Bryce Young heads to the bench in Week 3 after the Carolina Panthers (0-2) announced a change at quarterback following their second consecutive loss to start the 2024-25 NFL Season. Veteran Andy Dalton will lead the offense on the road this weekend against a Las Vegas Raiders (1-1) team that just pulled off a stunning road upset over Baltimore last Sunday. Kickoff is set for 4:05 PM EST on September 22nd at Allegiant Stadium.
Carolina couldn’t manage to score more than 13 points combined through their first two games to start the year, so Andy Dalton will get a shot under center as the Panthers look for their first win of the season. The Raiders should have a ton of momentum at home this Sunday after knocking off the Baltimore Ravens in a game they were expected to lose by almost a full touchdown.
Dalton will certainly have his hands full trying to turn things around for the NFL’s worst offense, as his weapons are extremely limited. RB Jonathon Brooks should have an impact when he makes his first start in the backfield, but the rookie is still at least several weeks away from making his NFL debut.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Raiders listed as 4.5-point home favorites. The spread hasn’t moved around all that much after early betting, as Las Vegas is still currently available at -4.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 40 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised on CBS. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Carolina Panthers Hope Andy Dalton Can Bring Consistency
Things can’t really get any worse on offense for the Panthers after their first two games, so the coaching staff has decided to shake things up by giving veteran QB Andy Dalton the start on the road here in Week 3. Sophomore Bryce Young appeared utterly deflated after the final whistle in Carolina’s 26-3 loss at home to the Chargers last weekend after throwing for only 84 yards through the air the entire game. Young also committed yet another turnover against Los Angeles, something that the experienced Andy Dalton should help to immediately rectify after spending multiple seasons at the NFL as a starting quarterback.
Chuba Hubbard led the way for the Panthers rushing attack, averaging 6.4 yards per carry in a game where Carolina was forced to abandon the run early in the second half. Nobody in the receiving corps managed to put up even a moderately impactful stat line, as Tommy Tremble was the top option through the air despite catching just three passes for 23 yards.
The Panthers defense put up below average numbers in Week 2, surrendering well over 300 total yards of offense and three touchdowns. Carolina had no answer for J.K. Dobbins on the ground, allowing the bruising running back to rack up 131 yards and a score on a game-high 17 carries.
Las Vegas Raiders Stun Ravens On The Road
Vegas bounced back quickly after a disappointing loss on the road in Los Angeles in Week 1, stunning Baltimore 26-23 in the Ravens home opener. QB Gardner Minshew really played well, completing 30 out of 38 total passing attempts for 276 yards and a touchdown through the air. Star wideout Davante Adams was up to his usual tricks, torching the Ravens secondary for 110 receiving yards and a touchdown on a game-high nine catches.
However, the Raiders continued to struggle running the football, as Zamir White and Alexander Mattison combined for only 25 total rushing yards the entire game. Both backs should have a much stronger outing at home this weekend, as Las Vegas will likely jump out to an early lead and have a run-positive gamescript the entire second half.
Antonio Pierce continues to get a ton of big plays from his defense, as the Raiders picked off Lamar Jackson once while also limiting him to just 45 total rushing yards. Las Vegas also did a fantastic job keeping both Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely out of the end zone after Likely’s massive game against Kansas City in Week 1.
Our Panthers vs Raiders NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
Even with Andy Dalton starting at quarterback for the Panthers in this Week 3 matchup, I still think that laying the 4.5 points and taking the home favorite in this particular spot is the optimal play. Carolina has some of the worst depth in the entire NFL at every skill position on offense, especially at the wideout position where not a single pass-catcher managed to record more than 23 total yards in Week 2.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas should have a ton of confidence in their first outing at home of the season after splitting their first two games despite facing a tough schedule right out of the gate. Gardner Minshew really seems to be establishing fast chemistry with both Davante Adams and rookie TE Brock Bowers which could be trouble for a suspect Panthers secondary on Sunday.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Raiders -4.5
Carolina has lost both of their first two games by a minimum of 23 points to start the year. I’m not suggesting that Las Vegas will blow the doors off the Panthers, but I certainly have no issues laying 4.5 points and rolling with the home favorite in a game they should easily win outright.
This also appears to be a perfect matchup for the Raiders to get the ground game back on track against a defense that got absolutely demolished by both Alvin Kamara and J.K. Dobbins in recent weeks. Take Las Vegas to start hot here in Week 3 and cover a very reasonable spread against the worst team in the NFL.
