Official Texans at Broncos Game Thread, 9/18/2022

[Keith]

Mills is underwhelming. Doesn't quite have the same look as the QB down the stretch last season. I suppose it's a season-long audition for him since there isn't a great alternative and the team probably has a who cares? vibe on this season's record anyway, but Mills has the look of a career backup so far.

The team lacks a lot of elite offensive weapons, but Mills has enough to work with to be a better performer than what he has shown through two games. That was a winnable game in Denver. Heck, I guess this is two games in a row where the Texans have lost a game with a fourth quarter lead.

The defense has improved though. Pitre is easy to like. Something there with Stingley that makes his development promising.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by Keith

Mills is underwhelming. Doesn't quite have the same look as the QB down the stretch last season. I suppose it's a season-long audition for him since there isn't a great alternative and the team probably has a who cares? vibe on this season's record anyway, but Mills has the look of a career backup so far.

The team lacks a lot of elite offensive weapons, but Mills has enough to work with to be a better performer than what he has shown through two games. That was a winnable game in Denver. Heck, I guess this is two games in a row where the Texans have lost a game with a fourth quarter lead.

The defense has improved though. Pitre is easy to like. Something there with Stingley that makes his development promising.

Eh, give him some time, I think. He still has less than a full season of starter experience. In time, he will either sink or swim....

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Denver fans attracted national attention for something they started doing in the 3rd quarter. After a delay of game penalty or two, they started counting down the play clock when Denver had the ball. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, etc. You could hear it all over the stadium - sorta sarcastically helping the team out. I heard some TV talking heads declare them as "football-smart fans". OK. I did feel a tinge of jealousy when I saw the 3 Super Bowl victory pennants hanging on the wall ('97, '98 and 2015).

Also, when the Broncos score, there are popping fireworks and flames that shoot out of the top of the big screen right where the big white Bronco statue is. The radiant heat from those flames can be felt by everyone sitting in the end zone seats below...

[Arky]

SEAN PENDERGAST

NFL Week 2: Broncos 16, Texans 9 — Four Winners, Four Losers

I have no idea how this 2022 season is going to eventually unfold for the Houston Texans. We are two weeks in, and they sit at 0-1-1, after Sunday's 16-9 loss in Denver to the Broncos. It was a hard fought loss, one in which the Texans covered the 10 point spread, but ultimately, like last week against the Colts, it was about the opportunity that was squandered.

Chances are the Texans will finish among the bottom heap of teams in the NFL in 2022, especially if the version of Davis Mills we've seen thus far this season is what we get this entire year. However, if they're hanging around anywhere close to the wild card race in December, they will look back at these first two games and see two opponents who did EVERYTHING (and then some) that they could to hand the Texans a victory.

As it was, Sunday ended in defeat for the Texans. There were winners and losers in Denver, and around the league in Week 2. Let's take a look!

tl;dr version:

Winners:

4. Dameon Pierce
3. Next Gen Stats and Kyler Murray
2. The defense as a whole
1. The other little sisters of the poor

Losers:

4. Nathaniel Hackett
3. The wallets of several Bucs and Saints
2. Derek Stingley, Jr.
1. Davis Mills

More at link.
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I might add, the fanbase of the Indianapolis Colts must be in total meltdown mode after their 0-1-1 start....