The Panthers look like a completely different team with Andy Dalton at quarterback and hold a 21-7 lead over the Raiders at halftime.

It’s not hard to see why head coach Dave Canales benched Bryce Young for Dalton given the veteran QB’s first-half performance. Dalton opened the game with a touchdown drive, hitting a 17-yard pass to Diontae Johnson and a 20-yard toss to Tommy Tremble to put Carolina deep in Las Vegas territory. Dalton then finished the possession with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Chuba Hubbard for an early 7-0 lead.

As the Raiders mounted a 97-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7, Dalton engineered a 10-play, 75-yard drive to put the Panthers up 14-7. He converted third-and-14 with a 23-yard pass to Diontae Johnson, keeping possession alive. Then, on third-and-goal, Dalton laid out a pass to Johnson for a 5-yard touchdown.

Dalton caught his third touchdown pass on a 31-yard dime to receiver Adam Thielen, but Thielen appeared to suffer a hamstring injury on the catch.

Dalton finished the first half 15 of 22 for 212 yards with three touchdowns and no picks. Johnson has four receptions for 80 yards with a TD. Hubbard has 50 yards on 10 carries.

On the other hand, Las Vegas couldn’t do much after going down the field for a touchdown. The team had a turnover on downs and two punts. And while kicker Daniel Carlson had a chance to make it 21-7 at halftime, his 57-yard field goal attempt missed wide left.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew went 8 of 14 for 117 yards.

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers left the field toward the end of the first half to be evaluated for a concussion.

The Raiders kick off the second half.