Quarterback Cam Newton continues to spread the wealth. A week after he completed passes to eight different receivers, nine guys caught passes against the Bengals.

Newton tossed touchdowns to receiver Kelvin Benjamin and tight end Greg Olsen, but there were missed opportunities in the passing game as well. On a drive that ended the third quarter and started the fourth, Benjamin had a score brought back when he was called for pushing off, and two players later, Newton overthrew Olsen in the end zone.

In overtime, receiver Jerricho Cotchery dropped what would have been a game-winning touchdown.

The Panthers rushed for more than 100 yards for the first time since Week 1, but Newton had to do nearly all the heavy lifting. After a gimpy ankle and sore ribs contained him to just 14 rushes his four previous game, Newton had a career-best 17 attempts. He ran for 107 yards, the second-highest total of his career (116 vs. Atlanta on 12/9/12).

Starting running back Fozzy Whittaker scored the first rushing touchdown of his career, but after nine carries and 25 yards, he was held out after his troublesome quad acted up again. Undrafted rookie Darrin Reaves replaced Whittaker and gained just 15 yards on eight carries.

Jonathan Stewart, who had his sprained knee heavily wrapped, worked with strength and conditioning coach before the game and was inactive. He should have a good shot to start next week in Green Bay.

After allowing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco to complete 44 of their 61 attempts, the Panthers had plenty of trouble against another AFC North quarterback. Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton was 33-of-43 for 323 yards and two touchdowns. But unlike their games against Roethlisberger and Flacco, the Panthers did intercept Dalton twice.

Charles Johnson picked up Carolina’s only sack, which actually doubled the Bengals’ 2014 sack total.

With start receiver A.J. Green out with a toe injury, Mohamed Sanu set career highs with 10 receptions and 120 yards. He also beat previously-benched cornerback Melvin White for a fourth-quarter touchdown.

In Week 3, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell broke off an 81-yard run, which was the longest rush ever against the Panthers. Three weeks later, Giovani Bernard set a new record with an 89-yard touchdown sprint past the Carolina defense early in the second quarter. Bernard finished with 18 carries and 137 yards, becoming the third back in four games (Bell, LeGarrette Blount) to rush for more than 100 yards against the Panthers after they had allowed just one guy to do that in their previous 22 games.

Bengals No. 2 back Jeremy Hill added 22 yards on eight carries.

Graham Gano hit two clutch field goals — a 44-yarder to send the game to overtime and a 36-yard attempt in the extra period — but he was wide right from 38 yards away early in the fourth quarter. Gano was also uncharacteristically short on a fourth-quarter kickoff that Adam Jones returned 97 yards, setting up a Bengals’ touchdown.

Brad Nortman punted just once for 38 yards.

Philly Brown gained five yards on his only punt return, and he averaged 22.3 yards on six kickoff returns.

Head coach Ron Rivera’s first controversial in-game decision this season came late in overtime. With the Panthers facing a 4th-and-1 from the Bengals 18-yard-line, Rivera sent Gano out to kick the tying field goal. The call was not Riverboat Ron-ish, but it may have been the smart thing to do against a good team on the road.

Offensive coordinator Mike Shula called arguably his best game of the season.

Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, whose unit is nowhere close to the 2013 group that was the second-best defense in the NFL, is going to have another sleepless week with a game against the potent Packers ahead.