INGLEWOOD, Calif.—Davis Mills’ first 5 1/2 drives went nowhere in a first half filled with frustration and inaccuracy for the Houston Texans and their starting quarterback.
Then Mills and his receivers beat the halftime clock with two exceptional connections that sent the rebuilding Texans back home with a flash of optimism for the future.
Mills threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins with one second left in the first half, salvaging something good from an up-and-down performance in Houston’s 24–20 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Friday night.
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins, top center, makes a touchdown between Los Angeles Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick, bottom left, and safety Russ Yeast II (43) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif. on Aug. 19, 2022. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)
Mills is expected to be the Texans’ leader again this season after he started 11 games as a rookie, but Houston’s offense didn’t click much against the Rams’ second- and third-stringers until those final two throws. The Texans had only 31 net yards of offense with 14 seconds left in the first half….