LAS VEGAS — Chuba Hubbard is stoic more often than not, but even he had to crack a smile as teammates jumped on him in jubilation while running off the field. The Panthers had just notched their first win of the season, a 36-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders that was not as close as even a 14-point margin indicates.

"Obviously, it's been a long time since we won, a long time since we won on the road," Hubbard acknowledged. "So just to come out here, you know, after all the adversity we faced and get a win, it was, it was big."

Hubbard pounded the ground all day in Vegas, a big part of the Panthers' first 100-plus rushing performance of the season. He picked up 114 yards on the ground, plus 55 receiving, for a total of 169 scrimmage yards.

Dave Canales has talked for months about wanting to establish the run game up front, to set up the whole offense. Hubbard helped do that early on, touching the ball four of the nine plays on the opening possession, for 24 yards, including the 6-yard touchdown to cap the drive.

"It was everyone, everyone played a part in it," Hubbard praised. "The offensive line, the receivers, the tight ends, the running backs, the coaches, they trusted it and we just came together and played as one. I mean, it was a beautiful sight."

One of the best examples of that was guard Robert Hunt's block on a Hubbard catch-and-run. It was less pancake and more "scenes from a nightmare" for Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane on the other end of the stiff-arm throw.

"Usually I ain't even supposed to get out on that screen," Hunt explained. "But I was looking down the line, I saw a road block between AC ( Austin Corbett) and Damien Lewis. Get around them, I seen Damien kind of had his hands on him. I've done this block a lot in my career. When somebody's hands on me occupied, I try to make a highlight."

There might have been only three explosive runs on the day, including a long from Hubbard of 14 yards. But the consistent punch after punch against a Raiders run defense that had been giving up an average of 163.5 yards per game on the ground, helped break open an offense that had been struggling to pass go till this trip.

"That's Panthers football, team football right there," Canales declared. "I get to show them that. I get to show them how it all complements and plays off of each other. The run game, opening things up in the back half, making teams have to load the box and try take your run away and all of a sudden you've got all this space."

Hubbard wasn't the only player to surpass 100-plus yards on the day. Receiver Diontae Johnson pulled in eight receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown, a stat he wasn't even aware of until well past the final whistle. It was Johnson's first 100-plus yard game since Week 12 of the 2021 season, and the first time since Week 16 of the 2022 season that the Panthers had two players with more than 100 yards from scrimmage.

"I didn't even know that," Johnson laughed. "I was just out there playing. I was just out there playing!"

With the run game from Hubbard and Miles Sanders opening up play action, Johnson was able to strike, often across the middle. Noted as the man able to get open perhaps better than any other receiver in the league, Johnson took advantage on Sunday, creating space for Andy Dalton to fit in passes that lent themselves to yards after the catch, and allowed him to play pinball with defenders downfield. His touchdown was a 5-yard score that saw him split defenders and grab one in the bucket from Dalton.

"It was man, so I was trying to get to the front pylon and I was able to beat my guy across and Andy threw a great ball to the back of the endzone and I made a play on it," Johnson explained.

"Being able to get the run game going early allows us to open up the passing game on the outside. So I play out a little bit. Congrats to the O-line for doing their job and Chuba for doing his job."

Added Canales: "It's just about taking advantage of his opportunities. He had a couple of great ones today. You can see what he can do with the ball after the catch. Just making more than what's there. All the things that we saw throughout camp, the things that I've seen in his career.

"So, I was just really excited to get him involved in what we were doing, and he's the dynamic part of our offense."

As the team drifted from the celebratory locker room to the celebratory ride home, Robert Hunt's voice echoed around the metal lockers. He was singing a line from "Streets Made Me A King," by Future and Metro Boomin.

"You ain't (expletive) till you become a big dog," Hunt sang out.

Since being promoted to general manager, Dan Morgan has asked for dogs. On Sunday in Las Vegas, these dogs got a little more bite.