DeMeco Ryans praises Davis Mills for what he DIDN'T do during stint as starter

There was a point, all the way back in Week 10, where it appeared that the Houston Texans season was all but over. Down by 19 points to the Jacksonville Jaguars with only a quarter to go, the back-to-back AFC South champs were staring down a 3-6 hole that would've all but certainly ended Houston's postseason hopes.

But then a remarkable 26-0 4th quarter run gave the Texans a new lease on life. A second wind. A renewed hope. And although the final touchdown of what turned out to be a 36-29 win over their division foe would be credited to defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who took a fumble back for six on the last play of the game, it was a 14-yard touchdown run on a 3rd and goal with under 1 minute to go by backup quarterback Davis Mills that put the Texans ahead for the first time all afternoon.

With that touchdown scramble and a pair of victories over the two subsequent weeks, Davis Mills etched his name in franchise lore, helping the Houston Texans keep hope alive during the most trying stretch of their schedule. It was a run in which Houston had very little room for error, and was playing without CJ Stroud, who exited a Week 9 loss to the Denver Broncos with a concussion.

In his three starts, Davis Mills completed just under 60 percent of his passes for 719 yards, 5 touchdowns and only 1 interception. Mills' heroics went beyond just managing the game for the Texans... he was an active participant in Houston's in-season rejuvenation, and yet there was never a sense that Mills was overextending or planning to overstay his welcome.

But just because Mills' on-field impact has been limited to just three and a half games thus far this season, it doesn't mean that those within the Texans organization are overlooking what the 5th-year signal caller means to this team.

"When you have a backup quarterback who can come in and not feel like they're trying to outshine the starter so they can take over the role. That's not what you need. That's not the mentality," Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said of Davis Mills, per Keith Cummings of Sports Illustrated. "You need to come in, manage the game properly, and understand who you have around you as a backup quarterback. It's about playing team football when you do have that backup quarterback in and not try to come in and be the hero and put the team on your back."

Yes, the Texans continued to play team football, but in an unexpected twist, Houston did need some heroics from Davis Mills, and Mills, who was given a $7 million extension during the offseason, proved that the Texans were getting their money's worth.