- Don't be fooled by numbers. They say Dalton threw four interceptions for the first time since last year's opener and for just the third time in his career. But the last one came on the last play fling and another one came on a tipped ball. And there were two others where some thought wide receiver John Ross should have put more of a fight on those 50-50 balls.

Dalton got chased most of the game and still ended up with 352 yards passing on 29 of 46 for a 64.8 rating in tying Boomer Esiason with the most 300-yard games in Bengals history.

- It was a defensive nightmare for Bengals to the tune of 230 yards rushing, a stunning number rarely allowed in club annals, certainly under head coach Marvin Lewis. It's only the sixth time they've allowed that much on the ground in his 16 seasons.

"Couldn't stop the run. That's why we lost the game," said WILL linebacker Nick Vigil.

Middle linebacker Hardy Nickerson attributed the 184-yard onslaught of running back Christian McCaffrey to being unable to execute "assignment football," with the Panthers so adept at running what amounts to the option football.

"It takes discipline and they beat us Nickerson said.