5 surprising standouts from Carolina Panthers' win at the Raiders in Week 3

Andy Dalton - Carolina Panthers QB

Nobody expected Andy Dalton to fall flat on his face completely. He's too experienced for that despite not starting a game for the Carolina Panthers since Week 3 of the 2023 season. However, fans were tempering expectations given how things looked when Bryce Young was under center.

Dalton didn't just perform well, he excelled with another starting opportunity. The former second-round selection got off on the front foot with a touchdown on the first drive. He added a further two as the first half progressed. The offense looked night and day, which is a damning indictment of Young's abilities after having his early development mismanaged by the previous regime.

Everything looked different. From the confidence to the command pre-snap and ability to get the football into the hands of his primary playmakers. This also vindicated head coach Dave Canales' landmark decision to remove Young from the firing line after just two contests.

This is Dalton's team until further notice. And not even his brightest supporters would have predicted this sort of impact on a demoralized Carolina offense.

Mike Jackson Sr. - Carolina Panthers CB

When Dan Morgan struck a trade for Mike Jackson Jr. - something that cost the Panthers nothing more than seventh-round linebacker Michael Barrett - there was a level of intrigue attached. His prowess in coverage left hope the cornerback could become an asset with Dane Jackson out of the lineup through injury. Few would have predicted the significant impression he's made in such a short space of time.

Jackson's been a revelation, forming a tremendous partnership with Jaycee Horn and providing some much-needed assurance that was sorely lacking previously. His efforts in Week 3 at the Las Vegas Raiders were arguably his best since arriving in Carolina.

The former fifth-round selection got beat on a deep shot, but it was almost a flawless performance aside from that. Jackson locked down one side of the field, made his tackles count in run support, and enhanced his status as an important piece of Ejiro Evero's defensive puzzle.

It's still early days, but this already looks like a tremendous piece of business by Morgan to fix a glaring need in the secondary.

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