Cherelus added: “There was a little bit of bleeding as the game went on. The Bengals took advantage of arm tackles and larger gaps and cutbacks. They tested you a little. So, really just test your eyes and make sure you’re playing true to your keys.

The Bengals only had 141 rushing yards, an average of 4.5 per rush. However, there were six big plays on the ground in the second half as Cincinnati used a jumbo package multiple times to lean on the Panthers’ defense. It’s a double-edged sword, Wallace said, because the formation tells you exactly where the ball is going, but the added weight and bulk challenges you to stop the play.

“They know where the ball is going,” Wallace explained. “So, you know, OK, there’s a big boy to your left, the ball goes there. Just have everything ready; it’s the next step in your mind. Ok, this is where the ball goes. Like you’re just playing.” Already ready to go. So, you know, the ball is going over here, so we just have to stop it.

Stopping it was easier said than done because the Panthers were caught offside.

“We basically weren’t finished. We missed a tackle or two and that’s not us. That’s not the nature of anything we show,” Williams said. “I think we need to refine our fundamentals because at the end of the day this game is all about fundamentals, blocking, tackling and scoring. So if we do those things, we’re good.”

Missed tackles plagued Ejiro Evero’s unit in the first half as Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and others played pinball further down the field, including Chase’s 63-yard touchdown. That led to the explosive plays that Horn said they set a goal to avoid as they drew blood quickly and early.