RUNNING WITH THE ONES?
Early leader in Houston Texans quarterback competition revealed
May 23, 2023, 5:06 pm
Rookie CJ Stroud is playing with the second-team offense at OTAs. Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images.
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The Houston Texans are still months away from opening the 2023 season against the Baltimore Ravens, but that is not stopping fans and media from talking about the quarterback position as the team gets into voluntary organized team activities, or OTAs.
Houston opened its first OTA session to media on Tuesday and while a lot of the work on the field was as basic as vanilla ice cream, it was quarterback Davis Mills that was going first in the team’s reps ahead of No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud.
“I’m competing for that starting job,” Mills told reporters on Tuesday. “Since I’ve been drafted in the NFL, I have been in a competition. I don’t think anything is going to change. It’s been great getting to know C.J. so far. He is an extremely hard worker. It will be good to see how we go out there and compete every day and make each other better.”
Before sounding any alarms or creating the headlines, it is still way too early before any unofficial depth charts get released. Almost every player top to bottom on the Houston roster is learning the quirks and intricacies of the new offensive and defensive schemes.
For both Stroud and Mills, there is a lot to be determined between now and Sept. 10 when the Texans kick off the new year.
“I’m loving it man,” Stroud said. “This team has been very [accepting] of me, very honest and very transparent. What I love about it is nothing has been given to me. I have to earn everything, which I love, so it has been like that my whole career. It is nothing new.”
While Texans fans might have penciled in Stroud as the team’s QB1 since NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called his name in Kansas City, inside the building at NRG Stadium there is a lot more nuance to naming a starting play caller.
The focus for both quarterbacks right now is not on who is going first in OTA drills, but rather improving each day. Mills said he has been focused on himself and putting a lot of work into addressing his weaknesses.
Stroud said right now he wants to learn as much as possible including what his receivers like, timing on routes and absorbing Bobby Slowik’s offense methodically. Both play callers also have the benefit of learning from veteran Case Keenum.
“It is a blessing,” Stroud said. “It has been something that I definitely knew that I needed it. Just that guidance and that confidence that [both Mills and Keenum] had because they have both played in the league and have been starters. They have been very helpful.”
With first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans tasked to oversee everything revolving around the Houston Texans, his advantage is that players seem to respect his perspective as a former NFL player and his experience as a former Texan himself.
“He knows what comes with playing here and I mean he has just been great,” Stroud said. “Very vocal. He is really funny too, so it is cool to have a coach that is not all stuck up all the time or super mad. He has been amazing. Very transparent, communication has been great. He’s going to be a great head coach.”
When Ryans speaks, players listen, and his youth doesn’t hurt either when it comes to connecting with the current players. Coming out of Tuesday’s availability, it appears that Stroud is already two feet in Ryans’ vision for the Houston Texans.
“I think I am a natural-born competitor, so that is what I am here to do,” Stroud said. “But at the same time, being a great teammate is more important. So that is what I have been on just trying to embrace the relentless swarm that coach Ryans wants us to be on. That is what I plan to do. Just be a great teammate, be a great leader, be vocal [and] be confident.”
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Miami (6-7) at Houston (8-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM Odds: Texans by 3.
Against the spread: Dolphins 5-8; Texans 5-6-2.
Series record: Texans lead 8-3.
Last meeting: Dolphins beat Texans 30-15, on Nov. 27, 2022, in Miami.
Last week: Dolphins beat Jets 32-26 in OT; Texans were off, beat Jaguars 23-20 on Dec. 1.
Dolphins offense: overall (19), rush (24), pass (14), scoring (23).
Dolphins defense: overall (9), rush (7), pass (11), scoring (T14).
Texans offense: overall (18), rush (16), pass (17), scoring (11).
Texans defense: overall (5), rush (10), pass (7), scoring (T12).
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Texans plus-10.
Dolphins player to watch
QB Tua Tagovailoa, who has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL at throwing with anticipation and accuracy since he returned from a concussion in Week 8. Tagovailoa leads the NFL with a 73.8% completion rate and threw for 300 yards for the third straight game last week vs. the Jets. Tagovailoa is the first player in NFL history to have at least 40 pass attempts, multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions in three consecutive games within a single season.
Texans player to watch
QB C.J. Stroud has thrown for at least 225 yards in each of his six home games this season and is 11-4 in 15 starts in Houston, including the playoffs. He has thrown for 3,117 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.
Key matchup
Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. Miami’s run defense. Mixon ran for 101 yards in Houston’s previous game for his seventh 100-yard game this season. He ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game. This week he’ll face a run defense that ranks seventh in the NFL by holding teams to 105.6 yards a game.
Key injuries
Miami LT Terron Armstead is dealing with a knee injury that limited him to just five snaps last week. He did not practice Wednesday… LBs Bradley Chubb (knee) and Cameron Goode (knee) could make their season debut, depending on how this week of practice goes, coach Mike McDaniel said. … WRs Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (hamstring), RB Raheem Mostert (hip), and LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring) were among those limited in practice Wednesday. … Houston S Jalen Pitre is expected to miss a second straight game with a shoulder injury. … DE Denico Autry was limited in practice Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Series notes
Houston won the first seven meetings in this series. … Miami didn’t get its first win against the Texans until a 44-26 victory in 2015. … The Dolphins have won the past two meetings. … These teams first met in the season opener in 2003 when Houston got a 21-20 win on a late field goal.
Stats and stuff
Three of Miami’s final four games of the season are on the road. … K Jason Sanders needs 13 points Sunday to reach 800. He also needs one field goal to reach 177, which would give him the second-most field goals made in franchise history. … TE Jonnu Smith needs 100 yards receiving to reach 792 and set a franchise record for most yards receiving by a tight end in a single season. Smith had three catches for 44 yards, including the game-winning TD vs. the Jets last week after having no receptions during regulation. … Tagovailoa needs a completion rate of 70% or better on Sunday to reach eight consecutive games completing at least 70% of his passes. That would tie him with Joe Montana (1989) and Drew Brees (2017-18) for the longest streak in NFL history. … The Dolphins gave up a season-high 402 yards to the Jets last week. Aaron Rodgers burned Miami’s pass defense for 319 yards, and Miami’s secondary allowed a combined 223 yards by Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams. … Houston can clinch the AFC South title for the second straight year with a win and a loss by Indianapolis Sunday. … The Texans rank second in the NFL with 84 tackles for loss. … Their 42 sacks also rank second. … WR Nico Collins had eight receptions for 119 yards for his fourth 100-yard game this season in Houston’s previous game. He has had at least 75 yards receiving and a TD reception in each of his four home games this season. … TE Dalton Schultz had five receptions for 61 yards and a score in Week 13. He has had at least five catches in two of his past three games. … LB Azeez Al-Shaai will serve the first game of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of QB Trevor Lawrence Sunday. … DE Danielle Hunter is one of two players in the NFL this season with at least 15 tackles for loss (15) and 10 sacks (10 1/2). It’s his sixth career season with at least 10 sacks. He has eight tackles for loss and five sacks combined in his past three games. … DE Will Anderson has had a sack in his past two home games. … LB Henry To’oTo’o has had at least five tackles in four straight games. … CB Derek Stingley had his third interception of the season in his previous game. … CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high eight tackles, including a tackle for loss in Week 13. … S Jimmie Ward has had an interception in his past two home games. He also had an interception in his previous game against Miami in 2022 while with San Francisco.
Fantasy tip
Collins has 456 yards receiving and four touchdown receptions in four home games this season.