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Tyrod Taylor has already been ruled out of the Texans' Thursday night game against the Panthers after he sustained a hamstring injury in Sunday's 31-21 loss to the Browns. It has been reported by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle that Taylor could miss up to four weeks with his injury. Texans coach David Cully considers Taylor as day to day after the veteran quarterback was injured during his second-quarter, 15-yard touchdown run. 

Cully said on Monday that rookie Davis Mills will start in place of Taylor on Thursday night. Deshaun Watson will continue to be placed on the team's game day inactive list. Mills went 8 of 18 for 102 yards with a touchdown and an interception during the second half of Sunday's game. 

Taylor played well during the season's first six quarters prior to sustaining the injury. The 11-year veteran went 21 of 33 for 291 yards and two touchdowns in Houston's Week 1 victory over Jacksonville. Taylor was 10 of 11 for 125 yards with a touchdown passing and rushing in two quarters of work in Cleveland. Overall, Taylor went 31 of 44 for 416 yards with three touchdowns and no interception during the Texans' first two games. 

Cully spoke positively when asked about Mills' NFL regular-season debut. After throwing an interception on his second possession under center, Mills directed a 16-play, 75-yard drive on his third possession that was capped off by his 2-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks. 

"He had very few reps at all with our first group (in practice)," Culley said of Mills following Sunday's game, via Aaron Reiss of The Athletic. "I thought he did well, and I expected him to do well. He's been that way all through training camp and in the preseason games when he's been in there. Had the pick early, came back and did what Davis normally does: move onto the next play and go from there."