Al Golden had just done what no Bengals defensive coordinator had ever done.

He had watched his unit generate four turnovers while recording four sacks on Opening Day. On Monday, the Bengals' media informed him during Sunday's FOX broadcast that he was identified on a graphic as the offensive coordinator by the name of First Name, Last Name.

"As long as it's not up there in my office like that," said the good-natured Golden.

There was a lot to feel good about, and heading the list had to be the play of linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. (a 27-yard fumble return touchdown) and Barrett Carter (a half sack, a forced goal-line fumble, eight-team high tackles). After an offseason of scrutiny, the Opening Day tape reinforced the Bengals' decision to attack the front and back in the defensive overhaul.

"I think Demetrius played fast. I think Barrett had some really nice plays," Golden said. "The play on the screen was really, really good. Had some nice run fits, and his overall command was really good with the (radio helmet)."

What was the biggest difference between this year and last? Like Knight and Carter, head coach Zac Taylor didn't hesitate.

"I think just the speed in which they diagnose things and go make a play. There's no hesitation, which over the course of the season they certainly improved on, but they trust the talent around them," Taylor said. "So you don't have to do too much. I thought that they had really good command of the defense. Barrett with the headset and doing a good job getting us in the right calls. So I was impressed."

Mims Flexes

By any metric, Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims dominated the Bucs, and much of the time he was working against Tampa Bay's prized No. 1 pick Reuben Bain Jr. According to Pro Football Focus, Mims threw a no-hitter when he didn't allow a pressure on his 38 pass protections.

The 6-8, 350-pound Mims swallowed the 6-3, 270-pound Bain, the 15^th pick in the draft consistently  linked with the Bengals until they traded the 10^th pick for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. The knock on Bain had been his short arms. On Sunday, Mims won the arms race when PFF had Bain for no pressures.

"He's a great player. I know there was a lot of buzz about him coming into this game," Mims said on Victory Monday. "I knew I had to protect No. 9 with everything in my power and not let him affect the game."

The Bucs' feared defensive line and head coach Todd Bowles' lethal blitzes were kept at bay by the Bengals offensive line. Via PFF, quarterback Joe Burrow was blitzed nearly 50% of the time (64% in the second half), and the Bengals allowed a mere seven pressures on all of Burrow's dropbacks for a 19% pressure rate that was among Sunday's best in the NFL.

"That was my 31^st start and we've gone against a lot of good defenses, and I've seen a lot of exotic stuff," Mims said. "These guys were probably the most exotic front and blitzes other than the Minnesota Vikings from last year."

The Bucs perennially finish in the top five against the run, but the Bengals managed to rush for 106 yards on nearly four yards per rush as running back Chase Brown (56 yards on 16 carries) gouged out some key runs. Center Ted Karras' interior stood up to monstrous defensive tackle Vita Vea.  According to PFF, he had no tackles or stops in the run game.

"They've got a great front. And I was really impressed with the job (the O-line) did," Taylor said. "Number one in protection, keeping Joe clean, giving him a lot of time to either extend the pocket and make some plays or just stand back and wait for someone to get open. The run game, there's some really big holes there for Chase. Some grinding runs there at the end of the game that were good."

Mims knows it's not getting any easier when the Bengals go to Houston Sunday (1 p.m. - Cincinnati's Local 12) to play the gold-plated pass-rushing tandem of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., the Texans' first and third players under the salary cap, respectively. Yes, he agrees, those are the games offensive tackles make the big money, but he's trending up because he's keeping it simple.

"Just my mindset. Just realizing small mistakes are going to be made," said Mims of his biggest improvements. "Just realizing it's a long game and I can be a really good tackle in this league. As a whole unit we just have top play together and show everybody that we can be one of the best O-lines in the NFL. The only goal is to keep Nine clean and win football games."

Rotational Tilt

Bengals defensive line coach and run game coordinator Jerry Montgomery rolled out eight linemen for at least 19 snaps, and tackle Kris Jenkins Jr., played eight more and got a sack out of it. Edge Boye Mafe (PFF's highest-graded Bengal) led the way with 37 snaps, followed by Lawrence with 35.

Last year's opener? Six D-linemen played at least 34 snaps.

Tackle Jonathan Allen started his 10^th season playing 32 snaps and loved it. After nine years of averaging 48 snaps and playing 71% of the plays, he feels like it mixes things up for the opposing offensive line while keeping everyone fresh.

"This is by far the fewest amount of snaps I played in a long time, but it was really good," said Allen, who also had a sack. "The rotation was awesome. In the third quarter (when Allen got his sack) and fourth quarter, we were fresh and just rolling."

Allen played 27 snaps in last season's final game for the Vikings, but Sunday was only the 12^th time out of 127 NFL games he played 32 or fewer snaps.

It was just the 14^th time in 110 games Lawrence played 35 or fewer snaps. But no one denied his impact was massive.

"It shows up because of the production a lot of guys around him get oftentimes," Taylor said. "And he still was in there and made his presence felt, and Baker (Mayfield) had to try to get away from him a couple times. He had some runs he really affected as well. But as much as anything, you just see the production that comes to other people because of the attention he draws."

Golden got something from everybody. An extra something, it seemed, because he kept using the word, "relentless." From Mafe, their $60 million Super Bowl pass rusher, to their blossoming 2023 first-round edge Myles Murphy, to second-round rookie edge Cashius Howell.

"We kept those guys fresh and they really showed up. All those guys," Golden said. "They all had an impact in the game.

"What I liked is Boye's sack/forced fumble, (Murphy) countered. He didn't go behind the quarterback, which was great. So he was relentless there," Golden said. "(Murphy) was relentless on the back side and attacked the ball. Cashius, I'm pretty sure he beat the on-side tight end and then whoever was pulling to get part of his (sack) with (Jenkins)."

Slants and Screens

They told wide receiver Dohnte Meyers the night before his NFL debut that he is their primary kick and punt returner. Of course, the Bucs didn't punt, but Meyers got a dose of Paycor Stadium sun logistics from Taylor and special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons during pregame.

"Learning the stadium. Pregame is kind of the worst. As the day goes on, it moves," Meyers said. "But it's directly, so you have to have the angle a little bit. You just have to get used to it. My visor has a little tint to it because it helps my contacts."

But it's not like playing centerfield at Norcross High School in Norcross, Ga., where he could put on sunglasses. (By the way, he was also was an all-region second-team punt returner at Norcross.) He does use his baseball background a bit.

"Tracking the ball off the bat is similar to a punt," Meyers said. "Getting used to the sun, feeling the space, the communication."

Meyers did return his first four NFL kicks Sunday for an average of  23.3 yards.

"No one's going to be harder on myself than (me)," Meyers said. "It's good to get the first ones out of the way." …

As Golden reminded everyone, they had a bunch of first-round grades on Howell, so after getting him with the 41^st pick, they aren't surprised they're seeing a first-round talent. Howell had a much better day than Bain with 25 snaps, 16 on the rush for a hurry, and a beaten defender, and he could have had half-a-sack …

Golden stayed true to what his edges do best. Remember when everybody was going nuts as Mafe and Howell were dropping into coverage during the spring and summer? According to PFF, Howell didn't cover once Sunday, Murphy did once, and Mafe twice …