Aggressiveness is key to Carolina Panthers' chances in Week 4 vs. the Bengals

For the first time in what seems like forever, Carolina Panthers fans can celebrate a win. A feat that was only accomplished twice last season.

Dave Canales' men shocked the NFL world with an absolute drubbing of the Las Vegas Raiders. It was a truly dominating performance that showed just what this team can be capable of.

Andy Dalton led the offense masterfully. Jadeveon Clowney and Shaq Thompson ran the defense to perfection. Even the special teams put in good work. So what could be a problem that the Panthers need to address?

That concern reared its ugly head when the game was almost put away in the second half. Namely, finishing strong.

Carolina Panthers must display ruthless traits against the Bengals

Every team has the propensity to let their foot off of the gas when they are ahead. The so-called 'Prevent defense' is the most common way of doing this. The only thing that it prevents is a victory for the team using it. But that is an argument for a different time.

With the Panthers comfortably leading 33-7 in the fourth quarter, they seemed to begin the celebration a bit too early. This allowed the Raiders to march down the field without any kind of resistance that narrowed that commanding advantage.

The Panthers won, but the result should have been much larger. More concerning was the fact it could have been even narrower without a timely interception that turned back the momentum.

You cannot make any assumptions in the NFL. The Panthers cannot celebrate a victory before there are zeros on the clock. If it was any other opponent and the game was any closer, this could have been a disaster.

Just look at the Atlanta Falcons for additional proof.

This is a lesson learned with experience and time. Remember that a lot of the players on this roster either haven't won an NFL game or haven't been with this team for very long. Even the ones who have, it has been so long without sustained success that it's a new feeling altogether.

If the Panthers can put in the same kind of performance against Dalton's former team, they have to keep their foot on the gas and never let up. Stay aggressive, play the type of football that got you the lead in the first place. The Cincinnati Bengals are not going to let any opportunities pass them by after starting the season a shocking 0-3.

Run up that score as high as you can. Show no mercy. You never know when the momentum will shift and the Panthers will need that extra bit of cushion.

Even with such a sluggish start, the Bengals are still a dangerous outfit. They still have Joe Burrow under center. A quarterback who is more than capable of tearing apart any defense as evidenced on Monday Night Football against the Washington Commanders.

The Panthers are playing with house money this season, so take all the shots you can.

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