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Davis Mills getting no respect

I'm a Mills fan. And I expect him to develop into an above average starter at minimum.
But he hasn't earned much respect yet, and virtually any opinion of him is valid at this point.

With the exception of people trying to say he's got a weak noodle arm. Not valid at all lol
 
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Why would anyone be surprised? We know what the deal is with Mills. He's not oozing with the talent that is in favor nowadays. He's a throwback & until he proves it, he needs to prove it.

Still, I like Simms' analysis

“One of the more pleasant surprises. He’s got some ability in his game, more than I gave him credit for coming out of Stanford. He knows how to play in the pocket…He can read a defense and make the appropriate decision. He’s not a ‘thrower,’ he’s a ‘passer.’ He’s more about timing and rhythm and anticipation. It’s not huge talent, but it’s good talent, and his ability to play the position is pretty advanced for the age he’s at right now. That’s why I put him ahead of guys like Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater…He started making plays and dictating the game himself…If he stays on the course, he’s going to be the starter and be the guy.”
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My guess? He is Matt Schaub 2.0. His arm is adequate but not great. We all saw with Matt what happened after the foot injury. He could no longer use that foot fully in his release and his arm wasn't good enough to carry the day. Suddenly those out routes were easy pickings.

If y'all are happy with MS 2.0, I suppose I am onboard but I'm not a huge fan. I don't think he's a SB winning QB.
 
Porky said:
My guess? He is Matt Schaub 2.0. His arm is adequate but not great. We all saw with Matt what happened after the foot injury. He could no longer use that foot fully in his release and his arm wasn't good enough to carry the day. Suddenly those out routes were easy pickings.

If y'all are happy with MS 2.0, I suppose I am onboard but I'm not a huge fan. I don't think he's a SB winning QB.
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About arm strength & MS 2.0
 
Porky said:
My guess? He is Matt Schaub 2.0. His arm is adequate but not great. We all saw with Matt what happened after the foot injury. He could no longer use that foot fully in his release and his arm wasn't good enough to carry the day. Suddenly those out routes were easy pickings.

If y'all are happy with MS 2.0, I suppose I am onboard but I'm not a huge fan. I don't think he's a SB winning QB.
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What makes you think he's MS 2.0 other than both do most of their damage from the pocket. Like I said before, Mills arm is plenty good enough. What throws did it appear to you that Mills was unable to make last year? Looked like he could make all of the throws to me. Unlike Schaub.
 
steelbtexan said:
What makes you think he's MS 2.0 other than both do most of their damage from the pocket. Like I said before, Mills arm is plenty good enough. What throws did it appear to you that Mills was unable to make last year? Looked like he could make all of the throws to me. Unlike Schaub.
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I haven’t seen any passes thrown in which his receivers had to wait on. Lol he’s most definitely not MS 2.0.
 
IMO I would rather have a player getting no respect and improving than a player getting showered with praise and they believe the hype.

As for Matt 2.0 you could do better and you could do a lot worse.

Yeah, Schaub wasn't winning you a SB on his own but neither was Manning. Doesn't mean you can't build around him and achieve the same goal of the QB carrying the team himself.

Where Mills ends up time will tell but where he is now, seems to be someone you can build around, especially if he keeps progressing.
 
Porky said:
My guess? He is Matt Schaub 2.0. His arm is adequate but not great. We all saw with Matt what happened after the foot injury. He could no longer use that foot fully in his release and his arm wasn't good enough to carry the day. Suddenly those out routes were easy pickings.

If y'all are happy with MS 2.0, I suppose I am onboard but I'm not a huge fan. I don't think he's a SB winning QB.
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He isn't an "exciting" QB and that is why he is seen as meh. I don't care if he doesn't light up the league as long as he keeps improving and Texans coaching and FO keep giving him the tools to make us competitive and ultimately get us to the promised land - which I think will need at least another three or four seasons. Of course, Mills must keep improving.
 
Hervoyel said:
Makes perfect sense to me. Until he’s done something “exciting” he isn’t an exciting QB nor one that will get much respect. He cleared the “can play in this league bar” and that’s great but nothing else comes until he earns it.
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If that’s the case why is Trevor Lawrence, Fields and other 2 year quarterbacks getting respect and love. They haven’t done anything spectacular either. Is it because Mills plays for the Texans?
 
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Texansballer74 said:
If that’s the case why is Trevor Lawrence, Fields and other 2 year quarterbacks getting respect and love. They have done anything spectacular either. Is it because Mills plays for the Texans?
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Those QBs came out of college with some fan fare and sizzle; little was known about Mills as he had not played much and didn't do much until last few games in NFL. I'm not interested in whether others like our players or not. What happens between goal lines is my interest.
 
Hervoyel said:
Makes perfect sense to me. Until he’s done something “exciting” he isn’t an exciting QB nor one that will get much respect. He cleared the “can play in this league bar” and that’s great but nothing else comes until he earns it.
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This is pretty much how I feel about both Mills and Caserio. They started out poorly due to lack of experience, and gradually have improved with more experience. Typical rookies. Now we hope for more improvement on the same curve.
Texansphan said:
Even Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis are ranked way above him and they haven't played a snap in the NFL yet. Just ridiculous if you ask me.
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Ranked by whom? And who cares? The opposing team doesn't get bonus points due to rankings. The Rodney Dangerfield act on this forum is getting old. Back to back 4 win years won't get a lot of respect.

I do get the jocking of Mills. There's been little to get excited about this team for quite awhile. Mills played better than some other rookie QBs. So that's something. I saw it with my own 2 eyes. I don't need a website or sports show to tell me what I did or didn't see.
 
Lucky said:
This is pretty much how I feel about both Mills and Caserio. They started out poorly due to lack of experience, and gradually have improved with more experience. Typical rookies. Now we hope for more improvement on the same curve.

Ranked by whom? And who cares? The opposing team doesn't get bonus points due to rankings. The Rodney Dangerfield act on this forum is getting old. Back to back 4 win years won't get a lot of respect.

I do get the jocking of Mills. There's been little to get excited about this team for quite awhile. Mills played better than some other rookie QBs. So that's something. I saw it with my own 2 eyes. I don't need a website or sports show to tell me what I did or didn't see.
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If Mills name was Lawrence and Lawrence had the same level of success that Mills had, I wonder what the narrative would be around these parts?
 
steelbtexan said:
If Mills name was Lawrence and Lawrence had the same level of success that Mills had, I wonder what the narrative would be around these parts?
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Had Lawrence had a 2-9 record as a starting QB, I think there would have been more criticism. Being a 3rd round pick lowered the expectations for Mills.
 
Lucky said:
Had Lawrence had a 2-9 record as a starting QB, I think there would have been more criticism. Being a 3rd round pick lowered the expectations for Mills.
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Mills was much better than Lawrence last year is my point.

I'm pretty sure the reactions wouldn't have been the same.

Do you think they would have been asking if Lawrence was a franchise QB? I don't think that would happen.
 
Coming out as a top 5, top 10 or even just a first round pick who gets handed the job along with all the related expectations isn’t usually doing the rookie a favor in the long run. Mills did go to the classic “basket case” franchise that was circling the drain before the season started but that’s all he had in common with those guys. Mills had it better than Lawrence by a wide margin in my opinion. With Taylor expected to start and Mills expected to “make the team” the pressure was much lower. I imagine he got to focus more on learning then getting ready for “The David Carr Experience”. Then he had the opportunity to play a few games early on thanks to Taylor being injured and then got the opportunity to sit back down and process what he’d just been through without likely being expected to play again that season if things had gone according to plan. Finally getting put back in to finish out the year without much pressure to make the postseason gave him a chance to “just play”. Despite being on a bad team that’s a rookie season that a lot of QB’s coming into the league I bet would envy.

Also even though Cully got the hook after one year the team Mills played for was pretty calm and stable considering everything going on. The Texans way (sad and comical as it can seem at times) is slow, methodical change and once O’Brien was gone the **** show had left town. Agree or disagree they seem to be back into some kind of a plan again even if that plan makes little sense to the rest of us. O’Brien’s reign was characterized by a feeling that he was making this stuff up as he went along 24/7. Mills would already be planning a career after his Texans run had ended if Bill O’Brien had been in charge last year.
 
Hervoyel said:
Coming out as a top 5, top 10 or even just a first round pick who gets handed the job along with all the related expectations isn’t usually doing the rookie a favor in the long run. Mills did go to the classic “basket case” franchise that was circling the drain before the season started but that’s all he had in common with those guys. Mills had it better than Lawrence by a wide margin in my opinion. With Taylor expected to start and Mills expected to “make the team” the pressure was much lower. I imagine he got to focus more on learning then getting ready for “The David Carr Experience”. Then he had the opportunity to play a few games early on thanks to Taylor being injured and then got the opportunity to sit back down and process what he’d just been through without likely being expected to play again that season if things had gone according to plan. Finally getting put back in to finish out the year without much pressure to make the postseason gave him a chance to “just play”. Despite being on a bad team that’s a rookie season that a lot of QB’s coming into the league I bet would envy.

Also even though Cully got the hook after one year the team Mills played for was pretty calm and stable considering everything going on. The Texans way (sad and comical as it can seem at times) is slow, methodical change and once O’Brien was gone the **** show had left town. Agree or disagree they seem to be back into some kind of a plan again even if that plan makes little sense to the rest of us. O’Brien’s reign was characterized by a feeling that he was making this stuff up as he went along 24/7. Mills would already be planning a career after his Texans run had ended if Bill O’Brien had been in charge last year.
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Agree that you could say Mills had a long leash last season, but that still doesn't account for the decent play down the stretch when you consider what little combined playing time he had in the NCAAF and the NFL.
Iow, there is definitely some talent there.
We saw a small upgrade in talent around him so far this offseason so we can reasonably expect to see an uptick in his play this year.
It would be nice if we could add another wideout weapon and a quality TE, but that will have to wait for the next offseason now.
 
I guess you could call it a long leash but it’s more just the result of the season coming together like it did. It would have been tough to predict any of it at the time (except maybe that Taylor would get hurt. That’s almost a given for him at this point) but it definitely worked to Mills advantage. I don’t know if too many people would agree with me but most young QB’s coming in need time and development help and few seem to get it. I like to come back to Case Keenun and how Gary Kubiak resisted using him in 2013. Look at the numbers he put up vs the success the team enjoyed. It’s always been clear that he had some talent and I think he was Gary’s planned Schaub potential replacement but Gary knew Case wasn’t ready to play consistently enough to win. We saw a hint of his potential in Minnesota that one year but he’s not and would never be a real star. Think Fitzpatrick potential but he was a develop him before you put him behind the wheel kind of QB. Not like a true franchise QB guy like Watson or Mahommes. McNair couldn’t handle the pressure of the horrible season and tore everything down. He wanted to try and save the season by running the local hero out and threw the baby out with the bath water. Mills will be better than Case I think. Gary was bringing Keenum along at a snail’s pace for a reason. Mills season reminds me of Keenum’s 2013 season. Made a bunch of good plays but didn’t win much. What he’s getting that Case never did was a follow up season to see if he can keep improving.
 
Mills is good enough that we didn’t have to sign a one year, high dollar vet nor did we have to try and draft QB in a very weak class. Even if he is just a MS 2.0 or a Bridgewater or a bridge QB or just a flat out solid backup we got him in the 3rd round without trading up. That makes it great value.

Do I think he’s the next Brady or Manning, nope but then you don’t need a Brady or Manning if the rest of the team is built right. It helps and it covers a lot of weaknesses but it’s not the only path.
 
My only concern is that he becomes good,
…but never good enough.

Teams can get stuck in no man’s land like that. Alex Smith is one of many examples. KC wised up and took a chance with Mahomes and the rest is history.

You can’t let good be good enough at the QB spot, especially in this era of football.
 
Porky said:
My only concern is that he becomes good,
…but never good enough.

Teams can get stuck in no man’s land like that. Alex Smith is one of many examples. KC wised up and took a chance with Mahomes and the rest is history.

You can’t let good be good enough at the QB spot, especially in this era of football.
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People keep using the Alex Smith comp.

How about using a Rivers/Eli comp.
 
Porky said:
My only concern is that he becomes good,
…but never good enough.

Teams can get stuck in no man’s land like that. Alex Smith is one of many examples. KC wised up and took a chance with Mahomes and the rest is history.

You can’t let good be good enough at the QB spot, especially in this era of football.
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JJ snapping Smith's leg like a twig helped KC wise up. :kitten:
 
Xopher said:
If Mills has any semblance of a running game this year he will be in the top half of QBs
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Our running game should be leagues ahead of last year. Sure, Mack is under a bit of an injury cloud, but he doesn't have to be a bell cow.
Pierce I believe will get plenty of reps and will benefit from the experience of Mack and Burkhead. I see a running back by committee and that will keep defenses on their toes.
Mills won't have to rely on his passing game as much so will have a chance to mix up his repertoire.
 
Something I learned a long time ago and utilize in my scouting / analysis of players is the talent level they had coming out of high school and where they played - and if the college experience “revealed” flaws in the player or if the college experience “didn’t highlight” the true talent in the player.

Mills was the nation’s top ranked pro style QB coming out of the greater Atlanta area. He suffered an injury his senior season and then again once he arrived at Stanford. I truly believe that there is untapped potential here and I for one am hoping Pep can unlock it. This is a good article from back in the day.

www.gwinnettprepsports.com

Prep

www.gwinnettprepsports.com www.gwinnettprepsports.com

Hardy wasn’t shocked at all by Mills’ rapid rise up the recruiting rankings or his eye-catching performances at The Opening and Elite 11, which invites the country’s top 11 quarterbacks. The Elite 11 staff voted him the most likely to be a No. 1 NFL draft pick.

“It’s interesting,” Hardy said. “In a highlight generation, people are looking for something to pop off the film. But he’s the kind of guy if you watch him five minutes, you’ll like him. If you watch him two hours, you’ll love him. He’s not going to throw his fastball if he doesn’t need to throw his fastball. Then all of a sudden he needs to knife a post in there 25 yards out, 7 feet off the ground, and it’s just, ‘Wow.’ In The Opening, those things came out.
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I can somewhat understand the disrespect for Davis Mills because he has never really had the opportunity to showcase his skills on a large stage, i.e. senior bowl, championship game, etc... But he certainly passes not only the measurables but also the intangibles (poise, leadership, decision making). And he passes the eye test and has a great attitude;

“When all the rankings first came out, there was a little pressure,” Mills said. “But at the end of the day, you’ve got to do yourself on the field. Play the game yourself. The rankings don’t define you.”

I think Mills is the long term starter for the Texans and will have a great deal of success. He reminds me of Matt Ryan.
 
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Toro Bravo said:
I can somewhat understand the disrespect for Davis Mills because he has never really had the opportunity to showcase his skills on a large stage, i.e. senior bowl, championship game, etc... But he certainly passes not only the measurables but also the intangibles (poise, leadership, decision making). And he passes the eye test and has a great attitude;

“When all the rankings first came out, there was a little pressure,” Mills said. “But at the end of the day, you’ve got to do yourself on the field. Play the game yourself. The rankings don’t define you.”

I think Mills is the long term starter for the Texans and will have a great deal of success. He reminds me of Matt Ryan.
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Love the Matt Ryan comparison. Would you also think Eli Manning?
 
JWLCASPER said:
Something I learned a long time ago and utilize in my scouting / analysis of players is the talent level they had coming out of high school and where they played - and if the college experience “revealed” flaws in the player or if the college experience “didn’t highlight” the true talent in the player.

Mills was the nation’s top ranked pro style QB coming out of the greater Atlanta area. He suffered an injury his senior season and then again once he arrived at Stanford. I truly believe that there is untapped potential here and I for one am hoping Pep can unlock it. This is a good article from back in the day.

www.gwinnettprepsports.com

Prep

www.gwinnettprepsports.com www.gwinnettprepsports.com
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Funny enough I did some more background checks on the 2016 Elite11 Competition.

His competitors included Tua Tagovailoa, Jake Fromm, Kellen Mond and Mac Jones to name a few.

The counselors that year…
Deshaun Watson, Josh Dobbs, Brad Kaaya, and Tanner Mangum.

The staff who selected him as the most likely to go number one included Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl winning QB), George Whitfield Jr. (QB guru to many pundits - up for debate), Charlie Frye (now Dolphins QB coach), Craig Nall (7 Year NFL Backup), and Mike James (Nike Director of Football Grassroots).

Not saying these decision makers are the be all end all, but not a bad list of support when also considering the names he played alongside that year. And how about the lead counselor!! Hopefully he didn’t tell the campers how to maintain their bodies…
 
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