The Houston Texans will turn to their backup quarterback on Sunday after a Week 9 injury altered their plan. The franchise has publicly backed its contingency, and the week’s practice and medical designations clarified why the change is now in place.
Why Is C.J. Stroud Not Starting In Week 10?
C.J. Stroud was ruled out for Week 10 after sustaining a concussion during the loss to the Denver Broncos, when his head hit the turf on a scramble. He did not practice this week and did not clear the league’s concussion protocol, leaving the Texans to start Davis Mills against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It is Stroud’s second career concussion, and the setback occurred with 13:51 left in the second quarter versus the Broncos. Mills finished that game in relief, completing 17 of 30 passes for 137 yards without a touchdown or interception, an experience the staff pointed to while mapping the week’s plan.
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Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans had nothing but praise for his backup quarterback: “If something happens to your starter, [if] you don’t have guys behind him who can go out and perform and keep the team moving, then, most of the time, your season is just done. I feel really good about Davis. Davis has had the best camp that I’ve seen since he’s been here.” The team extended Mills’ contract in September and reiterated its confidence this week.
Jacksonville’s own injuries also factor into the matchup context. The Jaguars ruled out rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with an ankle injury after a week of DNPs, removing a vertical threat from their offense in the divisional game.
Davis Mills Lands Unique Opportunity vs. Jaguars
Ryans detailed why Mills got the nod and what the week demanded: “[Mills] has started games in this league before, so there’s nothing new for him. It is a benefit for him, being able to get the reps throughout practice, get walk-through reps, getting every single rep that he can get. He’s done a good job with that. Today he did an outstanding job. We were efficient in and out of the huddle, at the line of scrimmage. He did a great job of communicating.” The emphasis was on full-week operation and tempo.
Mills, a 2021 third-round pick, owns 25 career starts with 6,190 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. The number of interceptions is 25. Since Stroud’s arrival, he has thrown for 385 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions while operating as the No. 2. The staff cited his prior starting experience and camp performance in making Sunday’s call.
Houston Texans offensive lineman Aireontae Ersery has full confidence in quarterback Davis Mills being able to step in for the injured C.J. Stroud and help the Texans get a victory over Jacksonville. #Texans #Sarge pic.twitter.com/Km4ho9EiXH
— BIG SARGE MEDIA LLC (@BigSargeSportz) November 9, 2025
The broader setup acknowledges a difficult runway. Houston sits at 3-5 and faces the fifth-hardest remaining strength of schedule, including two games with the Indianapolis Colts and dates with the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs after Sunday. The quarterback change and injury list add urgency to execution against Jacksonville.
In addition to Stroud, the Texans ruled out safety Jalen Pitre, correct tackle Tytus Howard, kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, and right guard Ed Ingram, tightening margins around protection, special teams, and defensive communication. The club’s messaging this week centered on maintaining clean operations and effective huddle control to offset absences.
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Ryans’ approach frames Sunday as a stabilization task — a whole week of first-team reps for Mills, efficient script management against a familiar opponent, and a roster asked to rally around practice clarity and execution. With divisional stakes and a compressed schedule ahead, Houston’s QB2 steps into a defined, immediate opportunity.
