There’s one more Panthers 2018 preseason game to go.

Perhaps the most important competition the team has yet to settle is at backup quarterback, where Garrett Gilbert and Taylor Heinicke are fighting it out to see who replaces Derek Anderson behind Cam Newton.

According to Jourdan Rodrigue at the Charlotte Observer, Heinicke will play the first quarter of Thursday’s preseason game against the Steelers. Later, Gilbert will come in to play the second quarter. Coach Ron Rivera says he wants undrafted rookie Kyle Allen to play the entire second half.

We should not look too much into the order to determine where Rivera’s mind is on the subject.

All indications are that this is still an open competition.

For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus has Gilbert graded out over 13 points higher overall than Heinicke for this preseason.

However, PFF’s model for quarterbacks seems to undervalue what a QB does with his legs – which is the only possible explanation for Cam Newton falling so low in their rankings heading into the 2018 season.

Heinicke has shown more mobility and play-making ability on the run than Gilbert has so far this preseason.

That may not be enough to win him the job, but it’s giving him a fighting chance.