CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With Jason Taylor limping off the field with a knee injury, the defense disintegrating without him and the offense almost as bad, the Washington Redskins face many unpleasant questions after an ugly preseason showing Saturday.

For the Carolina Panthers, the biggest concern was how to get their two electric running backs enough carries.

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined to rush for 201 yards and two touchdowns, Jake Delhomme threw for two scores and Carolina cruised to a 47-3 win as Washington's high-priced addition didn't make it to halftime.

Taylor, the six-time Pro Bowl pick and "Dancing With the Stars" celebrity, was injured when his right knee bent awkwardly as he got caught in the middle of the pile midway through the second quarter.

"The initial X-rays were negative about any serious damage," coach Jim Zorn said. "We're going to get an MRI and we'll have a stronger evaluation for you (Sunday)."

When the defensive end, acquired from Miami last month after the Dolphins grew weary of his television work, didn't return, the Redskins' defense was apparently through for the night, too.

Washington (3-1) gave up touchdowns on the next five possessions, including Stewart's 50-yard TD run and Williams' 60-yard scamper against a lunging, out-of-position and bewildered Washington first-team unit.

"The offensive line did a great job of blocking," Williams said. "All we pretty much had to do is run. We didn't have to make many cuts."

Delhomme, in his longest stint since reconstructive elbow surgery last year, was 11 of 19 for 159 yards. He overcame an early interception with a 24-yard touchdown throw to tight end Dante Rosario to give Carolina (2-1) a 34-0 halftime lead.

When he found Steve Smith for a 33-yard TD on the first possession of the second half, the Redskins' starters were watching, and perhaps worrying, from the sideline.

"It's very humbling, humiliating," Zorn said.

While Washington's defense, which was without safety LaRon Landry (hamstring) and linebacker Marcus Washington (hip), couldn't stop anybody, Jason Campbell and the offense were sub-par for a second straight game.

Campbell was 6-for-10 for only 39 yards, held onto the ball too long and was sacked four times. The Redskins' first-team offense played eight series, finishing with five three-and-outs, two turnovers and the end of the half.

"If you're going to take a whipping like this, get it out of way now and come back and respond," Campbell said.

Former University of Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan, the Redskins sixth-round draft pick, was 6-for-12 for 53 yards.

Washington had no answer for defensive end Julius Peppers, who continued his strong preseason after a nearly invisible 2007. His signature play was pushing five-time Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuels five yards into Campbell, who fumbled. Peppers recovered, and the turnover led to the second of John Kasay's four field goals.

"We just got dominated," Samuels said.

Clinton Portis, after taking last week off, had eight carries for 32 yards. But No. 2 running back Ladell Betts fumbled and Peppers recovered that, too.

That allowed Williams and Stewart to begin one-upping each other in the competition to replace the released DeShaun Foster.

Stewart, the 13th pick in the draft, rushed for 100 yards on 10 carries in his first action with the starters. Breaking tackles and rumbling through big holes, Stewart made major strides after managing only 3 yards on four carries in the last preseason game, his first game action since undergoing toe surgery.

"Tonight my experience was definitely different than last week," Stewart said. "I had a little bit more confidence tonight and especially when one of your first runs is a big run, it builds confidence."

Williams, the backup last year, exploded to the outside for his long TD run and continued his strong preseason. He had 101 yards on nine carries, and his lone fumble was scooped up by Smith for another touchdown.

"We had holes," Delhomme said, "but I think what you saw was the explosiveness of both backs."

It all came with Taylor inside getting examined. With the veteran having played 130 consecutive regular-season games, the Redskins expected him to dominate, and any lengthy absence could dampen the high expectations in Zorn's first season.

"It was definitely a scary feeling," defensive end Andre Carter said. "Hopefully it's not that serious."