Texans coach David Culley remains adamant in his confidence in offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.
When askedFriday morningif he anticipates Kelly returning for the 2022 season as the Texans' play-caller, Culley firmly replied: "100 percent."
The Texans rank 30th in scoring offense, averaging 15.9 points per game after averaging 24 points per contest last season.
A year ago, the Texans led the NFL in passing yardage behind Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson with Kelly calling the plays and operating a free-wheeling offense. This season, the 4-12 Texans have struggled mightily to run the football and have had two different starting quarterbacks after Watson requested a trade and is still dealing with legal problems, beginning the season with veteran Tyrod Taylor before replacing him with rookie Davis Mills.
Kelly returned after Watson strongly endorsed him and was a holdover for a new coaching staff led by Culley. The Texans retained Kelly after denying interview requests from other teams interested in him as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach candidate. Kelly was one of the first coaches that general manager Nick Caserio met with upon taking the job.
The lack of productivity has worn on Kelly, players and other coaches, but it hasn't been for a lack of effort or attempts to inject some creativity into the offense. What has been a consistent failing is the lack of push up front and running backs that are capable of eluding or running over defenders.
Other than a season-high 189 rushing yards during an upset victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, there haven't been a lot of successful performances from the ground game. And that has hamstrung the entire offense that was built around establishing the run and protecting the football.
“It’s been frustrating at times, for sure," Kelly said. "Obviously, the results haven’t been what we want them to be, but the guys have really come in every single day and working and doing everything that we’ve asked them to do. While results haven’t been there, being able to come in every day and practice and work with them, it’s been great. They’ve attacked practice every day with the type of intensity and urgency that we need them to. Luckily for us, we still get another opportunity to go out there and hopefully go out and perform at the highest level yet on Sunday.”
Heading into the final game of the season Sunday against the AFC South champion Tennessee Titans, the Texans are ranked last in rushing offense (84.9 yards per game) and yards per run (3.4 average). The Texans are averaging 273.4 yards per offense per game, ranking 30th in that category and 30th in passing yards (188.5 yards per game).
"Been fine," Culley saidWednesday morningwhen asked to evaluate Kelly's performance and the offense. "We’ve been a little inconsistent, but we’ve gotten better. We’ve just been trying to find out who we are. We’ve gone through some changes with some different guys and whatnot, and we’ve gone through the quarterback thing.
"We’ve settled in right now. Obviously, with Davis being our quarterback, we kind of know which direction we want to go and which direction we need to go. I think Tim and our offensive staff have done a good job of putting us in the right direction in doing that, and I think it has shown since our bye week. I think it’s just taken us a little bit longer to find out about these guys and find out who we are, but that’s normal and that’s common.”
In 12 games and 10 starts, Mills has gone 2-8 as the starter. He has completed 66.5 percent of his throws for 2,363 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He is the leading rookie quarterback over the past month with a 68.1 completion percentage, 6.9 yards per attempt and a 96.2 passer rating
Ideally, Mills would like to see continuity from the coaching staff as he continues to gain knowledge about the NFL and how to improve as a quarterback while being coached by Culley, Kelly and quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton.
“It’s big," Mills said. "I’m not saying you wouldn’t have to worry about it, but one more thing that’s similar to the previous year allows you to put more of your focus on other things so it will allow you to grow in different ways. With the same offense you’re able to do self-study on your own offense, but allow yourself to do more study on opposing defenses and just stuff from around the league to make your own game better because you’re not going to have to worry about learning a new offense and stuff like that. The continuity is great and I’m looking forward to it this offseason.”
Mills' completion percentage ranks fourth among rookie quarterbacks since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, a mark only topped by the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott (67.76 percent), the New England Patriots' Mac Jones (67.72 percent) and the Los Angeles Chargers (66.55 percent).
Mills ranks ahead of retiring Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's 66.44 completion percentage in 2004 when he finished 15-1.
“It’s pretty cool," Mills said. "Obviously, with the guys who have been in the league for a long time and been successful, it’s cool just to be in that same discussion as them. Hopefully, my career will turn out, say like Ben Roethlisberger who just played his last home game in Pittsburgh this last weekend.
"That would be awesome if I could turn my career into something like that, but right now it’s just go out there and attack each week, and obviously make smart decisions with the football, because that’s where completion percentage comes from. Ultimately, just go out there and do my job, move the ball down the field and get our team in the end zone.”