Last season, it took the Redskins until Weeks 11-12 before the team won back-to-back games. If they are able to win on the road tonight, that feat would come a full two weeks earlier in 2013.
If last year taught these Redskins anything, is that the season is 16 games for a reason, and there is no task too big if they can play as a team.
Most importantly, as quarterback Robert Griffin III pointed out this week, this is a team that is finally starting to believe in itself as it did last year.
"I think that it's just the offense starting to jell. As a team our defense is playing really well for us, getting turnovers, getting us the ball in good situations on the field," he said. "We're winning those areas and I think we are coming together more as a team."
"I think that the team is just starting to feel a lot better about its self. Defense is playing well, offense is getting in a rhythm, and we've won a couple of tough games. I think that's where guys can kind of feel like, 'Hey, we can go on a run here and put ourselves in a good situation.'"
This is certainly not the position the team thought it would be in after last year's playoff run, but as Griffin III noted, sometimes things don't work out that way.
In order to make the most of the rest of the season, the team must first avoid falling to an identical 3-6 low-water mark this season, and take the rest of the season one game at a time.
Despite the pressure of expectations, Griffin III said the team is as loose as ever heading into tonight's game.
"I don't know if there's pressure," he disputed. "Every time we step on that field regardless of your record you've got to perform at a high level, and I think because of our record we know that we have to perform right now.
"There is no tomorrow for us. I think that's the approach we took last year and it benefited us and we've got to do the same thing this year. You don't want to put yourself in that situation, but for us it's a must."
Tonight's game comes on short rest for a squad that performed exceptionally well in similar circumstances last year.
Coming out of the bye week, the Redskins stomped the Philadelphia Eagles at home before upsetting the Thanksgiving Day festivities in Dallas just four days later.
Now, coming off of a physical win over the Chargers at home, the Redskins face another physical matchup against the Vikings in Minnesota. The key to success lies in the locker room and each player's firm belief in the man next to him.
"I think it takes everybody," Griffin III said. "The offensive line did a great job of keeping me upright the entire game and giving me passing lanes. The receivers were where they needed to be and they made the big time catches.
"There were other times I had to be on the money and they made the plays. I just think it takes everybody and it's just getting in that flow of the game and we got into that. We ran the ball, set up the run to help us with the pass, and then on third downs, that's where you have to stay on the field and everybody was on top of it."
While not ideal, the team comes in fairly healthy, with only rookie running back Chris Thompson practicing in a limited capacity. Rather than focus on the short week, this is a team prepared to win with the hand that was dealt.
"It's a huge mental week and we had this experience last year going into our Thanksgiving game," he explained. "But the other team has the same situation and no one's going to feel sorry for you.
"You've got to go out there and step up on Thursday and go win the game."
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