Following their home game in Mexico, the Raiders returned to Oakland to face the Carolina Panthers. The Raiders were looking to extend their winning streak to five games, the longest streak since their Super Bowl season of 2002. Things started well as the Raiders defense held the Panthers to a three-and-out series and the Raiders offense moved right down the field. Seth Roberts caught a two-yard pass from Derek Carr to put the Raiders up 7-0. The Panthers answered on a three-yard touchdown run by Cam Newton to tie the score. The rest of the first half belonged to the Raiders as Latavius Murray scored from four yards out and Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 23-yard field goal to put the Raiders up 17-7. The Panther took over with 1:56 remaining in the second quarter looking to cut the Raider lead, but Khalil Mack made an acrobatic catch of Newton pass and returned it six yards for another Raider touchdown. The Panthers took a knee on the final possession of the half as the Raiders held a 24-7 lead. On the second play of the third quarter, Carr injured the pinky finger of his throwing hand on an awkward snap. The play resulted in a fumble recovered by the Panthers. Six plays later, Jonathan Stewart scored from one-yard out to cut the lead to 24-13 after the extra point was blocked. With Carr in the locker room tending to his injured finger, Matt McGloin took over for the Raiders, but they could not muster any offense and were forced to punt. Newton then hit Ted Ginn Jr. on an 88-yard pass and catch to put the Panthers with five. The Panthers opted to go for two points, but failed and, therefore, trailed 24-19. Carr returned to the game with a glove on this throwing hand on the next possession, but after completing two passes, Carr was intercepted by Thomas Davis. The Panthers continued their hot start to the half as Stewart scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. The Panthers again failed on their two-point conversion, but now held the lead, 25-24. Following three straight incompletions by Carr, the Panters took over and extended the lead on a 44-yard pass from Newton to Kelvin Benjamin. Now trailing 32-24, the Raiders answered on a 10-play drive capped off by a Clive Walford 12-yard touchdown reception. The two point conversion was good on a Carr pass to Roberts and the game was tied at 32. The Raiders defense forced a punt by the Panthers and the Raiders took over with 5:05 remaining in the game. The Raiders 12-play drive stalled at the Carolina six-yard line, but Janikowski hit his second field goal of the game to give the Raiders a 35-32 lead. With 1:45 remaining in the game, the Panthers looked to tie or take the lead. However, Mack continued his great day and stripped Newton of the ball and recovered the ball on a fourth and 10 play to ice the game for the Raiders. Mack finished with a sack, an interception, a forced fumble, and a touchdown, the first of his career. Carr finished with 315 yards and two touchdown despite missing a series with his injured finger. The Raiders improved to 9-2 on the season and remained in first place in the division. The win also clinched a winning season for the Raiders for the first time since 2002.. Which team took the early lead, Raiders or Panthers?