AP

Carolina Panthers' quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) is sacked by Washington Redskins' Andre Carter (99) and Jason Taylor.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Jason Taylor limped off the field with a worrisome knee injury and the Redskins quickly unraveled against the Panthers' 1-2 punch of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

The running backs combined to rush for 201 yards and two touchdowns, Jake Delhomme threw for two scores and Carolina cruised to a 47-3 win Saturday 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 following Williams' 5-yard run midway through the second quarter.

The team called it a sprain and the defensive end, acquired from Miami last month after the Dolphins grew weary of his television work, didn't return. Apparently the Redskins' defense was 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.

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.

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.

It left first-year coach Jim Zorn with plenty of concerns with only one preseason game left.

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.

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.

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.

While the Redskins had little to be happy about, the Panthers may face a big decision soon at running back - because Williams and Stewart both presented strong arguments for the starting job vacated by 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.

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.

Backup QB Todd Collins directed the Redskins to Shaun Suisham's 38-yard third-quarter field goal. Carolina's Matt Moore was 2-of-5 for 33 yards.

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.