6 winners (and 1 loser) from Carolina Panthers' win at the Raiders in Week 3

The Carolina Panthers needed to show some pride after another troubling week for the organization. Benching quarterback Bryce Young came with scathing criticism from around the media. Not so much regarding the decision to demote the signal-caller, but rather their handling of his initial development and the downward spiral since David Tepper bought the team.

This didn't go unnoticed by those in the locker room based on their reactions after securing a bombshell blowout victory at the Las Vegas Raiders. It was a completely different operation. This looked like a roster rejuvenated and Antonio Pierce's men had no answer right from the outset.

Building on this will be the tricky part, especially with some more recent game film on quarterback Andy Dalton. However, head coach Dave Canales cannot be anything other than thrilled by his team's response in the face of significant adversity.

With this in mind, here are six winners and one loser from Carolina's stunning Week 3 triumph at Allegiant Stadium.

Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers' win at the Raiders

Winner No. 1

Shaq Thompson - Carolina Panthers LB

The Carolina Panthers defense hasn't played well over the opening two contests. It wasn't easy considering they were on the field a lot and never played with a lead. But amid all the doom and gloom, veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson was an undoubted bright spot.

This continued at the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. Thompson was an inspirational presence at the defensive second level, leading through outstanding pre-snap communication and getting to the contact point quickly. The former first-round selection was always around the action, leaving his mark on any runner unfortunate enough to come into his path en route to a dominant performance from the defense overall.

Some fans were concerned about whether Thompson would be the same player after missing most of last season with a broken leg. The sample size is still relatively small, but he's quashed these doubts emphatically over the first three contests of the campaign.