3 reasons the Carolina Panthers will win at the Raiders in Week 3
Remember last week when I said that the Carolina Panthers season couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start in Week 1? Well, the travesty continued in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium.
Bryce Young threw for an abysmal 84 passing yards. He averaged 3.2 yards per completion. The Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama also threw an interception and was sacked twice. One of the biggest flaws of the game was the inability to throw the ball downfield or even at the intermediate level. It was another unmitigated disaster and a new low for the franchise under head coach Dave Canales.
Due to Young’s performance, Canales announced that Andy Dalton would be the team's starting quarterback in Week 3 at the Las Vegas Raiders. One would think a move of this magnitude would warrant mixed opinions among the fanbase, but it seems as though most are in agreement that putting the veteran under center is the best thing to do right now.
Even though Carolina is off to a 0-2 start, here are three reasons the Panthers will steal a win on the road in Las Vegas.
Reasons the Carolina Panthers will win at the Raiders in Week 3
Andy Dalton will shine
When backup quarterbacks normally take the field, it’s due to an injury with big shoes to fill. Andy Dalton doesn’t have much pressure on him at all. The Carolina Panthers have been poor for so long that the bar is very low for any improvements.
Dalton signed with Carolina in 2023 to be Bryce Young’s backup and help mentor the rookie. He is now given the reins with expectations to elevate the poor offense that’s been on display through two games.
In Dalton’s only start in 2023 against the Seattle Seahawks, he completed 34 out of 58 pass attempts for 361 yards. The former second-round pick also threw two touchdown passes in the game. The Panthers would go on to lose 37-27, but it was the most passing yards in a game for the team last season.
With the Panthers already in an 0-2 hole, Dalton will look to utilize his veteran leadership and skills to pull the Panthers out of their losing ways. Look for players like Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen to benefit from his stable presence. The TCU product has had a lot of success in this league. Even though he’s 36 years old, he’s still capable of winning football games.
The Panthers have a great opportunity to get their first win of the 2024 campaign in Las Vegas if Dalton shines like he’s capable of.