Tyrod Taylor could lose job as Texans QB after Sunday's flop

Updated Dec. 5, 2021 6:43 p.m. ET

Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Tyrod Taylor’s days as Houston’s starting quarterback could be numbered.

The veteran was benched in the third quarter of a 31-0 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday, and coach David Culley said he’d decide if he’d keep his job later this week.

“When you don’t score any points during a game, you evaluate everything,” Culley said.

Sunday’s loss was the ninth in 10 games for the Texans (2-10).

Taylor was evaluated for an injury after Houston’s first possession of the third quarter, but the team said he was available to play, and it was Culley’s decision to insert backup Davis Mills in his place.

Houston trailed 21-0 when Taylor was benched. Taylor threw an interception on the first play of the game and the Texans fumbled on their second possession before punting on their next four drives.

Mills, a rookie from Stanford, took over with about four minutes left in the third quarter.

Culley said after the game that Taylor hyperextended his wrist, and the trainers weren’t sure that he could grip the ball, but that he could have played if they needed him. He was 5 for 13 for 45 yards before being replaced.

“We’re just going to look at the whole situation,” Culley said. “I’ve got to look at the video to see exactly what happened. ... I’ve got to look at Tyrod while he was in there and look at Davis while he was in there and see where we need to go from there.”

After the two early turnovers, the Texans punted on four consecutive drives before Mills entered the game with about four minutes left in the third quarter. The QB change didn’t do anything to help Houston’s offense and the Texans punted twice after Mills took over and turned the ball over on downs on his other three possessions.

Mills was 6 of 14 for 49 yards.

The boos from the sparse crowd began early and grew louder with each terrible offensive possession as the Texans were shut out for the second time this season. It’s their second loss to the Colts this year after Indy got a 31-3 victory in Indianapolis in October.

Taylor led the Texans to a win in the opener against Jacksonville before injuring his hamstring on a touchdown run in the second quarter at Cleveland Sept. 19, and Mills took over after halftime.

Houston lost to the Browns and dropped all six games that Mills started while Taylor was injured.

Taylor tied a career high by throwing three interceptions in a loss to Miami in his return. The Texans beat the Titans the following week by forcing five turnovers in a game in which they threw for just 107 yards.

Taylor threw two touchdown passes in the first half last week, but couldn’t do anything on offense after the break as the Jets rallied for a 21-14 win.

Culley has been disappointed with Taylor’s turnovers since his return and was particularly upset about his interception Sunday.

“First play of the game he had an interception, didn’t take care of the ball,” he said. “The job for our quarterback is to get us in the end zone and he didn’t do that today.”

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