The National Football League returns with the 2022 preseason and multiple NFL games today. As Week 1 of the preseason arrives, Saturday’s Carolina Panthers vs Washington Commanders duel should have plenty to offer.
It’s not a surprise that the Panthers vs Commanders game at 1 PM ET won’t get a primetime spot. The interest level in attending this contest is low, with tickets selling for as low as $5 just hours before the game between two teams near the bottom of NFL power rankings.
However, fans of both franchises can look forward to a few enticing elements in this matchup. Among them, we’ll see plenty of recognizable names under center. Both Carolina (Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Matt Corral) and Washington (Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke and Sam Ehlinger) have a trio of signal-callers who should provide some level of entertainment.
Related: Washington Commanders schedule
Here are three storylines we’ll be monitoring in the Carolina Panthers vs Washington Commanders preseason
All eyes on the Washington Commanders defense
The Washington Commanders have invested heavily into their defense over the past five years. There are four first-round picks on the defensive line (Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne), a top-20 pick at linebacker (Jamin Davis) and one of the highest paid NFL players at his position (William Jackson III) lined up as the No.1 cornerback. It’s why the splits between the 2020 and 2021 seasons are so bizarre.
| Season | Total YPG | PPG | Yards per Play | Pressure Rate | 3rd Down Conversion | |
| 2020 | 316.5 (5th) | 21.2 (5th) | 4.9 (2nd) | 25.9% (9th) | 37.5% (6th) | |
| 2021 | 359.3 (22nd) | 25.5 (25th) | 5.7 (26th) | 24.2% (19th) | 48.5% (31st) |
While injuries can be attributed to the regression, the larger issue might be coaching and poor communication. Washington’s defenders repeatedly made mistakes last year and the problems could seemingly never be corrected. The personnel and coaching staff are largely the same in 2022, outside of the sudden firing of Sam Mills III.
We’re not expecting to see the Commanders’ cards in the preseason, but even the slightest signs of improvement with more discipline and execution would go along away. Otherwise, this is going to be a huge area of concern heading into the regular season.
Related: NFL defense rankings
Baker Mayfield vs Sam Darnold
We’ve got a quarterback competition on Saturday afternoon. A year after trading a stunning amount of draft capital to acquire Darnold, the Carolina Panthers went out and landed Mayfield. As of now, head coach Matt Rhule is calling this an even competition.
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Darnold does have the advantage of experience with the team and offense, already earning the trust of the coaching staff. However, the past two years have shown that Mayfield is a significantly more reliable passer, a better decision-maker and simply brings more consistency to the position.
Quite frankly, this battle might not last very long. Facing Washington’s defense provides Mayfield with an opportunity to prove he is the superior player. He should receive an equal number of reps as his competition and this might drag out into the second preseason game. When the final whistle blows, though, Rhule should have seen more than enough to make the final ruling.
Related: Carolina Panthers schedule, predictions
Will Carson Wentz put training camp woes behind him
Depending on who you ask, Wentz is either in the midst of an awful training camp or he is doing just fine. Ron Rivera isn’t among those worried about the rough start and it should come as no surprise the head coach is backing the quarterback who the organization paid a steep price to acquire.
Related: Washington Commanders QB Carson Wentz bricking passes in training camp
Wentz is going to play in the first preseason game and he should receive a fairly significant number of snaps. While a matchup against Carolina’s defense in the regular season would normally be concerning – based on their front seven – the Panthers will likely take a vanilla approach to this exhibition contest.
It means there are no excuses for Wentz. He’ll have a healthy cast of offensive weapons on the field with him and Washington’s offensive line is one of the strengths on the roster. If the Commanders’ quarterback performs well, everyone will forget about the early woes in training camp. On the other hand, a poor showing on Saturday could deliver a massive blow to the confidence in Wentz from the fan base. Even worse, it could be the start of the downfall that happened in Philadelphia and Indianapolis.