The Bengals play the Panthers Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Fox 19) in Charlotte in one of those rare games where the past comes face-to-face with the future in a present where Cincinnati is calling on a little bit of both.

They come in looking for their first victory of the season against the Panthers' Andy Dalton, the Bengals' winningest quarterback of all-time who has been gone so long that Bengals tight end Drew Sample is the only guy still here who has been in his huddle.

It also marks the first NFL start of first-round pick Amarius Mims at right tackle.

Plus, there's the hometown return of linebacker Germaine Pratt and defensive tackle B.J. Hill, two Bengals' playoff heroes seeking to restore their Super Bowl defense.

For good measure, the offseason free-agent trade of safeties Vonn Bell for Nick Scott is on display as Bell looks to reset a Bengals defense regaining its feet after Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels left Paycor Stadium Tuesday morning with an NFL-rookie record completion percentage.

Not to mention rookie defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. returns to the building where Kris Jenkins Sr. was an All-Pro presence up front 20 years ago.

It looks like Hill is going to try it on a defensive line where Jenkins made his debut Monday wearing a club to cover an injured thumb. Hill hasn't practiced since limping off the field with a hamstring injury in the first quarter in Kansas City two weeks ago, but he said Thursday that his plan is to play.

Not because they're 0-3 or that fellow defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) looks like he can't go again.

But because he can.

"I believe in our guys. I thought they played well (Monday night) when some guys were playing their first game ever," said Hill with a nod to Jenkins Jr. "I don't feel like I have to play or that I'm coming back too soon. I'm ready."

Hill is certainly going to have the adrenaline. He grew up in Oakboro on the outskirts of Charlotte, and, in his first game back since his rookie year with the Giants in 2018, he'll have about 20 members of his West Stanley High School football team in the stands. As well as mom, dad, his three sisters, nieces, nephews …

"I'm definitely going to have more people than him there. Count on that," said Hill in his perpetual competition with Pratt, his North Carolina state roommate and best friend.

Pratt, who also lives in Charlotte in the offseason, has bought plenty of tickets, but it's a day he also catches up with an old friend from Cincinnati. He's one of three players who was here with Dalton: Pratt, Sample and left end Sam Hubbard. He was a rookie in 2019, Dalton's ninth and last season as a Bengal.

"That was my first quarterback. I love Andy. Great guy. He did great things for the city with him and his family," Pratt said. "That's what I knew when I got drafted by the Bengals. 'Oh, I'm playing with Andy Dalton. I've got a quarterback who is really good and can lead.' He's still doing great things that you saw last week. He and Joe (Burrow) are the only two guys in the league who have 300 yards and three touchdowns in a game."

In the wake of the benching of Bryce Young, Dalton made his second start in as many years last week and blew up the Raiders with a 123.6 passer rating. He turns 37 next month, and the milestones are piling up. His next touchdown pass is his 250th, and he'll be the 25th man to do it.

It may not be A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones in 2015, but Dalton had plenty of help last week. Running back Chuba Hubbard rushed for 114 yards and had a career-high 169 scrimmage yards, while wide receiver Diontae Johnson had his first 100-yard game in three seasons with 122.

"He's been around, seen it all, there's nothing he hasn't seen in this league at this point," linebacker Logan Wilson said. "It looks to me like he comes in very loose. He doesn't have anything to lose. He was going to sit on the bench and help Bryce along. Now he got thrown in, but it's not like he doesn't know what he's doing. He's got confidence in his ability and in his teammates."

Seen it all?

He's got a win and a loss against Carson Palmer, the Bengals overall No. 1 quarterback in 2003. He's got a win and a loss against Burrow, the Bengals' overall No. 1 quarterback in 2020. He's making his fourth start against the Bengals, tying him with Ryan Fitzpatrick for most starts against Cincinnati by a former Bengals quarterback. He's 2-1 and a third win ties him with Jeff Blake for most by an old Bengals QB against his old club.

"Andy is very smart. He's similar to Joe Burrow in some aspects, and he's always been a timing quarterback, too," Pratt said. "So he knows what coverage you're in, the ball is going out fast. He had Tyler (Boyd), and he had A.J. (Green) when I got here. It was more timing routes. High percentage. Wait. Boom. Glance. Bang. Stuff like that."

For the first time this season, the Bengals don't face a quarterback who can bolt out of the pocket at a moment's notice.

But Wilson knows that Dalton knows where he's going when he gets to the line of scrimmage and that it's important the Bengals do what they didn't do against Washington's fast-paced offense and get set.

"There was a lot of subbing trying to be done to replicate their subs. And they were lining up three yards behind the ball," Wilson says. "As soon as they broke the huddle, they were ready to play. We were scrambling to make sure everyone was on the same page just trying to react to the plays versus getting the call out earlier and being able to see what formations they're in, what runs they can run, and passes they can (throw)."

Wilson says they have to walk the line. "Just finding that balance of not doing too much and not enough."

Or, as safety Geno Stone says "Get back to who we are."

Hill knows exactly who they are.

"Come out there with more energy. Swagger. And we'll be fine … more juice and have fun. We have, (but) there's another level we can take it to," Hill says "There were a couple of days in camp we had this crazy energy flying around having fun, hitting people, making big plays. If we take that energy we have there and take it to the game . . ."

Now they have to prevent Dalton from making the big plays he pulled off Sunday.

"You have to be able to find a way to try to get him with some disguises if you can," says Wilson of this game with familiar faces, "and find a way to maybe steal a couple."