Carolina Panthers Shock Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3 Upset: Andy Dalton Leads Offensive Surge

LAS VEGAS — It was fun, and it was exciting, but mostly, it felt normal. Maybe not familiar, but something they felt they were capable of. The Panthers moved the ball. They got some stops. They played complementary football on special teams to augment it. And they won.

The Panthers put a lot of bad feelings in the rearview mirror — for a week at least — with a 36-22 win over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium to improve to 1-2.

Quarterback Andy Dalton entered the lineup with a flourish, throwing for 212 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. It was the first time they threw for three scores in a half since 2015, and they had only passed for 245 yards in the first two games combined. Dalton finished the game with 319 yards on 26-of-37 passing, for a passer rating of 123.6. There was a sense of equilibrium restored with the win because having a passing game that worked set up the other stuff and allowed them to show the progress that head coach Dave Canales talked about seeing in other areas.

They gained 437 total yards, after gaining 359 combined in the first two games of the season (193 in New Orleans, 159 last week at home against the Chargers). Chuba Hubbard ran for 114 yards on 21 carries, and caught one of the first-half touchdown passes from Dalton (finishing with 169 yards from scrimmage). He also passed Stephen Davis for seventh on the franchise's all-time rushing list during the game. Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen had the other two receiving touchdowns in the first half, as the Panthers added the downfield element to the passing game. They had five passes of 20 yards or more in the first half alone (they had none in the first two games). Johnson finished with eight catches for 122 yards and the score, the kind of lead-receiver production they were hoping for when they acquired the former Steelers wideout in a March trade.

It was one game, to be sure. But it was one they very much needed.

Raiders Struggle Offensively

The Raiders, on the other hand, struggled to find their offensive rhythm, especially in the first half. Quarterback Gardner Minshew finished the game with 187 passing yards and a touchdown, but the Raiders' offensive struggles started early.

Raiders' First-Half Offensive Woes

The Raiders' first-half struggles on offense continued in the Raiders' home opener. Quarterback Gardner Minshew II finished 8-of-14 for 117 yards while Zamir White led the Raiders with 30 rushing yards on eight carries (3.8 avg.). Excluding the lone touchdown drive, the Raiders' five other possessions all lasted five plays or fewer.

The Panthers, meanwhile, put up 256 net yards to Las Vegas' 155 to take a 21-7 lead into halftime.

Panthers' Defensive Dominance

While the Panthers' offense was clicking, their defense also played a key role in the victory. The Panthers held the Raiders to just 22 points, forcing two turnovers and stopping the Raiders on downs twice.

Key Defensive Plays

The Panthers came out hot behind their new starting quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton went 5-of-6 for 52 yards on the opening drive and gave Carolina a 7-0 lead on a six-yard pass to running back Chuba Hubbard.

Third-down defense will certainly be a point of emphasis entering the second half for the Silver and Black. Carolina finished 5-of-8 on third down, including a third-and-14 conversion on their second scoring drive that resulted in a 23-yard catch-and-run by Diontae Johnson.

Several Raiders players made key plays in the first half. Jakorian Bennett added his fourth pass defensed of the season on a third-down play to force a punt. Bennett's four passes defensed are a new season high for the cornerback after just three games played.

After reeling in a key interception last week against Baltimore, Robert Spillane added a sack and seven total tackles in the first half. Christian Wilkins also tallied his first sack as a Raider.

Looking Ahead

This win was a much-needed boost for the Panthers, who will look to build on this momentum heading into their next game. The Raiders, meanwhile, will need to regroup and find a way to get their offense back on track. The Panthers' victory over the Raiders serves as a reminder that anything can happen in the NFL, and that even the most seasoned teams can be surprised.

This game also highlighted the importance of a balanced offensive attack. The Panthers were able to control the game with their passing game, which opened up opportunities for their running game. This is a formula that could lead to more success for the Panthers in the weeks to come. The Raiders, on the other hand, will need to figure out a way to find their offensive rhythm and get their passing game going if they want to be a contender in the AFC West.

The Panthers and Raiders will look to bounce back next week in their respective matchups. The Panthers will head on the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles in a tough matchup. The Raiders will also be on the road, heading to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers.

While this week's matchup was a surprise, the NFL season is far from over.

What Happens in Vegas...

What happens in Vegas... will be broadcast around the country for all to see this weekend when the Carolina Panthers play the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada this Sunday. The Week 3 NFL game will pit the 0-2 Panthers against the 1-1 Raiders as each team attempts to bounce back from early losses this season. The Panthers, having benched QB Bryce Young for the time being, will send in Andy Dalton, and Gardner Minshew will take the field for the Raiders.

How to Watch the Carolina Panthers vs. Las Vegas Raiders Game

The game will air at 4:05 p.m on CBS and Paramount+. Here’s all the info you need about today's Carolina vs. Las Vegas game. You can also keep an eye on game-day updates right here.

Date: September 22, 2024
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. PT
Game: Panthers vs. Raiders
TV channel: CBS
Streaming: Paramount+, Fubo, DirecTV, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube, and more

The Panthers play the Raiders this Sunday, Sept. 22, airing live at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.

The Panthers vs. Raiders game is also available to stream on Paramount+ through their NFL on CBS channel, which is included in both their Essential plan and their Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. You can also watch CBS on platforms including Fubo TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV. Out of market viewers will be able to find the game on YouTube TV's NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL+.

Paramount+ offers subscribers access to NFL games on CBS. Plus, the platform is great for fans of Champions League soccer, Star Trek, Survivor, The Challenge and so much more.

Unlike a lot of other streaming services these days, Paramount+ still offers a one-week free trial — so new subscribers can sign up to watch this weekend and check out the rest of the Paramount+ library totally free for seven days. Paramount+ is also offering a 50% discount promotion – a 12-month subscription for $29.99 with the code FALL50. That’s like $2.50/month for 12 months. It’s the best Paramount+ deal we’ve seen online all year, and it saves you more than 50% off the regular monthly price of $7.99.

Other Options to Watch NFL Games

Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you're looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna). A $7/month subscription to NFL+ will get you access to NFL Network which can be great for watching some games, but the downside of NFL+ is that when it comes to the regular season, it's just local and primetime games (and only on mobile or tablet!). In which case, here's what we recommend to watch the NFL.

Fubo TV gives you access to ESPN, NFL Network, Fox, ABC, CBS and 100+ more live channels. At $80/month, the live TV streaming service is definitely a big investment for football fans. But it offers nearly every channel you'll need to watch the NFL season, and still leaves you with major savings compared to a traditional cable package. Fubo subscribers also get 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage.

The platform also offers a free trial period, so you can catch some games risk-free. Right now you can get $30 off any Fubo tier for your first month.

NFL Sunday Ticket is available exclusively on YouTube TV and offers football fans the chance to watch every major game that's airing out of their local markets. NFL Sunday ticket is available with a subscription to YouTube TV for $670.96 over four months (that's $168/mo). You can also purchase a subscription without being a YouTube TV subscriber for $479 for the season.

A basic $6.99 per month (or $40 annually) NFL+ subscription will get you live local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, and live audio for every game of the season across supported devices. NFL+ Premium, while a little pricier at $14.99 per month (or $80 annually) also includes access to NFL Network and NFL RedZone, plus full and condensed replays of every game across supported devices. NFL+ also offers a 7-day free trial.