Andy Dalton's success in win over the Raiders increases concern about Bryce Young

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers' stunning 36-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday showed coach Dave Canales was correct when he said Andy Dalton gives his team the best chance to win.

At the same time it increases concern about Bryce Young’s ability right now to lead the team and raises even more questions about his chances of being a franchise quarterback.

Dalton did all the things the ineffective Young hasn't been able to do for most of his brief NFL career: force defenses to honor the passing game, move the Panthers down the field with confidence and win. Dalton finished 26 of 37 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Young hadn't thrown a touchdown passes in his previous four starts; Dalton had three before halftime.

Dalton's success proves just how far Young has to go in his development.

Young was 2-16 as an NFL starter before being benched by Canales last Monday in a move that surprised some around the league and caused many to question Carolina's commitment to the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, even though Canales said the Panthers have no plans to trade him.

Dalton's confidence was evident from the start, and his teammates seemed rejuvenated.

The 36-year-old fearlessly threw into tight windows, hung in the pocket to make plays and provided a confidence in the huddle the team seemingly lacked in Young over the first two weeks of the season when the Panthers were outscored 73-13, including 50-3 in the first half.

Dalton found five different receivers for gains of 20 yards or more on Sunday just one week after the Panthers were held to one pass play of 20 or more yards with Young under center in a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Andy just operated and functioned in our system, got us to the right runs, threw it to the first open guy, progressed when he had to and checked it down,” Canales said. “He did a fantastic job of just playing efficiently and made some explosive plays. He found those opportunities down the field when they were available.”

With the Raiders forced to honor Dalton's arm, the Panthers were finally able to get things going on the ground as Chuba Hubbard racked up 114 yards on 21 carries, a healthy 5.4-yard average.

Hubbard repeatedly ripped off huge chunks of yards on first down, giving Dalton workable down-and-distance situations to work with that allowed the Panthers to use play action to move the ball down the field. Dalton wasn't afraid to throw deep either, finding Adam Thielen for a 31-yard touchdown strike.

“Just the timing and rhythm of it was fantastic,” Canales said. “(Dalton) just continued drives so we can get in that striking zone and take those shots when they’re there.”

The secondary still remains a concern for Carolina, which has allowed seven TD passes in three games, although the two it allowed to the Raiders came when the game was out of hand. For the most part, Carolina was effectively able to limit Gardner Minshew's downfield throws and keep him in the pocket.

But the Panthers will be tested on Sunday by Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Diontae Johnson. He was the big beneficiary of the quarterback change, catching eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown after being limited to 34 yards on five receptions in two games working with Young. The Panthers brought Johnson in to be the team's No. 1 receiver and they finally used him that way. Dalton targeted Johnson 14 times. Johnson could see even more passes thrown his way if Thielen is out for any length of time with a hamstring injury.

Young. The second-year quarterback, who stood on the sideline Sunday as the No. 2 quarterback, watched Dalton come in and handle the Raiders. Young had three interceptions and no touchdown passes in his first two games.

Thielen injured his hamstring while making an impressive diving touchdown catch in the end zone near the end of the first half. He did not return and finished with three catches for 40 yards. It's too early to know his status for Week 4. Jonathan Mingo and rookie Xavier Legette would see more action in the passing game if Thielen can't play. Guard Damien Lewis also was unable to finish the game because of an injury.

169 — Yards from scrimmage for Hubbard, who is trying to prove he can be an effective every down back in the league. He also caught a touchdown pass.

Dalton will face the team that drafted him in 2011, the Bengals, on Sunday in Charlotte.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson scores past Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen scores ahead of Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen scores ahead of Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard celebrates after their win against the Las Vegas Raiders in an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard runs around Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Luke Masterson during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson celebrates after scoring with quarterback Andy Dalton during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton passes against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton smiles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton celebrates after their win against the Las Vegas Raiders in an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton celebrates after their win against the Las Vegas Raiders in an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Officials in Birmingham, Alabama, pleaded Monday with members of the public for information leading to arrests in a weekend mass shooting that killed four people and injured more than a dozen others, announcing rewards totaling $100,000.

"I want to make myself very clear on what the priority is: It is to hunt down, capture, arrest and convict the people who are responsible for this mass shooting.” Mayor Randall Woodfin said at a news conference Monday with other officials.

Authorities have still made no arrests after Saturday’s shooting killed four people and left 17 others injured. Police described it as a targeted “hit” on someone by multiple shooters who opened fire on a crowd waiting in line outside a nightspot in Birmingham’s bustling Five Points South district.

Police believe that the shooters targeted at least one of the victims and that others were killed or injured in the barrage of gunfire, Chief Scott Thurmond said. Five of the injured victims remain in the hospital, he said. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward, and Crime Stoppers is offering $50,000, officials said. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

The shooting — Birmingham's third quadruple homicide of the year — has put a spotlight on a city once best known for its role in the Civil Rights Movement but more recently plagued by gun violence.

Three of the nation's 31 mass killings this year occurred in Birmingham, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. Birmingham, a city of about 200,000, has seen 114 homicides this year. Chicago, with more than 10 times the population, has seen a little over 400 homicides this year.

Saturday's shooting rocked an area of restaurants and bars that is often busy on weekend nights. It occurred on the sidewalk and street outside Hush Lounge as a long line of people waited to enter. Blood stains remained on the sidewalk until firefighters washed them away later Sunday.

Police identified the three victims found on the sidewalk as Anitra Holloman, 21, of the Birmingham suburb of Bessemer, Tahj Booker, 27, of Birmingham, and Carlos McCain, 27, of Birmingham. The fourth victim was identified Monday as Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26.

Police said about 100 shell casings were recovered. In a statement late Sunday, police said the shooters are believed to have used “machine gun conversion devices” that make semiautomatic weapons fire more rapidly.

“We’re looking at whether the switch was used in this particular case, or was this an assault rifle that was fully automatic or some other type of weapon,” Thurmond said Monday.

The Birmingham mayor had urged state and federal officials to give cities more tools to address gun violence. He put both hands behind his back Monday to illustrate what it is like for cities to combat crime. Alabama last year abolished the requirement to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public.

“This mass shooting has a heavy toll of the community as a whole, but nothing more harmful than the emotional and physical pain of these actual victims,” Woodfin said.

This story has been corrected to show that there have been 31 mass killings in the nation this year, not 23 mass shootings.

CORRECTS DATE hat appears to be a bullet hole is visible in the window of Hush, a hookah and cigar lounge, in Birmingham, Ala. on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, the day after a mass shooting took place. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

Blood stains were visible on the sidewalk outside of a nightclub in Birmingham, Ala. on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, after a mass shooting took place. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

A firefighter cleans blood stains off the sidewalk outside a nightclub in Birmingham, Ala. on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, after a mass shooting took place. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

This image provided by WBMA shows police tape near the scene of a shooting in Birmingham, Ala., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Bill Castle/WBMA via AP)

This image provided by WBMA shows police working on the scene of a shooting in Birmingham, Ala., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Bill Castle/WBMA via AP)

Drops of blood remain at the scene of a fatal Saturday night shooting in the Five Points neighborhood of Birmingham, Ala., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

This image provided by WBMA shows police and emergency vehicles in the entertainment district after a shooting in Birmingham, Ala., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Bill Castle/WBMA via AP)

The scene of a fatal Saturday night shooting outside Hush, a hookah lounge, in the Five Points neighborhood of Birmingham, Ala., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Search underway for suspects in Alabama mass shooting that killed 4 and injured 17

Search underway for suspects in Alabama mass shooting that killed 4 and injured 17

This image provided by WBMA shows bystanders near the scene of a shooting in Birmingham, Ala., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Bill Castle/WBMA via AP)