With Andy Dalton at quarterback, the Panthers passing game has come alive.
Dalton has now thrown two touchdown passes in the first half, as the Panthers lead the Raiders 14-7 with 9:28 left in the second quarter.
Dalton got the Panthers off to a strong start offensively, which is not something they’ve been able to say for a while. The quarterback looked sharp on the opening drive, going 5-of-6 for 52 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Chuba Hubbard.
While Carolina had to punt on its second possession, the team came alive to score again on its third. Dalton converted third-and-14 with a 23-yard pass to Diontae Johnson, keeping the possession alive. Then on third-and-goal, Dalton layered a pass to Johnson for a 5-yard touchdown.
That was a response drive after the Raiders went 97 yards in 10 plays for a score. Alexander Mattison had capped that possession with a 2-yard touchdown to tie the game.
This is Dalton’s first start since Week 3 of last season, when he played for an injured Bryce Young in Seattle. Now he’s been named the team’s starter after Young was benched earlier this week.
If the two offenses can continue this kind of production, the game may be a shootout.
