All had been going so well for the Redskins this summer. They had quickly replaced injured defensive end Phillip Daniels with the younger and more talented Jason Taylor. Quarterback Jason Campbell, receivers Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El, tight end Chris Cooley and the offensive line had taken to new coach Jim Zorn's West Coast passing scheme. The 10 returning defensive starters had adjusted to new coordinator Greg Blache, previously the line coach, and Taylor had meshed well with his new teammates.

Sure, free safety LaRon Landry had missed a month and rookie receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly and backup tackles Stephon Heyer and Todd Wade had also been sidelined for weeks, but all was basically right in Zorn's world. Even the listless play of Campbell and the offense in the Aug. 16 preseason victory over the New York Jets was no big deal.

Until Aug. 23 at Carolina. How ugly was the 47-3 loss, which fell one point shy of Washington's worst in preseason records which date to 1961?

Let us count the ways. Taylor sprained his right knee, sidelining him possibly through the season opener at the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Right tackle Jon Jansen sprained his right foot, which will likely keep him out just as long. Right end Andre Carter limped off with a calf injury that isn't thought to be serious. The offensive line got pushed around like a bunch of 97-pound weaklings. The defense, after holding the Panthers to field goals on two early red-zone penetrations, allowed 303 yards in the first half alone including touchdown runs of 50 and 60 yards.

No wonder Zorn said that he didn't sleep much after the game. Instead, he lay awake and tried to figure how his previously unbeaten team had collapsed so badly after Taylor was hurt.

"On offense, there are a lot of words we can use," Zorn said. "We were very soft in our pass protection and in our run game. We had a lack of sustaining one-on-one blocks. Carolina played very good, tight man coverage. We had to have good protection so our QBs could focus in on the tight man coverage, but we didn't do that."

Zorn had yet to watch the defensive tape, but the Redskins were miserable tacklers in the second quarter. The Panthers ran 10 plays after Taylor was hurt and gained 215 yards. Sure, Taylor, Landry and linebacker Marcus Washington (hip) weren't in there, but a 21.5-yard average?

"These players have a lot of self pride in what they do," Zorn said. "They'll look at it and we'll all be honest about it, and we'll get through it.

With the opener just 10 days away from when the Redskins return to the practice field on Aug. 25, there's a lot of work to be done.

One of the few players who could smile after the debacle was incumbent punter Derrick Frost. Locked in a battle for his job with sixth-round pick Durant Brooks, Frost averaged 51.3 gross and 37.1 net on eight punts. When the Redskins were backed up to their 4-yard line, Frost boomed a 65-yarder.

"I'm pretty happy with my night," Frost said.