right in the later rounds, could have afforded to sink a first on a QB. Could have afforded to spend multiple assets to pick a QB early.

But we didn’t do that, and we also didn’t draft too well either, so the team fell apart and we had no QB.

But if you have Andy Dalton at QB, you have to be willing and ready to draft Joe Burrows.

And the same goes for a number of franchises. Rivers gets drafted out by Herbert. Romo and Dak, Garropolo and Lance, even the colts were happy taking Luck when they could have stuck with Manning.

It’s OK to know what you have and ride it. Schaub was a great player for the Texans in that transitional phase, but the time to move on passed them by.

All that said, though, the years around Schaubs injury were not great years to be drafting a QB, I think they missed on Wilson same as all the other teams, but it’s slim pickings elsewhere.
 

Texian

Hall of Fame
I think most will agree that the Texans are a turd stew. They invested their first pick in last year's draft on a QB. At this point you might as well see your investment through. No way of knowing what the ROI will be unless you do. And at this point you really don't have any better options. If there were better options it would be worth discussing, but there are none. Like it or not Mills is the Texans best option in 2022. Regardless of whether the guy responsible for drafting Mills (Pep) is likely on his way out the door.
 
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The Pencil Neck

Hall of Fame
Another thing about Matt Schaub, when he got injured the HC/GM stuck by him, but really it should have been the jumping off point. That team was stacked, and if you drafted right in the later rounds, could have afforded to sink a first on a QB. Could have afforded to spend multiple assets to pick a QB early.

But we didn’t do that, and we also didn’t draft too well either, so the team fell apart and we had no QB.

But if you have Andy Dalton at QB, you have to be willing and ready to draft Joe Burrows.

And the same goes for a number of franchises. Rivers gets drafted out by Herbert. Romo and Dak, Garropolo and Lance, even the colts were happy taking Luck when they could have stuck with Manning.

It’s OK to know what you have and ride it. Schaub was a great player for the Texans in that transitional phase, but the time to move on passed them by.

All that said, though, the years around Schaubs injury were not great years to be drafting a QB, I think they missed on Wilson same as all the other teams, but it’s slim pickings elsewhere.
Yeah, but think if they'd drafted Wilson in 2012 instead of Devier Posey, or even Brandon Brooks or Whitney Mercilus.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
I think the Texans have put themselves into a spot where they are pretty much going to be forced to keep Kelly. Pep could very well be off to be OC elsewhere. The Texans could make Pep OC here, but why would he take that if McDaniels is going to be HC/OC soon?

And if they do lose Pep, what other OC would be willing to come here knowing the same, that the job will eventually be McDaniels?

Man this organization is a total clusterfuck.
True. This is the inherent problem with hiring a placeholder head coach and apparently placeholder staff. There is no long term planning, and I even wonder how they can truly evaluate future players when they can't be sure why kind of schemes will be implemented.

Unless, of course, it's all about treading water with a EP-type system so they can set the table for McDaniels. Are they going to text him during the draft to make sure he likes the players they are picking for him? lol
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
True. This is the inherent problem with hiring a placeholder head coach and apparently placeholder staff. There is no long term planning, and I even wonder how they can truly evaluate future players when they can't be sure why kind of schemes will be implemented.

Unless, of course, it's all about treading water with a EP-type system so they can set the table for McDaniels. Are they going to text him during the draft to make sure he likes the players they are picking for him? lol
The last paragraph is what I'm thinking is happening. McDaniels interviewing for the Bears job has sped up the timeline.

McDaniels if hired will be down on Kirby by the time the draft takes place. Good thing is because they were college teammates/roommates Caserio/McDaniels most likely share the same vision of what the roster/players should look like. I know this shared vision between GM/HC would be a big change in the way business has been done down on Kirby for the last 15 yrs or so. About time this change happens. IMHO
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
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The last paragraph is what I'm thinking is happening. McDaniels interviewing for the Bears job has sped up the timeline.

McDaniels if hired will be down on Kirby by the time the draft takes place. Good thing is because they were college teammates/roommates Caserio/McDaniels most likely share the same vision of what the roster/players should look like. I know this shared vision between GM/HC would be a big change in the way business has been done down on Kirby for the last 15 yrs or so. About time this change happens. IMHO
Yeah, I'd like to see it, too. That same-page streamlined power structure that seems so prevalent on the championship caliber teams. It seems from the outside to be where they want to go, but we can only speculate.

I know (and understand) a lot of folks are tired of the Patriots-clone thing, but if it would ever have potential, I'd think it would be with an aligned GM/HC that were integral to Belichick's operations. Perhaps even hire Brian Flores as DC with Romeo still in place as a consultant of some sort?

It could let the McNairs just be owners and would certainly offer a lot less potential for a certain front office executive to be anything more than a glorified cheerleader. lol ;)
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
I don't think it was omission, the 5 AFC guys mentioned have shown elite talent that you could depend on to lift their team IF needed. Tannehill, Carr and Wentz are serviceable to win with, but not QBs you would think could be counted on to carry their team if needed. Wentz seemed to have that type of talent before his injury in Philly. Wayyy to early to compare Mills to anything but to play along, I would say Mills is a poor man's Carson Palmer.
My point was that Mills won't have to go up against elite talent every game... he'll face average talent more often than elite talent.
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
McDaniels interviewing for the Bears job has sped up the timeline.
Has McDaniels actually interviewed with anyone in 2022? I know he interviewed with the Bears in 2018, but have not seen that he interviewed with anyone recently
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Has McDaniels actually interviewed with anyone in 2022? I know he interviewed with the Bears in 2018, but have not seen that he interviewed with anyone recently
I read somewhere that the Bears requested an interview with McDaniels.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Kinda like Pep Hamilton... Panthers have requested to interview but have already interviewed Klint Kubiak and Mike Groh. Interview requests mean nothing
Maybe, Maybe not

We dont know, actions make me lean towards something's going on.
 

Jack Burton

Veteran
That's kinda my worst fear with Mills. He plays next year shows he isn't "it"? Whatever, we are rebuilding anyway and can look around in the draft for one.

Shows he can play in the NFL, but isn't top tier? I doubt the Texans can break away from the "keep him around, quit looking" mindset

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Yeah, it’s irrelevant. If he turns into Rivers awesome, if not, they can just draft a QB high next draft, which is going to be a deep QB class.
Ive been saying this since he was drafted. He was a 3rd round pick. and they are rebuilding with a former fustercluck at the QB position they are ridding themselves of. Who cares if he works out of not. If he does though, they got a steal.
 

Carr Bombed

Hall of Fame
Yeah, it’s irrelevant. If he turns into Rivers awesome, if not, they can just draft a QB high next draft, which is going to be a deep QB class.
Ive been saying this since he was drafted. He was a 3rd round pick. and they are rebuilding with a former fustercluck at the QB position they are ridding themselves of. Who cares if he works out of not. If he does though, they got a steal.
I think they already got a steal.. Matt Schaub didn't flash near as much ability or have near as many snaps and the Texans had to trade two 2nd round picks to acquire him from Atlanta. I wonder what Mills would already fetch in a trade if the Texans put him on the block (Which obviously, they wouldn't). I bet it'd be a LOT more than a 3rd round pick..
 
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thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
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I think they already got a steal.. Matt Schaub didn't flash near as much ability or have near as many snaps and Texans had to trade two 2nd round picks to acquire him from Atlanta. I wonder what Mills would already fetch in a trade if the Texans put him on the block (Which obviously, they wouldn't). I bet it'd be a LOT more than a 3rd round pick..
He’s definitely shown more play making ability & better ball placement.

But Schaub new how to read a defense & drive his offense. That imo is where Mills needs to improve
 

Number19

Hall of Fame
He’s definitely shown more play making ability & better ball placement.

But Schaub new how to read a defense & drive his offense. That imo is where Mills needs to improve
Got curious, so I googled. Surprisingly, Schaub was playing as recently as 2019. Anyways:

Schaub's rookie season with Atlanta was 2004. He had 300 yds, 1 TD, 4 INT, and a rating of 42.0.

2005: 495 yds, 4 TD, 0 INT, 98.0;
2006: 208 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, 71.2.

His first year with Houston, 2007: 2,241 yds, 9 TD, 9 INT, 87.2.

As a reminder, Mills: 2,664 yds, 16 TD, 10 INT, 88.8 rating
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
He’s definitely shown more play making ability & better ball placement.

But Schaub new how to read a defense & drive his offense. That imo is where Mills needs to improve
You could see the improvement in this area over the last month of the season. Still has a ways to go, but I expect continuing improvement next yr. What I really want to see is more talent added on the OL and an improved run game. Then we can truly see where Mill progression is at.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
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Got curious, so I googled. Surprisingly, Schaub was playing as recently as 2019. Anyways:

Schaub's rookie season with Atlanta was 2004. He had 300 yds, 1 TD, 4 INT, and a rating of 42.0.

2005: 495 yds, 4 TD, 0 INT, 98.0;
2006: 208 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, 71.2.

His first year with Houston, 2007: 2,241 yds, 9 TD, 9 INT, 87.2.

As a reminder, Mills: 2,664 yds, 16 TD, 10 INT, 88.8 rating
Lok at them numbers Speedy
 

wildroot

Rookie
Everyone wants to debate his ceiling and honestly I see Tannehill is where he will land. I wonder if that is good enough?
How do you figure that? He out performed most if not all the 1st round QBs taken in the 2021 draft. I guess that means all those others have less of an upside based on their rookie performance. And Mills did it on probably the worst team other than probably JAX, but I'd say JAX has more talent on their team even those they finished below us.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
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I understand the need to be excited about something. But arguing, debating or trying to determine ceiling with such a small sample size about a QB who played on one of the worst offenses in recent NFL history seems premature.

Eventually, water always finds its level. 😎
I totally agree with this.

Same can be said of every QB that was drafted in this last draft. Good news is that Mills has played far less than any of the other QB's that were drafted above him and he seems to be improving the more he plays. He also played better the last month than any of those QB's.

Truth is we still dont know what Caserio has with Mills. (Just like every other QB in that draft.) But there's reason for badly needed optimism.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
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How do you figure that? He out performed most if not all the 1st round QBs taken in the 2021 draft. I guess that means all those others have less of an upside based on their rookie performance. And Mills did it on probably the worst team other than probably JAX, but I'd say JAX has more talent on their team even those they finished below us.
I think too many people focus on the fact that he was a 3rd round pick. Physically he’s as talented as Mac Jones or Matt Ryan. He just didn’t play enough at the college level to put his ability on film.

I understand being skeptical about him at the start of the season. But after his last 5 starts he should absolutely be considered in that group with Jones, Wilson, Lawrence, Lance, & Fields.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
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He’s definitely shown more play making ability & better ball placement.

But Schaub new how to read a defense & drive his offense. That imo is where Mills needs to improve
And Schaub had one of the best play actions in the game at his peak. When paired with Foster, that was a potent offense. Too bad the defense could never protect a lead when the offense was great.
 
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