(SportsRadio 610) - The Texans are the only team in the NFL that can boast of having two backup quarterbacks who are multiyear starters in the NFL – one who's responsible for C.J. Stroud playing in Houston and the other who's a miracle worker.
If Stroud doesn't clear concussion protocol by the time the Texans play at Tennessee on Sunday, Davis Mills will take over the starter's role, and Case Keenum will become the backup.
"I don't think many guys have come back the following week after a concussion," coach DeMeco Ryans said about Stroud on Monday. "We'll see how he goes throughout the week, and, hopefully, he continues to feel better. It just has to run its course."
Stroud was injured in the 30-6 loss to the Jets. The priority, of course, is for Stroud to pass his concussion tests to be cleared to play, but if he's unable to return against the Titans, the Texans could still be in good hands.
Mills, who's playing in his third season, has a 4-1 record in AFC South games on the road, including a victory over the Titans in 2022 when the Texans won for the third time in four years in Nashville.
The most significant game of Mills' career was last season when the Texans closed at Indianapolis. If the Texans had lost at Lucas Oil Stadium, their reward would have been the first pick in the draft, and they probably would have used the selection on quarterback Bryce Young.
With 50 seconds left in the game, Mills threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Akins. Rather than kick the extra point and settle for the possibility of overtime, coach Lovie Smith went for two.
Mills completed another pass to Akins, and the Texans ended up winning 32-31, causing them to lose the first draft choice to Chicago. Carolina traded for the Bears' pick to select Young, and general manager Nick Caserio drafted Stroud, who's already proved he's the franchise quarterback the Texans so desperately needed after the Deshaun Watson fiasco.
In 2017, Keenum played for the Vikings. Starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater hadn't recovered from a knee injury, and Sam Bradford entered the season as the starter. When Bradford suffered a knee injury, Keenum was elevated into the starting role. He was 11-3 as a starter, and the Vikings finished 13-3 to win the NFC North.
The Vikings hosted the Saints – champions of the NFC North – in a divisional playoff game. New Orleans overcame a 17-0 first-half deficit and led 24-23 with 25 seconds left. The Vikings had the ball at their 25. A penalty moved them back to their 20.
Then Keenum engineered his miracle. He completed a 19-yard pass to Stefon Diggs, and the Vikings used their last timeout. With 18 seconds left and the ball at the Minnesota 39, Keenum misfired on a deep ball.
With 10 seconds remaining and the ball still at the 39, Keenum launched a pass that traveled 27 yards to Diggs on the right sideline. Safety Marcus Williams went low and missed Diggs, who continued to the end zone for a 61-yard, game-winning touchdown on the last play – a play that became known as the "Minnesota Miracle" authored by Keenum.
In his 11 seasons, Keenum has 64 starts, including 10 during his first two tours with the Texans. So, if Ryans needs Keenum to come off the bench for any reason against the Titans, he won't be affected by the must-win situation.
Even though the Texans are 7-6 and one game behind Jacksonville in the AFC South, Stroud has to be 100 percent before he can return. Doctors are extra cautious when it comes to concussions. More than likely, Mills will start, and Keenum will be his backup.
"You have to make sure no matter the position, no matter who the guy is, that your guys are healthy, and we're protecting (them) when it comes to the concussion or the head injuries," Ryans said. "We have to make sure we're protecting all of our guys. It's more about their long-term health, as opposed to everybody getting excited about the next game and the next opportunity. We care about these guys as men off the field and making sure their health is the utmost importance to us."
Mills and Keenum are ready to step up for the AFC South game against the Titans.
"With Case and Davis, we'll see where we end up throughout the week," Ryans said. "Both guys have played a lot of football, and at this point, we just want guys who are going to put us in a position to win games. Who can we count on to help us win? And that's how we'll decide."
As a rookie third-round pick in 2021 under new coach David Culley, Mills had four games in which his rating was in triple digits. In the last game of his rookie season, the Texans had nothing to play for other than a high draft choice. The Titans needed to win at NRG Stadium to secure home-field advantage in the playoffs.
The Titans won 28-25, but Mills completed 23-of-33 (69.7 percent) for 301 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. His rating was 128.5. His offensive coordinator and play-caller was Tim Kelly. Now Kelly has those responsibilities under coach Mike Vrabel at Tennessee.
Other than defeating the Colts in the last game, Mills had two 300-yard games last season, but he had only three ratings in the 90s and none in triple digits.
Ryans, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson spent a lot of time working with Mills during the offseason program, training camp and preseason.
"He's done a good job for us (with) the reps he's gotten on the scout team," Ryans said. "(His) demeanor has been the same. He's done what we've asked him to do."
Now the coaches may have to ask Mills to do something he did last season – defeat the Titans at Tennessee. Unless they need a miracle and have to call on Keenum.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on SportsRadio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio, also on SportsRadio 610. He writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.
