This wasn't the way it was supposed to be.
Coming off of a 10-6 season in which the Redskins rode historic rookie performances at quarterback and running back to the NFC East title, the expectations were high for this Washington Redskins squad.
With the roster mostly intact and a year under everyone's belt, this was supposed to be an encore performance for one of the most exciting teams in football.
Yet on Dec. 29, 2013, almost exactly one year after they celebrated their first division title in 13 years, the Redskins lost their eighth-straight to close out the season at 3-13.
After the final game in New York, head coach Mike Shanahan briefly shared his disappointment with the media.
"You always want to compete and you're disappointed when you lose. It's not a fun profession when you lose," Shanahan said. "To be in this situation is something I haven't experienced before so I'm very disappointed."
Quarterback Kirk Cousins told the media that Shanahan's message was one of character and not quitting on one another.
"I think his message was just that he's been proud of the character we've had," Cousins explained. "We've never let up, we never quit [and] he just wanted to let us know that he's proud of this team despite the fact it didn't show in the win-loss column."
At 0-6, the Washington Redskins obviously tie their worst division record and their worst overall record since 1994.
Shanahan assured the media that he would be able to put the season in better perspective on Monday, when he is scheduled to address the media.
Asked if this was his most frustrating season coaching, Shanahan did not disagree.
"I've had a few, this is right up there with them," he said. "Anytime you're responsible for a football team and you come away with three wins it's always disappointing."
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