Andy Dalton leads Panthers to first win against the Raiders 36-22

(LAS VEGAS, Sept. 22, 2024)  – The Carolina Panthers secured their first victory of the season following head coach Dave Canales’s decision to bench quarterback Bryce Young in favor of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton.

Many spectators were shocked by the demotion of last year’s No.1 overall pick but Dalton shut down all doubts when he led the Panthers to dismantle the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 on Sunday.

“This showed what we can do,” said Dalton at the postgame press conference.

WATCH ANDY DALTON POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE HERE

Canales credits the team with playing effective complementary football.

“This is a huge growth step for the team for us to be able to play out style of football,” said Canales.

In the first half alone, the Panthers scored three touchdowns.

Five minutes into the first quarter, Dalton delivered a pass to running back Chuba Hubbard for a touchdown. Not only did the touchdown lead to the Panthers seven points, but it also stopped a 20-game streak of opening drives without a touchdown.

The Raiders responded with a rushing touchdown by running back Alexander Mattison, but the Panthers quickly regained momentum. Dalton kept the passing game going in the second quarter with a pass to wide receiver  Diontae Johnson for a 5-yard TD.

Both teams struggled in the last minute of the second quarter until the Panthers found another opportunity to score.

Dalton launched a 35-yard pass to Johnson, who ran into Las Vegas’ territory. On the following play, Dalton connected with wide receiver Adam Thielen for a 31-yard TD.

The Raiders had a chance for a field goal with four seconds left in the half, but Raiders’ kicker Daniel Carlson missed a 57-yard field goal to the right. The Raiders left at halftime 14 points behind the Panthers.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce expressed disappointment with the team's performance.

“I think there were definitely some individuals who made ‘business decisions,’ and we'll make ‘business decisions’ going forward as well," said Pierce to reporters postgame about the team’s lack of effort, via Pro Football Talk. 

With a dominant lead, the Panthers did not stall their drives in the second half.

In the fourth quarter, the Panthers capitalized on a defensive pass interference on the Raiders that put them on the Raiders' 1-yard line. Running back Miles Sanders seized the opportunity and scored a rushing TD.

With pressure from the Panthers' defense, quarterback Gardner Minshew was forced to unload passes throughout the second half. Minshew was able to complete a 13-yard TD pass to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders then attempted a 2-point conversion with Minshew finding Meyers in the back of the end zone again.

The Raiders got the ball back with 8:36 left in the game, however, Minshew’s pass was intercepted by Panthers’ cornerback Mike Jackson, shutting down the Raider’s drive.

At the end of the game, Carolina ran down the rest of the clock and won 36-22.

While the Panthers soaked in its first taste of victory in 2024, Canales clarified that the win was not without difficulty, touching on his decision to bench Young.

‘I'm absolutely beat, this has been an amazing week,” said Canales. “But again, just a really heavy week, just with all the factors.”

‘Getting back to work and continuing to push to establish our culture and our process, I'm thrilled,” he added with a laugh and a smile.

The Panthers’ win was no doubt a team effort. Running back Hubbard ran for 114 rushing yards and caught five passes for 55 yards and a TD. Wide Receiver Diontae Johnson had eight receptions for 122 yards and one receiving TD. Cornerback Mike Jackson with 1 interception, 9 solo tackles and 3 passes defended. Kicker Eddy Piñeiro connected on all three of his extra-point attempts and also made three of his field-goal attempts.

“I feel like we all played as one today,” Hubbard said. “Obviously, we faced a lot of adversity early on this year. But keep trusting the coaching and keep trusting each other, and it all came together for us.”

This game is also a win for Panthers’ President Kristi Coleman, as it is the first matchup between NFL clubs with female presidents in NFL history. Panthers’ President Kristi Coleman and Raiders’ President Sandra Douglas Morgan cement themselves as role models for aspiring female leaders in sports.

Next Sunday on Oct. 2, the Panthers (1-2) will head back home to host the Cincinnati Bengals (0-3) in Week 4.