EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins wanted the storybook start: entering the game against a team he grew up rooting for, an hour from his childhood home. He pictured a rally. Instead, he and the Redskins received a dose of reality.
Haskins entered Washington's game Sunday against the New York Giants late in the second quarter but, after managing a field goal drive on his first series, the rookie struggled the rest of the game. The Redskins lost 24-3 and exited New Jersey uncertain about who will start at quarterback next week vs. the New England Patriots.
Haskins' performance did not make it a guaranteed start for himself. The 15th overall pick completed 9 of 17 passes for 107 yards and three interceptions.
"He's got to earn that right first," Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. "I don't care where you're drafted, you have to earn that. He's got to come in here and perform when he's asked to perform, and if I feel he gives us the best chance to win against New England, I'll put him in."
Haskins replaced starter Case Keenum with 6 minutes, 35 seconds left in the first half. Keenum had completed 6 of 11 passes for 37 yards in nearly two quarters of action. He also threw an interception on Washington's first drive -- his sixth turnover in two games.
Gruden said Keenum also looked as though he was bothered by the sprained right foot suffered in Monday's game against the Chicago Bears. But he twice missed a wide-open Trey Quinn on deep routes Sunday that would have resulted in touchdowns.
"I have to be better," Keenum said. "Missed a few shots, turned the ball over again early. Cost us momentum early for sure."
While Keenum was surprised to be pulled, Haskins was ready for his chance. He has spent most of the first three weeks of the season getting his vital work in away from the field: arriving early for film; extra meetings with the coaches; extra reps on footwork drills. He did not take first-team reps until this past week.
But at 0-3 and trailing the Giants 14-0 in the second quarter, the Redskins turned to Haskins, who threw 50 touchdown passes last season at Ohio State. The Redskins had wanted him to not only learn more of the offense, but to get better at reading defenses and understanding protections.
Haskins completed his first two passes Sunday for a combined 15 yards. He also ran for 14 yards on a second-and-9 scramble. But he missed two throws inside the 5-yard line on his first possession as the Redskins settled for a field goal.
"I thought Dwayne might give us a spark at the end of the half," Gruden said. "Got us a field goal, but in the second half we were pretty much inept on offense in all phases."
Haskins' confidence wasn't dented after the game. Teammates said he remained poised in the huddle and was not negatively affected by the bad plays. Veterans -- such as running back Adrian Peterson and inactive quarterback Colt McCoy -- would approach him after bad plays to make sure he was fine. After each series, Haskins would sit on the bench with offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell and the other two quarterbacks.
"I want to win," Haskins said. "We're gonna win. I don't like losing. We're going to change that. We'll win some games; I'll be here for a while so get used to seeing me smile up here."
Haskins' second half was not as good. He threw a pick-six in the third quarter when, pressured in the pocket, he failed to turn his feet when he threw to tight end Jeremy Sprinkle running across the middle of the field. But even if the throw had had more zip, safety Jabrill Peppers would have intercepted the pass as Sprinkle rounded his route, allowing the defender to cut underneath.
Haskins at times held the ball too long. Other times he took shots down the field that resulted in interceptions, as he did on a long throw to receiver Paul Richardson that turned into a contested pass. Janoris Jenkins intercepted the ball. Jenkins then intercepted a pass late in the game that bounced off tight end Vernon Davis. The ball hit Davis in the shoulder as he turned around.
"When you don't get the reps, some of that timing stuff is something you can't do without getting them," Haskins said. But, he said, he has to remember not to force the ball, either.
"As a young guy I have to remember it's one play at a time," Haskins said. "I can't get in there thinking I'll throw 10 touchdowns and win the game. It has to happen organically. It was tough because certain things wasn't going our way, certain things wasn't going my way. That's life. That's football. You have to rebound from adversity and come back stronger next week."
Whether or not he gets that chance, he at least now has film to watch and see what he must do better. Gruden said they need to clean up little areas, such as the cadence and knowing where the play clock is and doing better getting in and out of the huddle -- though some of that is on the playcalling, too. But Gruden did find positives to Haskins' day.
"He's got a pretty strong pocket presence," Gruden said. "I like that. He'll stand in there and we'll have plays develop. He can see very well. There's a lot to build on there."
Meanwhile, the guy New York chose instead of Haskins -- Daniel Jones -- led a second consecutive victory in his second start. Jones wasn't perfect; he was intercepted twice. He also threw for 225 yards and a touchdown as the Giants improved to 2-2.
After the game, Haskins approached former starter Eli Manning to let him know he has been a fan of his -- since he was 8 years old.
"Jersey still runs deep in my blood," said Haskins, who moved to the Washington area midway through his freshman year of high school.
But now he's in Washington, waiting to see who will start Sunday against the visiting Patriots. The Giants game was just a first step in Haskins' NFL playing career.
"I knew my time would be coming," Haskins said. "And when it did come I had to be ready for it and didn't execute the way I wanted it to. The good thing about it is it hurts and there will be brighter days tomorrow."