After pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the Week 2 slate of games, the Las Vegas Raiders will look to keep the good times rolling and begin a winning streak when they square off against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 on Sunday.
The Raiders (1-1) shocked the world in Week 2 when they beat the Baltimore Ravens, a team that was widely considered a heavy favorite. Las Vegas' defense showed up in a big way and the offense turned it on in the second half to put the Raiders over the top.
In Carolina (0-2), the Panthers have been an absolute disaster en route to a winless start to the season. Following another dreadful loss, the Panthers have decided to bench Bryce Young in favor of Andy Dalton.
And that might be bad news for the Raiders. Not only does Dalton figure to be a better option than Young, the veteran signal-caller has also enjoyed immense success versus the Raiders in his career.
But is that enough to scare experts away from picking the Raiders over the Panthers? Find out now as we take a look at some picks and predictions for Carolina's Week 3 game against Las Vegas.
NFL picks, predictions Week 3: Raiders vs. Panthers
Bill Bender, Sporting News: Raiders 28, Panthers 14
Bender: "The Raiders pulled off an impressive upset at Baltimore in Week 2, and they did that despite 27 rushing yards. Look for Las Vegas to emphasize that running game early against the Panthers, who have allowed 199.5 rushing yards per game the past two weeks. Yeah, the spread is high and Andy Dalton is an experienced starter, but the Panthers are 1-8-1 ATS as a road underdog since the start of the last season. When will they show some fight? Gardner Minshew throws two TDs, and the Raiders get a two-TD cover. "
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Raiders 24, Panthers 20
Iyer: "The Panthers will get a spark from Andy Dalton on the road, as he'll make better use of downfield passing opportunities for Dave Canales. The Raiders will run better to win late after Gardner Minshew gets the needed, big early plays from Davante Adams and Brock Bowers."
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: Raiders 24, Panthers 10
Cluff: "The Panthers have scored 13 points in two games. They have allowed 73. It's going to be a long year in Carolina.
Iain MacMillan, Sports Illustrated: Raiders
MacMillan: "The Raiders were set as 7-point favorites in this game but when it was announced that former No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, would be benched in favor of Andy Dalton, the line dropped two points to Raiders -5. Is Young that bad of a quarterback that Dalton starting is worth two points? I don't think so. Young didn't do himself any favors, but the Panthers' roster leaves a lot to be desired and their defense ranks 25th in the NFL in opponent yards per play at 5.7. I'm not sure Andy Dalton, who has gone 6-9 in his last 15 starts while playing for much better teams, is the answer. I'll lay the points with the Raiders, who will be playing at home for the first time this season."
