Davis Mills Has Big Shoes to Fill in Houston
The Houston Texans Davis Mills who will be starting his second season with the Texans as quarterback had a decent rookie season! Even though his win loss record doesn’t show it. Mills played in thirteen games, starting in eleven of those games, he went 2-9 as a starter.
He did show promise in his last five games going 2-3, winning against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Los Angeles Chargers, with almost pulling a come from behind win against the Tennessee Titans in the final game of the dismal season for the Texans. Mills however in that final game against the Titans, did set the franchise rookie record for passing yards (2664), passing David Carr’s old record of 2592 in the Texans inaugural season of 2002.
Davis Mills Quarterback of the Houston Texans
Houston Fans Have Long Memories
You would think I would be talking about quarterbacks such as a David Carr, Matt Schawb, Deshaun Watson, and even the Hometown fan favorite Casey Keenum when I say Big Shoes to fill in Houston! Though he (Mills) does need to surpass those former Texans mentioned above, to have success and to lead the Texans in the right direction, these are not the Quarterbacks I am talking of!
This is Houston, and in Houston fans have long memories! Houston was the home to another loved organization called the Houston Oilers! The Oilers franchise left Houston in 11997, with the Texans first year being 2002. The Oilers to this day still have a big fan base in Houston, with fans remembering the running back Hall of Famer Earl Campbell running over anyone who dared to get in his way, and the fan loved Bum Phillips the charismatic, cowboy hat and boots wearing coach who led the Oilers to the AFC Championship twice in 1978 and 1979, coming up short in both games against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Along with Campbell and Phillips came a plethora of loved players and characters that came and went with the Oilers organization throughout the years.
Houston in Need of a Team
Fans of the Oilers can still be seen donning the organization’s Columbia blue. They even yell ” Love Ya Blue” (which is the team’s campaign slogan of the 1970s, that became a fan’s battle cry) at other Oiler fans they may see in a grocery store, bar, restaurant, or around the city Houston. Bud Adams (Owner of the Houston Oilers in 1997) is the one who took the Oilers away from Houston and their fans, moved the team to Tennessee, and changing their name to the Titans. Adams is still probably the most hated man in Houston for taking away the beloved Oilers. Afterwards Oilers fans not having a team to root for except maybe the Titans, and with the hatred for Bud Adams many opted to not to do that, and then there was the Dallas Cowboys, but any true Oilers fan would never do that!
Oiler (Fans) to Texans (Fans)
Houston not having an NFL team from 1997, the Texans came along in 2002 finally bringing another NFL franchise back to Houston, a team Oiler fans could root for again! That is what many Oilers fans did, putting their Oilers gear in that “special place” in their closets, attics, garages, hanging on their walls, or in their game rooms and in their “man caves”! They started pulling for the hometown Texans, becoming loyal fans, but still in their minds remembering days of old!
Texans fans celebrating at NRG Stadium
Big Shoes to Fill
The old Oilers now converted Texans fans can still remember those glory days of two of the most popular and maybe best two quarterbacks to wear a Houston uniform (no matter the team). Those QBs being Dan Pastorini and Hall of Famer Warren Moon. Pastorini was Coach Bum Phillip’s go to Quarterback, and who helped lead the Oilers to the AFC Championship(s) in 1978 and 1979, even though losing, the team came back to Houston to a Welcome Home Jamboree the likes a losing team never had seen! Hall of Famer Warren Moon that everyone felt could finally lead the Oilers to the Super Bowl, led the Oilers to the Playoffs in 7 years of his 10 years with the Oilers. Though both Pasotrini and Moon came up short their quest to go to the Super Bowl they were still loved by the Oilers faithful!
Dan Pastorini Quarterback of the Houston Oilers
Warren Moon Quarterback of the Houston Oilers
Both QBs cemented their Legendary status in Houston Football lore with grit, determination, consistency and never giving up, something a young Davis Mills has shown signs of in his rookie season, and can win over the Houston fan base if he continues
