Redskins Thrown for a Loss by Haynesworth's Performance

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

If Albert Haynesworth were just another guy, you'd say he did fine in his debut as Washington Redskin, even had a couple of big moments. But Haynesworth is not another guy, he's a hundred million dollars and 350 pounds of bulk, and he had a lot of other moments when you hardly noticed him.

You scanned the field vainly, looking for that seismic, disruptive force he is supposed to be. Too often when your eye found him, he was kneeling on the sideline, his nostrils flaring.

Haynesworth is a huge mass of a man, no question, and there is also no question he wants to be worth his massive contract, $100 million for seven years, $41 million guaranteed. There were occasions when he seemed to meet the entire New York Giants offense head on and move it backward himself.

The defensive tackle was a large reason why the Redskins' 23-17 loss to the Giants was grudging, and wasn't more one-sided. It was Haynesworth who stopped Brandon Jacobs for no gain on fourth down at the Redskins 3-yard line in the second quarter, a play that left him flat on his back. He was also a factor in stifling three more Giants drives that ended with Lawrence Tynes field goals. He filled up the middle of the field like a roadblock, tying up traffic as he fought off double teams.

But in the end Haynesworth's debut was faintly disappointing: He had four tackles, and at no point did he have Giants quarterback Eli Manning running for his life. Manning instead completed 20 of 29 passes for 256 yards, and the Giants' offense never seemed scared, or even very uncomfortable.

You wanted the monster play, the gasp provoking hit, the momentum shifter -- and so did Haynesworth, judging by how sullen he was after the game. Asked what he thought of his performance, he said: "It don't really matter. We didn't win so I don't care how I played."

What Haynesworth is supposed to bring to the defense hasn't arrived yet. Instead of an extraordinarily elevated unit, the Redskins seemed about the same as last season, only not quite as cohesive.

They committed a variety of miscues ranging from a rash late hit by LaRon Landry to Haynesworth jumping offsides with 11 minutes 18 seconds left in the game that eventually gave Tynes an extra five yards of comfort on a 45-yard field goal that made it 20-10.

Haynesworth had remarked throughout the preseason -- in which he played sparingly -- the Redskins hadn't "jelled" yet, and he reiterated it again after the loss.

"You look at the scoreboard, they scored a lot of points," Haynesworth said. "We did good things, but we're still not there by far. We still haven't jelled quite yet as a defense. Until we get that stuff straight, this stuff probably will continue.

"A couple different things that we need to do. Once we figure it out, I'll let you guys know. . . . The first regular season game it didn't happen, we got a loss. Hopefully it can happen by next week because I'm not really fond of going 0-2."