The Bengals were missing wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase again on Sunday, but their offense didn’t have the same difficulties that it experienced against the Browns in Week Eight.
They had five touchdown drives in the first half and threw things into cruise control for the second half of a 42-21 win over the Panthers that lifted them to 5-4 on the season. Running back Joe Mixon spearheaded the offensive attack with 211 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns, but Joe Burrow also threw for 206 yards and the defense forced three turnovers as the Bengals overwhelmed their visitors in all phases of the game.
After the game was over, Burrow said it was the first time this year that the Bengals were clicking like that.
“It was the first complete game of the year,” Burrow said, via a transcript from the team. “It’s how we expect to play every week. Run game, defense, pass game, it was all clicking today. We have to find that sauce and keep it in our back pocket for the rest of the year.”
The Bengals were 5-4 when they reached their bye week last year and they’ll be off in Week 10 again this year. The hope in Cincinnati is that the similarities to last season won’t end there.
