Raiders blown out by Panthers’ new QB in ugly home opener
The Raiders expected their upset win over the Ravens on Sept. 15 to be the start of something special.
Instead, they fell into all-too-familiar bad habits against the worst team in the NFL through two weeks. The Raiders didn’t show up in any phase of the game and were booed throughout a 36-22 loss to the Panthers in their home opener at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.
“I would have booed us, too,” coach Antonio Pierce said.
The Raiders (1-2), after overcoming a 10-point deficit to beat the Ravens 26-23 on the road, openly sneered at the skepticism surrounding the team. They then fed into every bit of it against the Panthers (1-2). Their performance was so ugly it had Pierce questioning his players’ effort.
“I think there were definitely some individuals that made business decisions,” Pierce said. “And we’ll make business decisions going forward as well.”
The locker room was eerily quiet afterwards. The result was the last thing the Raiders were expecting, especially with an announced crowd of 62,417 cheering them on.
“I thought we would build off last week, obviously,” left tackle Kolton Miller said.
“A lot of people have to look in the mirror,” added edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
‘Whooped’
The Raiders were shredded by veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, who completed 26 of 37 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns in his first start of the season. The run defense was just as bad and gave up 131 yards on the ground. All three of the Raiders opponents have run for more than 100 yards so far.
The Panthers were up 21-7 at halftime thanks to Dalton’s three touchdowns. Carolina took a 33-7 lead 1:27 into the fourth quarter after a 1-yard run by running back Miles Sanders.
Pierce seethed on the sideline throughout the 26-0 run. The Panthers scored 13 points total their first two games.
“We got our ass whooped,” Pierce said.
Carolina entered Sunday 2-17 in its last 19 games. That stretch of futility prompted the team to bench second-year quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023.
Dalton figured to be an upgrade. But no one could have seen him romping over the Raiders like he did Sunday.
“We need to find a way to finish,” Miller said. “We need to find a way to do better.”
The Raiders’ running game was anemic again and gained only 55 yards on 16 carries. Quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 18 of 28 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He fired a 54-yard pass to wide receiver Tre Tucker in the first quarter, but other than that the passing game lacked rhythm.
Minshew was replaced by second-year pro Aidan O’Connell for the Raiders’ final drive, which resulted in a 8-yard touchdown by Tucker with 56 seconds remaining.
Pierce was not pleased. With any of it.
“Obviously, we’re gonna have to coach them better and be some hard asses on the guys, and guys are gonna have to take rough coaching,” Pierce said. “I didn’t see that coming on either side of the ball.”
No consistency
Adams warned his teammates in the locker room last week about getting too caught up in their second-half comeback against the Ravens. While some members of the team talked about being disrespected, Adams wanted the group to earn respect by showing consistency.
The Raiders failed that assignment Sunday.
“It’s got to become a part of your identity. It’s got to be about who you show us every day,” Adams said. “It’s not like a, ‘Oh, let’s come out here and play hard like one day.’ It’s more about what’s the play style that you have as a team? And we haven’t established (ourselves) as a team, on either side of the ball, in any phase.”
Adams was around winning football his eight years in Green Bay. He knows what it looks like.
His tenure in Las Vegas has been filled with performances like the one against the Panthers, however. Even he is baffled as to why it keeps happening in his third year with the team.
“I don’t know,” Adams said. “I’m not sure.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
