Davis Mills likely went to bed Sunday night not only with a number 97 tattooed to his chest in black and blue, but waking up every 15 minutes with nightmares of Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence coming at him like a runaway freight train.

The Texans quarterback spent the better part of Sunday’s 24-16 loss to the Giants with Lawrence lying in his lap at the end of pass plays.

Lawrence finished the game with a sack, five quarterback hits, one tackle for a loss and a big batted-down pass, and those gaudy numbers seem even less than it felt like the impact he had on the game.

Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who has been around the NFL block a few dozen times, wasn’t being flip when he called Lawrence his most “favorite player’’ he’s ever coached.

“Dex’ has been in quarterbacks’ faces this whole damn season,’’ Giants defensive Jihad Ward said. “He’s definitely the core of the defense. He’s a big, bad mother—-ing core, and I’m proud of him.’’

Giants receiver Sterling Shepard, who has the longest tenure on the team and is out for the season with a knee injury, watches the game from the sidelines, because he can’t stay away. So, he had a front-row seat for the Dexter Lawrence Show Sunday.

“He’s a man amongst boys, for real,’’ Shepard told The Post. “He’s a monster, man. It’s hard to stop a man that big and that fast. He’s hard to deal with [for] opposing teams. Week by week, he’s a force. He’s the best at doing what he’s doing. I’m proud of the way he’s been playing. He doesn’t take off plays.’’

All week, the Giants had to hear about how hard Texans running back Dameon Pierce runs and what a threat he is. Martindale went as far as to compare him to the former Houston Oilers great Earl Campbell.

Lawrence was at the heart of making sure Pierce didn’t gash the Giants. Pierce did have one 44-yard run, but on his other 16 carries in the game, the Giants held him to just 50 harmless yards and Leonard Williams stripped him of the ball late in the game to help clinch the victory.

“He’s a captain of this team for a reason,’’ Williams said. “He definitely brings energy and that type of persona to the defense that we need. Guys feed off of him.’’

Giants rookie defensive end Kayvon Thibodeau after the game said he thought Lawrence is better than Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who is the gold standard at the position.

“He’s funny,’’ Lawrence said. “It’s just the respect I’m earning from him. He’s a good ball player and I don’t like comparing myself to people and things like that, but that’s how he views me, and I just want to keep dominating and keep proving myself to him and to whoever else.’’

Said Williams: “Dex’ played outstanding today. Me and Kayvon were laughing and joking about how there would be times when we’d see the quarterback get rid of the ball and I’d be turning to run and almost every time right before I’d turn and run I’d see Dex’ hitting the quarterback or in his face.’’

Just ask Mills.

“He’s our best in the middle,’’ Giants veteran defensive end Justin Ellis told The Post. “He’s the centerpiece for us.’’