The return of Nico Collins and Brandin Cooks to the Houston Texans’ starting lineup was supposed to be a boon for the team’s offense, but given the state of affairs at the quarterback position, their inclusion in the gameday roster hasn’t made much of a difference.
Collins spoke to reporters on Tuesday about the offense in general but touched specifically on Davis Mills’ character when asked how the signal-caller is adjusting to life under the microscope. Mills has faced constant criticism that, to hear Collins tell it, hasn’t affected him at all despite the Texans’ abysmal record.
“He’s the same guy,” Collins explained of Mills. “He never gets too high, never gets too low. He’s always positive, still positive. I’m pretty sure he knows, we watched the game film, there’s probably things on there he probably missed, but he’s on a mission this week to correct those. We know his mindset is keeping going. He’s never going to get down on himself.”
To be able to perform in the face of such virulent criticism is certainly a good quality for a quarterback to have, but fans in Houston are absolutely justified in feeling they deserve better than Mills can give them at this juncture. The Texans will be lucky to eke out one more win before the 2022 season ends, and even if they manage to their overall record will likely still be the NFL’s worst.
It has become clear over the past few weeks that head coach Lovie Smith has either decided or been directed to tank for draft position, ostensibly to draft Mills’ replacement next April. To what degree Mills’ role as the team’s starter is a decision based on fielding a competitive team or losing as many games as possible is unclear, but Collins’ comments to the media on Tuesday are a good indication that the quarterback isn’t taking any of this season’s chaos too personally.
