Make no mistake, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is a fan of what he has gotten from fifth-year quarterback Davis Mills, who started again in Week 11 against the Tennessee Titans in place of the injured C.J. Stroud.
Mills delivered, completing 274 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions.
The Texans got back to .500 and are now 3-1 against the AFC South, which could be key as they look to reassert themselves in the playoff race.
Ryans was effusive with praise for Mills and his top target, Texans WR1 Nico Collins, who finished with 92 yards and 1 TD on nine receptions. That includes a critical connection in the two-minute drill that led to kicker Matthew Wright’s game-winning field goal.
“Davis did a great job all day of, really, protecting the football, making great decisions. And no play bigger than him connecting with Nico there, when we needed it most, in the two-minute drive. That was such a huge play for us. And Nico and Davis, that connection really took off in the second half, which we needed. We needed a spark. We started getting the ball to Nico, and we saw, he made play after play after play. So, did an outstanding job, putting us in position there to make that field goal a lot easier,” Ryans told reporters on November 16.
“You just trust your guys, right? And that’s what Davis has shown. Davis keeps me calm because he’s so calm in the moment, but who we’re going to with the football matters. And when Nico’s out there, he’s getting targeted. I think for the most time when he gets targeted, he comes down with the football.”
Collins is notably tied with fellow wideout Christian Kirk for the lowest catch rate among the Texans’ receivers, per Pro Football Focus.
They are also first and fifth, respectively, on the team in targets to wide receivers.
In two games with Mills, his 2021 draft classmate, starting, Collins has drawn 25 targets, more than he has had in any other two-game stretch this season. Collins has turned his increased looks into 16 receptions, 228 yards, and 1 touchdown.
Ryans is very much a “next man up” kind of coach, leaning into that messaging after the win regarding the Texans’ ability to win like this with Mills in Stroud’s place.
“It’s team football, and that’s what we’re about. My No. 1 rule is it’s a team-first mentality. Everything that we do is never about one guy. It’s going to be collectively, coaches, players, staff, everybody working together,” Ryans said.
“That’s what we have here with the Texans. Our support staff is outstanding, our coaching staff has done a great job, and our players, they’re the ones who step up and make the plays we need to make to put us in position to win these games. So, can’t thank those guys enough for the grit that they showed, and that will to finish.”
It remains unclear if Stroud will be able to clear concussion protocol in time to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 12 on “Thursday Night Football.”
He has not practiced for the Texans since Week 9, potentially setting Mills up for another start.
More than just Mills’ performance, the Texans also thrive on the QB’s calm demeanor. He drew attention during the week for saying his wife often gets frustrated that he does not get angry enough.
That calmness has paid off for the Texans in back-to-back comeback wins.
“His emotions never change, which is great. I love that about Davis, and I think his calm and his demeanor really gives everybody – he has that quiet confidence about him. Davis knows what he’s doing. He’s a competitor deep down inside, and he wants to make those plays,” Ryans said.
“Our entire sideline, our team feels that from Davis. We feel his confidence when he’s out there, knowing that he’s going to go to the right spot with the football and make a play.”
Denver Broncos fans just got a massive dose of hope on two fronts: a positive cancer update on linebacker Alex Singleton and encouraging news on star cornerback Patrick Surtain II’s pectoral injury ahead of their next game against the Washington Commanders on November 30.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Broncos are “optimistic” both Singleton and Surtain can make it back into the lineup in Week 12, which falls after Denver’s bye and lines up with their Sunday night showdown at Washington. Singleton isn’t a lock to be ready for November 30, but Fowler noted the veteran is “trending that way” after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer on November 7. Surtain, meanwhile, has been targeting a post-bye return after missing time with a pectoral injury suffered in Week 8.
Denver enters the stretch run at 9-2 and atop the AFC West, and getting two defensive leaders back would be a huge emotional and on-field lift.
Broncos are optimistic that LB Alex Singleton and CB Patrick Surtain can make it back into the lineup Week 12 (post bye).
Singleton, who on Nov. 7 underwent surgery to have a cancerous tumor removed from one of his testicles, has received encouraging results post-surgery.
Singleton’s story has moved well beyond standard injury news.
The 31-year-old linebacker revealed in early November that a random NFL drug test flagged elevated levels of the hormone hCG, which led to further testing and a diagnosis of testicular cancer. He chose to play in Denver’s 10-7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, leading the team with nine tackles, and then had surgery the very next day to remove a cancerous tumor from one of his testicles.
Team statements and Singleton’s own social-media message framed the prognosis as positive and emphasized that the cancer was caught early. He said he expects to return to the field “in the coming weeks” once additional test results come back, and multiple reports have echoed that optimism about his recovery and short-term football future.
Fowler’s latest update adds more clarity on the football side. According to his report, the Broncos are hopeful Singleton can be back on the field after the bye, with the November 30 road game against the Commanders circled as a realistic target, even if it’s not guaranteed. That would mean a potential return just a few weeks after surgery, a remarkably quick turnaround that still hinges on how Singleton’s body responds and how doctors clear him.
Before stepping away, Singleton had been a tackle machine and emotional heartbeat of the defense, piling up 89 tackles in 10 games this season.
On the back end, Surtain has been sidelined since straining his pectoral muscle in Denver’s Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Reports have consistently pegged his recovery timeline at roughly 4-6 weeks, and the Broncos have notably chosen not to place him on injured reserve, a move that would have cost him at least four games.
Fowler’s update lines up with that approach. Denver has been targeting a return after its Week 12 bye, and the November 30 primetime matchup in Washington remains the goal. Surtain has already described his rehab as “right on schedule” in recent interviews, mentioning progress with movement, strength and pain-free work in the injured arm.
If both players are back on or around November 30, the Broncos could hit the season’s final month with their defensive core intact, and possibly even fresher after the bye.
Singleton has been central to Denver’s run defense and overall tackling structure. He handles a heavy snap load in the middle of the field, cleans up plays sideline to sideline and is a critical communicator for Sean Payton’s defense. Losing that kind of presence, even briefly, is no small thing for a contender.
A healthy Singleton back in the huddle would stabilize the second level and reduce pressure on depth options who’ve been forced into bigger roles while he recovers. It also delivers a clear emotional jolt: a teammate returning from a cancer scare to rejoin a playoff push is the kind of storyline that can galvanize a locker room.
Surtain’s potential return may be even more impactful schematically.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has routinely erased opposing No. 1 receivers, allowing Denver to tilt coverage and send extra resources at the run game or pass rush. Without him, the Broncos have had to lean more heavily on younger corners and safety help, which can limit how aggressive defensive coordinator Vance Joseph wants to be.
If Surtain is back and close to full strength by the Commanders game, Denver suddenly regains its shutdown corner and can again build game plans around his ability to take away one side of the field. That’s a big deal in a league where the Broncos could soon be facing top receivers on a weekly basis down the stretch.