LAS VEGAS – Andy Dalton gave the Panthers the quarterback play they have sorely lacked, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns to lead Carolina to a 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Dalton was promoted to the starting lineup, replacing the ineffective Bryce Young, and led the Panthers (1-2) to their first win and improved their record against the Raiders to 4-0.
Carolina, which now has a 3-17 record last season, was outscored by the Saints and Chargers by a combined 73-13 in the first two weeks before coach Dave Canales benched Young, the first overall pick from just a year ago, on Monday.
Dalton looked more like the quarterback nicknamed “Red Rifle” in his prime than a 36-year-old who last started in Week 3 of last season. He was sharp throughout, completing 26 of 37 passes and becoming the first NFL quarterback this season to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. Dalton has thrown for 1,027 yards and 10 touchdowns in four career starts against the Raiders.
In the first half alone, Dalton threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns. His first three-touchdown performance in two years gave a new lease of life to the Panthers’ offense, which had only managed one field goal in its last two away games.
Chuba Hubbard ran for 114 yards and caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.
The result was a disheartening loss for Las Vegas (1-2), a team that had hoped to build on its 26-23 win in Baltimore last week, but looked more like the team whose win prediction was 6 1/2.
Gardner Minshew completed 18 of 28 passes for 214 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Las Vegas’ running game, which entered the game last in the league with an average of 49 yards, managed just 55 yards.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s conservative playmaking drew repeated boos throughout the game. His strategy of keeping a low profile has become a storyline, and it probably doesn’t help that his former Bears quarterback, Justin Fields, is 3-0 with the Steelers so far this season.
Perhaps more alarming is that the Raiders defense had no answer for Dalton or Hubbard. It also didn’t help that Maxx Crosby missed every defensive play for the first time this season after injuring his ankle against the Ravens.
Carolina took immediate advantage, scoring touchdowns on two of its first three drives to take a 14-7 lead. The opening drive ended a 20-game streak in which the Panthers had not reached the end zone on their first series. It was also their first lead since a 9-7 loss to the Falcons on Dec. 17.
The Panthers extended that lead, ending a 20-game streak against the Buccaneers that stretched back to Week 17 of 2022 without a fourth-quarter lead, leading the Raiders 27-7.
Carolina’s three wins since then have come on field goals as time expired.
This was the first meeting between teams with female presidents. Kristi Coleman holds that title for the Panthers and Sandra Douglass Morgan for the Raiders.
Panthers: WR Adam Thielen (hamstring) was injured catching a touchdown pass just before halftime. DT Shy Tuttle (foot) did not play.
Raiders: LB Divine Deablo (oblique/concussion) and CB Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) did not play. RT Thayer Munford (knee/ankle) left the game in the first quarter and S Marcus Epps (knee) went down in the third.
Panthers: Host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Raiders: Host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
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