CHARLOTTE — Coming into Sunday's Week 9 game against the Broncos, the Panthers defense knew this particular officiating crew liked to call pass interference, but it was usually of the offensive variety.

"We did know they were one of the biggest crews — they call OPI. Seems like it was a little bit different for this week on the other side," said corner Marco Wilson after the Panthers 26-21 loss to Denver. "But you just got to take accountability."

He's right; it did swing the other way on Sunday. The Panthers were called for four defensive pass interference flags: two for Wilson (and it would've been a third, but one was declined to accept a taunting penalty instead) and two on Corey Thornton, making his season debut.

"It's DB life," said Thornton, who also had three passes defensed and an interception. "You got to refocus when they call it. It is what it is; next play, just continue to play aggressive."

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Playing aggressive was a huge focus for the Panthers defense this week as Todd Wash took over as interim defensive coordinator. Playing aggressively meant playing a lot more press man, which can lead to physical plays and, at times, pass interference calls.

Carolina was content to live with that earlier this season as rookie Will Lee III took over as a starter, with Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on injured reserve. With Lee out this week (hamstring), Thornton started in his place opposite Wilson, and the Panthers were once again content to live with the repercussions of playing physical, to an extent.

"We're asking our corners to challenge outside, but we got to be clean with our hands," said coach Dave Canales. "When you play a team like the Broncos, a coach that I really respect and their systems are in place, they're a tough team to beat in these one-possession games because they do things right towards the end."

Two of those defensive pass interference calls came in the first quarter and extended drives for the Broncos, with one coming on a third down when it seemed Denver was going to be forced off the field. Both drives ended in a score.

"I feel like there was a big emphasis on just playing physical, and for me, that's always a big emphasis just personally, so that's going to happen. I can't put any blame on anybody other than myself," said Wilson.

"I didn't really get any explanation from them. I didn't really care to. It's just, you just got to focus. There's too many things to focus on, next play and whatnot."

Wilson's would-be third DPI, as mentioned, was declined in order to accept a taunting penalty. But he also finished with a pass defensed and four tackles.

"I definitely got to tone it down," admitted Wilson. "I don't want people to think like I'm a, you know, like a crazy guy out there, but sometimes I'm trying to be physical. It's a physical game, and I don't want to go out there and have someone else out-physical me."

The secondary's aggressive nature also paid off at times. Chau Smith-Wade had two passes defensed, both in the end zone for touchdown-saving PBUs. And the defense as a whole had seven pass breakups on the day and held Bo Nix to a 91.8 quarterback rating.

"We want to play aggressive. We want to make them earn everything," said linebacker and team captain Devin Lloyd. "So as far as the penalties, I love the mindset of our corners, Marco, Corey, just everybody, and how they played.

"But yeah, we just, maybe at the top end, we just got to get our hands off a little quicker, but at the end of the day, it's a mindset making them earn everything, and you know we preset as a defense, but the penalties definitely can't happen."

The Panthers don't have a firm timeline on when Horn and Jackson will return from injured reserve, though the team still feels confident it will happen at some point this season. Their original prognosis had both eyeing a return during the third quarter of the schedule, and both have been participating in the team's return-to-play program.

The aggressive nature Wilson, Lee, and now Thornton have brought though is something the Panthers know they can foster. It will just also require cleaning up the extra second of physicality that can sometimes accompany the mindset.

"I got to watch the film, clean up some things, but I'm not going to stop playing physical," promised Wilson. "So we just got to figure it out."