Houston Texans: Davis Mills sets new rookie QB passing record

Davis Mills put his name in the Houston Texans record book on Sunday in Week 18.

The rookie season of Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills will now be at the top of the franchise record book as the third-round pick set a new passing yardage mark for Texans rookies in the Week 18 game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadum in Houston.

Mills broke the record in the fourth quarter on a 30-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Nico Collins, and the new record is 2,664 yards passing for a Texans rookie quarterback. The previous record was 2,592 yards by David Carr in 2002 which was the expansion season for the Texans.

The rookie quarterback Mills on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans finished 23-of-33 for 301 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions.

Mills averaged 9.1 yards per pass against the Titans in the 28-25 loss. All three of Mills’ touchdown passes were in the second half, with a 28-yard pass to Chris Moore in the third quarter, then two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Danny Amendola for 7 yards and 26 yards.

Houston Texans: Davis Mills had a productive final part of 2021 season

The 2021 season for Davis Mills should be remembered as two stages for Mills, with the first one being thrown into the fire without warning, and the second being ready to showcase his abilities.

Davis Mills was the Houston Texans starting quarterback for 11 games, playing in 13 games in 21. He was 0-6 as a starter when Tyrod Taylor was injured and didn’t have his best games, but when Texans head coach David Culley benched Taylor for Mills, that’s when his career trajectory changed.

Mills started the final five games of the ’21 season, finishing with two wins and three losses as the Houston starter, but in those games the Texans played better on offense, and he was a big part of the improvement shown.

In three of those five games he passed for at least 250 yards, and with wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers, he showed he was able to lead the Texans to victory. Even in Week 18 in the second half, he nearly led the Texans to a comeback win over the Titans.

In his final five starts of the season, Mills threw at least one touchdown pass and nine touchdowns in that span of games. That same span, Mills had just two interceptions. For the entire season where he played 13 games, Mills’ final stats included 16 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions and a new Texans rookie QB mark of 2,664 yards passing.

This was an interesting rookie season to say the least for Davis Mills, but he showed improvement and deserves a shot to battle for the starter’s role this coming offseason, though the Texans do need to add more competition to the roster, which will make Mills better and the offense better going into the 2022 season.