The last time the Washington Redskins played a game that counted at FedEx Field, they were picking themselves up after a loss to the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round of the playoffs last January.
It was an abrupt ending to a season in which a lot had been accomplished, most notably the notion that the Redskins were building in the right direction with a 9-7 season and NFC East championship after amassing seven wins in the two years prior.
High expectations have followed throughout training camp and the preseason. The result was a placid lead-in to the start of this season, one without any outside distractions that have accompanied this franchise so often and a laser-like focus on football.
Now, though, there won’t be any more reason to speculate whether the Redskins can build upon, or at least sustain, what they achieved last season. They’ll have the chance to prove it when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football at FedEx Field.
“I think as a pro football player, most players do have confidence,” coach Jay Gruden said earlier this week. “But it’s another thing, you have to go out and prove it every year. You have to prove it Monday night and you have to prove it the following Sunday and the following Sunday after that and that’s never going to change.
“But having some success is very beneficial to the state of mind and how they prepare and how they work to get ready for a game. They know how hard they worked last year and they saw the benefits of that and that’s only going to help us but still, come Monday night and the following Sunday, we’ve got to go out and prove it each and every week.”
There are still lingering questions, such as whether the Redskins can generate a more consistent pass rush and rushing attack, and a glimpse into those answers will come soon.
What the Redskins do have is continuity on offense. Kirk Cousins has had a full offseason to prepare entering his second year as the starting quarterback. He’s got all the same options in tight end Jordan Reed and wide receivers Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder.
Still, Cousins acknowledged that it takes more than just having the pieces in place to maintain the level of efficiency the Redskins’ passing game was operating at in the final four regular-season games.
“I think having the whole offseason to prepare and to be solidified in your role has helped, but it’s all talk,” Cousins said. “You know, we talk about how the skill position players should be better; that should help us. We should be more explosive. And I don’t want to create an environment where these expectations are now we can’t meet them, because we’re just supposed to complete every pass now and play perfectly. ’Kirk had all this time as the starter now, and he has so many weapons to throw to that he should go 50-for-50 and throw for 500 yards.’
“It’s not going to be that. But, there’s no doubt that the circumstances seem to have been set up in a way where I don’t have many excuses, you know? We have a great opportunity to go be effective and play well and that’s exciting and something for our fans to be excited about. But, we’ve got to go out and prove it. You know, we’ve got to go out and play well and right now it’s just talk and it doesn’t mean a whole lot. So, check back with me in several weeks down the road. You know it’s a long, long season and a lot of games and we’ll see where we are come January.”
Those conclusions in fact might not come until January, but the process starts for real on Monday night.
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