Carson Wentz debuts for Commanders vs. Panthers, rookie QB Sam Howell shines

His starting quarterback, Carson Wentz, efficiently operated the offense, and the rookie, Sam Howell, put on a show for a late rally.

Flawless, it wasn’t. Not by any stretch. But the Commanders’ preseason-opening 23-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers at FedEx Field, which came down to a field goal in the final seconds, offered the clearest gauge yet of just how close they are to a playoff run and improving upon their 7-10 record last season.

The loss also provided a close-up look at many players vying for roster spots and gave others a platform to shine.

Though many fans came to see Wentz, it was Howell, the third-string rookie quarterback, who won over the crowd as he rallied the Commanders with two touchdowns in the game’s final nine minutes. He single-handedly reinvigorated a sparse crowd, and helped lesser-known players leave their marks, too — including wide receiver/returner Alex Erickson, who led the Commanders with 54 receiving yards and scored the go-ahead two-point conversion.

The defense that has won the majority of battles against Washington’s offense in training camp came out flat, allowing the Panthers offense to convert more than 61 percent of its third downs.

For Ron Rivera, ‘the judgment starts with winning or losing.’ That’s progress.

“You got an opportunity on second and long when you’re on defense, you’ve got to keep it second and long,” Rivera said. “There are too many third and mediums to short. That was the crux of what [defensive coordinator] Jack [Del Rio] and I talked about, and we talked about it during the game.”

The Commanders’ offense started with a three and out and then a fumble, courtesy of running back Antonio Gibson, who struggled with ball security in 2021.

“Very frustrating. Can’t have it,” Gibson said. “It’s a big-time, big-game league and you can’t have that happen. I can’t do nothing about it but move on to the next play, correct what I need to correct, and keep moving.”

The energy picked up as the game went on. Wentz completed 10 of 13 pass attempts for 74 yards in his 21 offensive plays. He didn’t throw an interception or a touchdown, and for the most part he cleanly ran the offense.

“I thought he threw the ball well, I thought he threw it where he was supposed to,” Rivera said. “He threw a very catchable ball and delivered it on time. I thought he went through his progressions the way he needed to, thought he handled the huddle well, thought he got the calls outs and did the things we hoped he would do.”

The team’s first series ended when tight end Armani Rogers dropped a deep pass along the right sideline. The pass was on target, but Rogers, in tight coverage, bobbled the ball as he spun around and lost control.

When the offense came back out for its second series, Wentz completed passes of two, four and six…