Rookie outside linebacker Christian Miller quickly turned his attention to Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans even after his first extensive playing time in the NFL resulted in two meaningful sacks.

“I don’t like to sit in the past too much,” Miller told the Panthers’ official web site after practice Wednesday. “It was a great game, and it was exciting for my family, but I want to get to the next game.

“You can’t get too high; you can’t get too low. I’ve always gone by that. Keep everything level and keep your head down.”

The Panthers earned their first victory of the 2019 season by defeating the Arizona Cardinals 38-20 last week.

While Miller was helping Carolina beat the Cardinals, his father, former NFL linebacker Corey Miller, was presiding at the funeral of his father, Olin Miller.

Just finished preaching my fathers funeral and walked out to this info! Dad is smiling from heaven! #KeepPounding @Panthers https://t.co/gVqru6LwbU — Corey Miller (@pastorofpain) September 22, 2019

“I was just praying that my dad would have the strength that he needed to do that,” Christian Miller told The Riot Report. “My grandfather was a war veteran. He was a deacon for years -- probably 40 or 50 years. You know how it is in a small town -- everybody knows everybody. He and my grandmother were probably some of the most respected people in that town. …

“He was a very influential person, an amazing person. It just meant a lot to be able to go out there and get my first sack and then to get another one. That was for my grandmother, because she just passed about two months ago. I feel like I got one for each of them as they got reunited today.

“It was a special moment.”

Miller joined the Panthers from Alabama in the fourth round of the NFL Draft in April. He played seven defensive snaps in a 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8 and six snaps in a 20-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 12.

Against the Cardinals, Miller played 24 snaps and took down Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray twice.

In Miller's final game with the Crimson Tide, he suffered a hamstring injury defending against Murray in Alabama's victory over Oklahoma 45-34 in the Orange Bowl that prevented the pass-rusher from playing in the 44-16 loss to Clemson in the CFP national-championship game nine days later.

“I had to get my feet underneath me," Miller said of the start of his NFL career. "It took a little bit of time. I was a step behind, I felt like. Once I was feeling better and I got some preseason experience, I just started to get the gears rolling. …

"Confidence was coming. I was able to figure out what works for me and what I need to work on. I’m the type of person where once I get a good understanding, I start to capitalize. Athletically, I have the ability. They wouldn’t have brought me here if I didn’t. Sometimes you just have to get through that mental barrier.”

Miller is part of a pass-rush overhaul for the Panthers. Carolina finished 27th among the NFL's 32 teams in 2018, prompting coach Ron Rivera to revamp his defense to a predominantly three-man front. The Panthers then used their first-round draft choice on Florida State outside linebacker Brian Burns before spending their fourth pick on Miller

With 12 sacks, Carolina ranks second in the NFL three games into the 2019 season. Defensive end/outside linebacker Mario Addison, a former Tarrant High School and Troy standout, has 3.5 of the Panthers’ sacks.

“It’s a good combination of what’s going on,” Rivera said. “We have guys who can rush from the edges with a tremendous amount of speed and quickness, and we have (interior linemen) getting a good inside push.”

Miller’s two-sack game caused a change in his postgame plans. He was going to swap jerseys with former Alabama teammate Deionte Thompson, an Arizona safety who was a fifth-round draft choice in April.

“I said, ‘Man, DT, I might have to hold on to this jersey,'" Miller said. “'I hate to do it, but I might have to hold on to this one. It’s my first-sack jersey.'

"But he got the first-sack gloves, so that’s still pretty cool, right?”

The Panthers and Texans kick off at noon CDT Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston. Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has been sacked 12 times, the third-most among NFL QBs this season.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

More NFL coverage:

· Dee Ford dealing with injuries: ‘I’ve been through worse’

· Calvin Ridley: ‘He’s going to be a great wideout in this league for a long time’

· Cam Newton: ‘I’m not able to play this game the way I want to’

· Jarrett Stidham gets company on Patriots’ depth chart

· Jordan Howard scores 3 TDs as Eagles beat Packers

· Amari Cooper ‘pretty darn good’ at route running for Dallas Cowboys

· NFL Week 4: Could Alabama win in the pros?

· Why didn’t Terry Bradshaw play quarterback at LSU?

· Irv Smith Jr. sets Minnesota Vikings record in his third NFL game

· Jonathan Allen: ‘We’re going to get (expletive) right. You can believe that’

· Ken Stabler, state stars prominent on NFL’s list of 100 greatest plays