Prior to Week 3, the Carolina Panthers had only scored one touchdown this season, but they did so on their first drive without quarterback Bryce Young and beat the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 at Allegiant Stadium for their first win since Dec. 31, 2023 and their first road win since the end of the 2022 season.
The former No. 1 overall pick was benched after his struggles as a rookie continued into Year 2. Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton took over as starter and made an immediate impact, becoming the first quarterback to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns this season.
It didn’t take long for Dalton to get the game going in the right direction. On the first series of the game, he led the offense 70 yards in nine plays, ending with a six-yard pass to running back Chuba Hubbard. The Raiders tied the score in the first quarter on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Alexander Mattison, but it didn’t take long for Dalton to fight back.
Dalton drove 75 yards down the field and reclaimed the lead with a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dionta Johnson. Carolina extended their lead to 14 points as Dalton got the entire offensive line involved, throwing his third touchdown pass of the day to a third player before halftime.
This time Adam Thielen scored on a 31-yard pass, giving the Panthers 21 points in the first half, more than they had scored in the first two games combined.
Dalton finished the game on 26 of 37 completions for 319 yards, 74 more than Young’s first two games combined. He had more yards in a first quarter than Young has in either game this year. Young was 31 of 56 completions for 245 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions through the first two weeks, including an interception on his first drive of the season.
If things continue like this, Dalton will lose his job.
Before Sunday, the Panthers’ only reach in the end zone this year had been a three-yard rush by Young. Their only other points through two weeks had been two field goals.
Young appeared in 18 games before being benched and was 2-16 with 3,122 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Dalton is 83-78-2 with 38,511 yards, 246 touchdowns and 144 interceptions as a starter in his 14 years in the NFL.
