Davis Mills is the fifth rookie quarterback to start a game for the Texans. And no, I didn't have to look them up. I was here for all of them and remember them like they were last Tuesday.
Before we get started, Case Keenum is not in the group. He started in Year 2 of his career – Week 7, 2013. In 2012, he was an undrafted free agent and spent time on the practice squad.
David Carr was the first, of course. Everyone remembers the night as the Texans shocked Dallas 19-10 in 2002. Carr threw two TDs and a pick as he went 10-of-22 for 145 yards and was sacked six times. Laying out the numbers doesn't tell you the story of how great the night was.
The next time a rookie would start would be the following year at Jacksonville in December. The Texans were without Carr and backup Tony Banks. Dave Ragone was a third-round pick who had a great career at Louisville but started only two games as a pro. He went sub-50 percent and threw for only 71 yards in a tough 27-0 loss to the Jags.
There was little running help as only he and rookie Tony Hollings carried the ball, and the Jags were in command with Fred Taylor hammering his way for 163 yards and a score. Interestingly enough, both QBs in the game are now offensive coordinators in the NFC South, with Ragone at Atlanta and Byron Leftwich at Tampa Bay.
Another eight years would go by before a rookie quarterback would start for Houston. A week after coming off the bench in relief of an injured Matt Leinart, who was getting the start in place of the injured Matt Schaub, T.J. Yates started against Atlanta at NRG Stadium. The crowd was deafening as Houston racked up 162 rushing yards, and the Bulls on Parade defense held the Falcons to ten points in the win. Yates was 12-25 for 188 yards and a TD.
In 2017, Week 2, Deshaun Watson got his first start, as the Texans won, holding the Bengals to nine points in a Thursday night game in Cincinnati.
That's a 3-1 record for Texans rookie quarterbacks making their starting debuts. It's notable that two of the winners, Yates and Watson, had some playing time the week before, in relief. Also, three of the four rookies completed under 50 percent of their passes. Most importantly, the defenses, in the three wins, were outstanding, holding the opponent to ten points or less.
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The Houston Texans roster in photos.
QB, Kyle Allen, #3 (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
DL Mario Addison (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
RB, Darius Anderson, #30
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #56 (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #8
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
WR, Jalen Camp, #17
OL, A.J. Cann, #60 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Blake Cashman, #53 (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Davion Davis, #81
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL Austin Deculus, #76 (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #2
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Carson Green, #62
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
WR, DaeSean Hamilton, #5 (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
OL, Kenyon Green, #59 (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
DL, Rasheem Green (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Christian Harris, #48 (Photo by Kent Gidley)
DL, Demone Harris, #94
WR, Damon Hazelton, #86
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
QB, Kevin Hogan (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
FB, Andy Janovich, #41 (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
An image from the Aug. 21, 2021 Houston Texans preseason game 2 against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Texans won 20-14.
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
RB, Marlon Mack, #2 (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
OL, Justin McCray, #64
WR, John Metchie III, #88 (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, Jimmy Moreland, #22
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77 (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Jalen Pitre, #42 (AP Photo/Tim Heitman)
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #45
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54 (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84 (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #34 (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
DB, Reggie Robinson, #29 (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #21 (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24 (Photo by: Kourtney Carroll)
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20 (AP)
