Texans reportedly make shocking QB decision for Week 15

The Houston Texans are reportedly making a somewhat surprising decision regarding who will play quarterback in Week 15 in place of the injured C.J. Stroud.

The Texans will start veteran Case Keenum and not Davis Mills on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC in Houston. Keenum took the majority of first-team reps in practice this week, even though Mills has been listed as the backup quarterback all season.

The Texans value Keenum’s extensive experience with the team in the middle of a playoff race and are also hoping he can provide a spark for the offense. Mills was the one who replaced Stroud late in last week’s 30-6 loss to the New York Jets, but Stroud’s injury came so late in the game that there was no way anything meaningful could be taken from Mills’ reps.

Going with Keenum over Mills certainly comes with risk. Keenum has not started a game since 2021 and has not even appeared in a game for the Texans this season. He did go 2-0 for the Browns as a fill-in in 2021, so the Texans are hoping for some similar level of success here.

Stroud, the Texans’ star rookie, remained in concussion protocol during the week and will not be able to play Sunday. It sounds like he should be back for Week 16, so Keenum’s opportunity will likely be a one-off.