CHARLOTTE — Mike Jackson has learned a few different things about himself and Jaycee Horn while at the bowling alley.

The two Panthers cornerbacks spent the offseason—their first full one as teammates—finding ways to work out together and learn more about the man who lines up as their mirror on the opposite side of the field.

"We worked out a couple of times, and we kind of pick apart each other's games," Jackson shared this Wednesday. "Like he may see something that I don't see and vice versa, so we kind of just do it like that, I say as the season went along last year, but really in the offseason."

It was during the offseason that the duo began to understand each other off the grass.

"We got a chance to hang out with each other outside of football, like, I got to learn his story. He got to learn mine, so we just gelled from there," said Jackson.

And one of their favorite offseason activities?

"Bowling. We went bowling a couple of times. He beat me. I ain't going to lie," laughed Jackson.

The two have different tactics—or perhaps it's a stroke of luck—when it comes to the sport, but, just as they do on the field, they balance each other out.

"He's one of those people, he just hits strikes at the right time," Jackson begrudingly explained of Horn. "Like I can go spare, spare, strike, then roll a 7, and then when I roll 7, he's going to hit a strike. So, now I'm trying to play catch-up."

But that is hard to do at the bowling alley and even harder to do on the football field, something Jackson was reminded of this weekend when the Panthers fell 27-22 to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Carolina fought back from down 27-3, but just like Jackson trying to catch Horn on the lanes, it's not always easy to overcome.

"We fight, but we just got to start fast, don't put ourselves in position to have to come back," said Jackson, before adding a bit of encouragement for his team—"but if need be, it's obvious we can.

"For me personally, it's almost like, I go into the game like, all right, what are they doing, like paying attention to every small detail. So once we get into the flow of the game, I'm comfortable, I'm relaxed, and I just feel like we all got to go in there, but it's different for everybody. Like, for some people, they might need to be nervous, so you know, excited, whatever, so it's kind of like find your routine and just go with it.

"So at the start of the game, for me it's more about just being calm and relaxed. At the end of the day, it's football, like no matter if it's a Super Bowl or Week 1 preseason, like 5-yard hits is a 5-yard hit, 10-yard dig is a 10-yard dig, don't make it more than what it is."

It's a lesson Jackson and Horn have been passing along to rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan as well. It seems to be paying off, given McMillan's quick ascension to the top of the list for most yards by a rookie receiver through two weeks this season, and the most receptions and yards for a Panthers rookie receiver through two games in franchise history.

"I told him, actually, today I was like, 'Bro, I told you, you're not going to see me and Jaycee out there. Most teams don't have two corners that's 200-plus, can run, press, play off. And he said that he was like, 'No, you're right.'

"We just basically pushed him from everything, from how he lined up in his stance to like, I tell him, bro, check the DB a couple times. Is he jump jamming, is he not?

"And what I like about him is that, whatever I tell him, I see him working on it the next time I go against him. So it's kind of like he—you know how some people say, O'K, I got you,' but they don't really got you? He's actually paying attention, so that's key.

To Jackson's point, he and Horn are 210 pounds and 200 pounds, respectively, and both are 6-1. Of the corners currently in the Top 10 of QB rating allowed (according to Next Gen Stats), only two corners are bigger than Horn and Jackson: Jamel Dean (Bucs) and Carlton Davis (Patriots). Having two corners of that size on the same team is what makes things better for teammates in practice and tougher for opponents on game days.

It's also why both Horn and Jackson have found themselves amongst the top-rated corners in the league through two weeks, in terms of yards allowed per coverage snap and passer rate when targeted.

As for the passer rating allowed, Horn (18.8) and Jackson (53.1) are both in the Top 6 in the NFL. The next closest team to place their duo close together is the Chargers, with Donte Jackson, who ranks first, and Tarheeb Still at 14th.

They are both in the Top 11 for yards allowed per target: Horn (6th—3.5) and Jackson (11th—4.8). The confluence of which has placed them both near the top of production according to Pro Football Focus.

Maybe it's the time on task together, perhaps it's the hours spent in a bowling alley or playing video games. Maybe it's just two corners who are incredibly good at their job who happen to be on the same team.

Those watching can decide what they believe is the reason.

For Mike Jackson, though, it's simple.

"We really pushed each other this offseason to get better," said Jackson. And now, "we're just playing football."