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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
Story Line: The Raiders just did not show up Sunday as the Carolina Panthers dominated Las Vegas in every phase. In response to a postgame LVSportsBiz.com question regarding players’ efforts, a visibably-subdued Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said some players made business decisions and Pierce noted the Raiders will make business decisions.
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In the third game of the National Football League season, the Las Vegas Raiders players reached their game-day stadium and dressed in their black jerseys with silver trim for the first time in 2024.
After losing in Los Angeles to the Chargers and staging a stirring late-game comeback to upset the Ravens in Baltimore, the Raiders are back at Allegiant Stadium. It’s Year 4 in Las Vegas for the Raiders, which left the Coliseum in Oakland. Their old tenant mates — the MLB Athletics — are playing their final game at the Coliseum on Thursday before showing up in Las Vegas at their scheduled new stadium on the Strip in 2028.
Heartbroken A’s fans have said they’re not following their club to Sin City.
But Raiders fans from bases in both Northern and Southern California make the pilgrimage to the Raiders stadium, which was built in 2020 thanks to $750 million in public dollars subsidizing the construction of the domed building on the west side of interstate 15 across from the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino.
Andy Coronado drives his Raiders bus from Stockton, California, a 531-mile drive. One way. Coronado said the bus cannot go faster than 53 miles per hour.
The Raiders’ fans are fiercely loyal in the face of nearly a quarter-century of losses.
Rooting for the Raiders is more of a lifestyle at this point for so many fans,
Like this fella.
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The losses bother owner Mark Davis.
But he has a nice consolation prize.
An NFL franchise valued by business magazine Forbes at more than $5 billion.
The Davis moneymaker is the stadium, built in 31 months through the COVID pandemic and funded with $750 million in public dollars from Southern Nevada.
Today, some fans attending the Carolina Panthers vs Raiders game will be watching from six new suites carved out of space on the main concourse.
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The Raiders are hosting a team that has benched its starting quarterback, 2023 number one overall draft pick Bryce Young.
Veteran QB Andy Dalton drew the nod and he carved up the Raiders on the opening drive by moving the Panthers efficiently down the field for 70 yards in less than five minutes. He threw a short six-yard TD pass to running back Chuba Hubbard and Carolina led, 7-0.
The Raiders responded with an anemic three-and-out and the Panthers were looking to score again.
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Midway through the first quarter, tickets for the game were quite affordable.
Take a look:
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After a sluggish start, Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II hit speedy receiver Tre Tucker on a long 54-yard gain before running back Zamir White began churning out some running yards.
Minshew actually ran for a first down inside the Carolina 5-yard line and then the Raiders’ touchdown maker, runner Alexander Mattison, plowed in from the two-yard line.
And with 24 seconds left in the first quarter, the Raiders had tied the score with Carolina at seven apiece.
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The Raiders featured super fan “Senior Raider” on the cover of the game program.
The Raiders began featuring their super fans on the program covers during the two preseason games at Allegiant Stadium and continued with the home-opener.
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Dalton, the 36-year-0ld with a resume that includes 4,000+ yard seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, looked sharp when he released the ball quickly.
He tossed a fine ball to receiver Diontae Johnson for his second touchdown pass of the game. It was a five-yard TD pass.
The Panthers, an 0-2 team ridiculed for its early season poor play under QB Young, led-14-7 midway through the second quarter.
Meanwhile, the Minshew-led Raiders could not spark a drive.
The Raiders trailed by seven with 3:31 left to go in the first half.
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With the Raiders offense stalling, the boos were heard through the stadium.
The Raiders mustered no two-minute offense and were forced to have punter AJ Cole boot the ball.
The Panthers took the punt and a Dalton to Johnson pass had the speedy Johnson zig-zagging through the Raiders defensive backfield.
That set up a 31-yard scoring pass strike from Dalton to veteran receiver Adam Thielen. It was Dalton’s third TD toss of the first half.
With 28 seconds to go in the quarter, Carolina enjoyed a 21-7 lead.
The Raiders had one positive — at least Carolina fans did not take over Allegiant Stadium like the fan bases of previous visiting teams.
A Daniel Carlson 57-yard field goal failed right before the half ended.
Halftime: Carolina Panthers 21 Las Vegas Raiders 7.
The Raiders offense was weak at the Big Boys upfront failed to push the Carolina DL off the line of scrimmage. Carolina outgained 256 yards to 155, including limiting the Raiders to 41 yards on the ground.
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This game is showing the Raiders are not a playoff-caliber team.
Carolina tacked on two more field goals in the third quarter and stymied the Raiders offense in the third quarter.
The Panthers led by 20, 27-7, later in the Q3.
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With 13:33 left in the fourth quarter, the Panthers’ Miles Sanders plunged in for a TD score and fans began walking up the aisles to stadium exits.
The rout was on with the Panthers cruising at 33-7.
Carolina has owned the line under the roof this afternoon.
Minshew hit receiver Jakobi Meyers for a TD pass and two-pointer and the Raiders trailed, 33-15.
A Carolina garbage time field goal by Eddy Pineiro made it 36-15.
Then, Raiders HC Aidan O’Connell inserted quarterback Aidan O’Connell into the lineup. He tossed a last-minute TD pass to Tucker and Carolina still enjoyed a 36-22 blowout win.
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