Carolina Panthers - 24, Houston Texans - 9
Q. (No microphone.)
DAVIS MILLS: I always think back on that quote. It's never as bad as you think it was and it's never as good as you think it was. There's obviously a couple plays I would like back, but I'm going to come in tomorrow and watch the film and see what we can improve on but also see what we did well to move forward.
Q. Coach said they did what they could to make you comfortable early on so you could find your rhythm. How did you feel about it from that standpoint?
DAVIS MILLS: I thought it was well. We did well at the start, just moving the ball, trying to spread it out with some easy throws. Tried to develop the run game. I mean, overall, I felt comfortable out there. I was ready to make plays with the guys around me.
Q. Why did the two-minute offense work so well and at other times it didn't work so well?
DAVIS MILLS: I mean, I don't know how to put an answer on that entirely. I think we felt like we were, got in a really good rhythm once we were out there pushing the tempo and kind of spreading the ball around because, honestly, at the end of the drive, I felt like the defense was a little tired and we were able to attack them and find plays.
Q. Is going tempo more comfortable for you?
DAVIS MILLS: I mean, I wouldn't say necessarily more comfortable than anything else, but I always feel like can I catch a really good rhythm once we're up on the ball pushing the tempo.
Q. (Question about tempo offense and confidence.)
DAVIS MILLS: I mean, I felt comfortable out there. Obviously you want to kind of go in there and get that first hit in and really settle in, but I felt throughout the game, like you said, confidence. I mean, confidence was there the whole time. I just wanted to go out there and make plays with the guys around me.
Q. We talked to Coach about the punt there on fourth and four, talked about in that situation third and four before that. Was that a situation where you wanted to go deep there? Could you take us through that play?
DAVIS MILLS: Was that the two shots back-to-back?
Q. Yeah.
DAVIS MILLS: I mean, we just wanted to take advantage of the defense, try to make plays. They covered those well. And like every night, every play's not going to work, but felt like we bounced back and can continue to make plays to answer that.
Q. Was that a situation where you might advocate a little bit to go for it then or what was situation on the field like?
DAVIS MILLS: I probably need to make some more plays and gain a little bit more respect before I can weigh in a lot on that. But in the future I've always been an aggressive player, and not saying anything, but maybe sometime down the road.
Q. When it's third and four do the coaches tell you, like, hey, if we get two yards here then we might try to go for it on the next play? How much do you guys kind of talk about what the situation will be like after that play?
DAVIS MILLS: Not really in the moment. That's something you prepare for and it's something you talk about during the week, scenarios, but a lot of times that's the coach's call and, I mean, I'm just trying to get a first down and make plays.
Q. (Question about toughness.)
DAVIS MILLS: It's pretty cool. I thought their defense played well tonight. Obviously, limited us in some of the stuff we wanted to do. But, I mean, overall, I just, I'm going out there and trying to make plays and I thought the team around me was doing the same. I thought our O-line protected really well tonight. There was just a couple things and kind of just the protection where I could have handled it a little better pre-snap to protect myself and then I think some of it just comes with experience. I'll try to continue getting better each and every week.
Q. It was a short week. Taking first team reps, did that help you a lot coming into this game?
DAVIS MILLS: I think so. You always, game week in the NFL, the starting quarterback's going to get more reps than whoever else is out there. So just gaining some extra reps, at least more than I did last week, was an advantage going into the game.
Q. When did you find out you would be starting?
DAVIS MILLS: Early in the week.
Q. With this being your first start, did they show you, did you see anything that kind of confused you or something that was new that you didn't expect?
DAVIS MILLS: I don't think so. I think we did a really good job in preparation to handle their looks. Like I said, there will be some things that I could have handled a little better pre-snap to protect myself, but I don't think there was anything crazy that they were doing.
Q. How special was it for you to get a start in the NFL so quickly in your career given the circumstances and you don't want guys to get hurt, but you got this shot now, and you are going to try to build from this? How special is it to get this shot now?
DAVIS MILLS: Like you said, I mean, given the circumstances, I'm grateful for it. Unfortunately, Thai went down and, I mean, never wish injury upon anyone. But I think moving forward this is a place I want to be. I've always dreamed of being a starting quarterback in the NFL, so I think moving forward just trying to improve each and every day is what I'm going to try to do.
Q. When the run game is not there what's the conversation in the locker room at halftime to open things up whenever that's not there?
DAVIS MILLS: I mean, when the run game's initially not working, you can't just entirely shift to the pass game. I think a good balance in both and trying to keep the defense on their toes is the best way to attack it and that's something we try to do.
Q. Obviously you are going to check out the film, but after a game like this, do you already know the things you want to work on and kind of decide you want to work on some of the things from this game and get after it next game?
DAVIS MILLS: Definitely. There's a couple quick things that I can think of that I would like to improve on initially, but I mean, going back, we'll see a lot from the film and also see the good in it that we can keep moving forward with.
Q. To have a player like Brandin Cook, what's that like?
DAVIS MILLS: It's awesome. Really experienced guy, just instilling confidence in me between every drive. He's a trustworthy dude out there that you know he's going to be in the right spot at the right time and it's great.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports