HOUSTON - The Texans told Tony Banks to avoid mistakes. He did, and they won.
Banks played an error-free game and hit tight end Billy Miller for a 20-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, helping the Texans shut down the Panthers 14-10 Sunday.
Banks is the first quarterback other than David Carr to start for the second-year Texans. Carr was out with a sprained right ankle.
"I'll feel better about picking my check up this week," said Banks, who didn't take a snap last season.
Entering Sunday, his career had been marked mostly by miscues: 100 turnovers in 85 games, mostly with the Ravens and Rams. But against Carolina's vaunted defense he was 13-of-19 for 154 yards with the one touchdown and, most important, zero interceptions and zero fumbles.
"I've seen Tony Banks play before, and we did not take Tony Banks lightly," Panthers coach John Fox said. "I thought he had a terrific second half."
Carolina, which has lost two of three after a 5-0 start, took a 10-7 lead on John Kasay's 23-yard field goal at the end of a third quarter in which each team had one possession.
But Banks connected with Miller for the winning points on a second-down play from the Panthers 20 with 91/2 minutes left. Banks' pass traveled between Carolina's Ricky Manning and Greg Favors, and Miller made a one-handed catch and cradled the ball as he strode 4 yards into the end zone.
Banks "had a little bit of pressure on him, and I looked late," Miller said. "It kind of stuck in my hand."
Stacey Mack, who replaced Domanick Davis after he was injured, tied the score at 7 halfway through the third quarter with a 1-yard lunge in his regular role as goal-line specialist.
After Miller's score, Carolina moved to Houston's 31 on its next possession.
But the drive stalled when receiver Steve Smith, who scored Carolina's touchdown, kicked defensive tackle Jerry Deloach after a catch and was flagged for a 15-yard personal foul.
The Panthers fed the Texans a steady diet of Stephen Davis on the game's opening drive, rushing him eight times for 20 yards to set up the occasional throw by Jake Delhomme. Smith scored on a 24-yard catch in the first quarter.
Davis, the NFC's leading rusher, gained 153 yards on 30 carries.
"I would rather have 11 yards and a win," he said.
