LAS VEGAS – Andy Dalton was supposed to be the experienced backup and mentor to Bryce Young, who was selected No. 1 in the draft last year.

But Panthers coach Dave Canales promoted Dalton to a new role by benching Young after two games – a move that sent shockwaves throughout the NFL.

Dalton gave Carolina a much-needed boost on Sunday, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Panthers to their first victory, 36-22, over the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Today’s game went exactly how you want it to,” said Dalton, who improved his record against the Raiders to 4-0. “Not all games are going to go like that, but the fact that we came out there and did what we did shows the potential we have.”

Carolina (1-2), which is now 3-17 last season, was outscored by the Saints and Chargers by a combined score of 73-13 in the first two weeks. With Panthers receivers making their frustration with Young clear, Canales said Dalton gave the team the best chance to win.

Dalton looked more like the quarterback nicknamed “Red Rifle” in his prime than a 36-year-old who last started in Week 3 of last season. He was sharp throughout, completing 26 of 37 passes and becoming the first NFL quarterback this season to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. Dalton has thrown for 1,027 yards and 10 touchdowns in four career starts against the Raiders.

In the first half alone, Dalton threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns. His first three-touchdown performance in two years gave a new lease of life to the Panthers’ offense, which had only managed one field goal in its last two away games.

Canales, the first-year coach who earned his first win, fended off several questions about how much credit Dalton deserves.

“I felt like the whole group was generally ready,” said the Southern California native, who had several family members at the game, including his parents. “This is a really serious and focused group and something I had to get used to because I have so much energy. I want it to be a party all the time. This group says, ‘Coaches, tell us what you need and we’ll do it.'”

To Canales’ point about team performance: Chuba Hubbard ran for 114 yards and caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. Diontae Johnson caught eight passes for 122 yards and a TD.

“I feel like we all played as a unit today,” Hubbard said. “Obviously, we faced a lot of adversity at the beginning of this year. But we continued to trust the coaching and each other, and then everything worked out.”

The result was a disheartening loss for Las Vegas (1-2), a team that had hoped to build on its 26-23 win in Baltimore last week, but looked more like the team whose win prediction was 6 1/2.

Gardner Minshew completed 18 of 28 passes for 214 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Las Vegas’ running game, which entered the game last in the league with an average of 49 yards, managed just 55 yards.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s conservative playmaking drew repeated boos throughout the game. His strategy of keeping a low profile has become a storyline, and it probably doesn’t help that his former Bears quarterback, Justin Fields, is 3-0 with the Steelers so far this season.

Perhaps more alarmingly, the Raiders defense had no answer for Dalton, Hubbard or Johnson. The fact that Maxx Crosby was absent from every defensive play for the first time this season after injuring his ankle against the Ravens didn’t make things any easier.

“The scheme wasn’t good enough, the plays weren’t good enough today, what we thought would work didn’t work and we didn’t execute on the field,” said Raiders coach Antonio Pierce. “And in my opinion we didn’t try as hard as we have in previous games.”

Carolina took immediate advantage, scoring touchdowns on two of its first three drives to take a 14-7 lead. The opening drive ended a 20-game streak in which the Panthers had not reached the end zone on their first series. It was also their first lead since a 9-7 loss to the Falcons on Dec. 17.

The Panthers extended that lead to end a 20-game streak against the Buccaneers in which they did not lead in the fourth quarter, leading the Raiders 27-7 at the start of the quarter.

Carolina’s three wins since then have come on field goals as time expired.

Breaking barriers

This was the first meeting between teams with female presidents. Kristi Coleman holds that title for the Panthers and Sandra Douglass Morgan for the Raiders.

Injuries

Panthers: WR Adam Thielen (hamstring) was injured catching a touchdown pass just before halftime. DT Shy Tuttle (foot) did not play.

Raiders: LB Divine Deablo (oblique/concussion) and CB Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) did not play. RT Thayer Munford (knee/ankle) left the game in the first quarter and S Marcus Epps (knee) went down in the third.

Next

Panthers: Host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Raiders: Host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl