Football can be a strange game, and nothing was stranger than seeing the hapless Carolina Panthers cook the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 on Sunday. Unfortunately, though, Panthers wideout Adam Thielen was a victory casualty.

Thielen is going on injured reserve, via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

“Source: The #Panthers are placing WR Adam Thielen on Injured Reserve because of the hamstring injury he suffered on Sunday. But Thielen is expected back sooner rather than later,” Rapoport reported.

Thielen has eight catches for 109 yards and a touchdown on the season. The former Minnesota Viking got hurt on his 31-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter and didn't return to the game.

Carolina has a contingency plan, via The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye.

“The #Panthers plan to promote WR Jalen Coker from the practice squad to the 53-man roster to replace Adam Thielen, per league source,” Kaye reported.

Coker is an undrafted rookie out of Holy Cross. The 22-year-old received first-team FCS All-American honors last year.

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Will the Panthers' offense keep rolling without Thielen?

The Panthers must get creative without Adam Thielen

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) takes a moment before the start of the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium.
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

While Thielen is no longer the star he once was, he's still a productive presence that defenses must account for. The veteran's absence means that players like Diontae Johnson and Chuba Hubbard must continue stepping up, as they did against Las Vegas.

This would also be a good time for rookie wideout Xavier Legette to take pressure off of the veterans. The South Carolina alum had a 35-yard catch against the Raiders, so him stretching the field would do wonders for Andy Dalton and company.

While Las Vegas is a subpar team, beating it so convincingly is the type of performance that could galvanize the locker room. If the Panthers beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4 to move to 2-2, they'll suddenly be a major player in the NFC South, which sounded impossible just a couple of weeks ago.