The Red Rifles were in top form on Sunday, as Andy Dalton and the Carolina Panthers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 on the road to give the team its first win of the season.
One of the biggest stories this week was head coach Dave Canales' decision to bench the Panthers' 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, and opt to use Dalton at quarterback instead after a terrible 0-2 start that saw the offense struggle to get going.
Now, given what Dalton has accomplished in Canales' system, the Panthers will have to answer even more questions about Young. And for Carolina, that was a question that arose immediately going into this game in Sin City.
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton throws a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of the game at Allegiant Stadium. (Kirby Lee Images)
Dalton, knowing the Panthers had scored just 13 points combined in their first two losses of the year, led a nine-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a touchdown on a 6-yard pass to running back Chava Hubbard.
It was the Panthers' first touchdown by a fielder this season (Young was the only one to score in garbage time in Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints), and Hubbard played a big role in the offensive explosion, finishing with 114 yards on 21 carries and catching five passes from Dalton for 55 yards.
But the game wasn't won by a wide margin from the get-go, as Gardner Minshew and the Raiders matched the Panthers' opening touchdown drive with a 10-play, 97-yard drive that ended with Alexander Mattison pushing in from 2-yards out to tie the game at 7-7.
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But the Raiders' momentum faded on the next possession, when Dalton answered with a 5-yard pass to leading receiver Dionta Johnson for a 14-7 lead. Johnson finished with 122 yards on eight catches.
After a back-and-forth exchange between the offensive lines, Dalton threw his third touchdown pass of the first half, this time a 31-yard pass to veteran receiver Adam Thielen for a 21-7 lead with 21 seconds left in the second quarter.
Thielen injured his hamstring on the play and sat out the rest of the game after finishing with three catches for 40 yards.
Dalton continued his scoring drives for Carolina in the second half.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton throws a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. (Stephen R. Silvany – Imag Images)
After consecutive field goals on the first two drives of the second half, Dalton drove down the field on chunk plays by Johnson and Hubbard, completing a 11-play, 84-yard run that found Miles Sanders in the end zone to seal a 33-7 Las Vegas victory.
The Raiders showed some energy on the ensuing drive, as Minshew connected with Jakobi Myers for a 13-yard touchdown. Myers finished with seven catches for 62 yards.
But on Minshew's next drive, he and Davante Adams (four catches, 40 yards) didn't work together and were intercepted on the second play from scrimmage.
Coach Antonio Pierce benched Minshew and replaced him with Aidan O'Connell, who got the first snaps of the new year. O'Connell led a garbage-time touchdown drive that saw leading receiver Tre Tucker go 96 yards to reach the end zone for a 36-22 lead.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton throws a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. (Kirby Lee Images)
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But there were signs that benching Young this week was the right decision as the Panthers, who many thought would once again have the worst record in the NFL, earned their first win of the year.
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