CINCINNATI — No running backs in Cincinnati Bengals history had a game like the one Joe Mixon had Sunday.
Mixon set the franchise record for the most touchdowns in a single game in the team’s 42-21 rout of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Mixon scored five times, with a 14-yard touchdown in the third quarter setting the record.
The mark was previously held by two players, Larry Kinnebrew (1984) and Corey Dillon (1997), before Mixon had one of the best days of his career. Mixon had four rushing touchdowns, which matched Dillon’s mark 25 yards ago against the Tennessee Titans. The running back also had one receiving touchdown, a 12-yard catch at the end of the first half.
Mixon had 211 total yards from scrimmage — 153 rushing, 58 receiving. He became the sixth player in the Super Bowl era with at least 200 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns in one game.
Before Sunday’s performance, the Bengals’ rushing attack was under significant scrutiny. Coming into Sunday, Cincinnati was 30th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (81) and yards per rush attempt (3.54). Many of those questions revolved around Mixon. According to NFL Next Gen, Mixon rushed for 52 yards fewer than projected.
All of that changed on Sunday against the Panthers (2-7). On the opening drive, Cincinnati effortlessly moved down the field to score, capped by a Mixon 2-yard touchdown run. That set the tone for the rest of the game.
Mixon rushed for 74 yards over expectation in Sunday’s contest and took advantage of good blocking ahead of him. Mixon gained a career-high 104 rushing yards before first contact, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.