Last year the Washington Commanders were one of the most hyped teams in the NFL.
Analysts and experts everywhere were putting the defense in the top 10, and the team in the NFC's top four, on a consistent basis.
When the year came to a close the team was under .500 and in third place in the NFC East, well on the outside of the playoff picture.
Speaking after practice on Wednesday, Washington safety Bobby McCain points to problems that surfaced at the beginning of last year as one of many issues the team needs to put in the past this season.
"I don't like to spend too much time on last year, but we can say that Charger game, we felt like we should've won the game but we didn't," said McCain.
With aspirations of being one of the top defenses in the league, Washington's unit gave up an opening-drive touchdown to the Chargers to start the game.
Not long after that, the team lost starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for the season.
Still, Washington's deficit was just four points at halftime, and when quarterback Taylor Heinicke found tight end Logan Thomas for a third quarter touchdown, they held a late lead.
Ultimately, ball security issues that would become a theme for the season became an issue in the fourth quarter and the Chargers left FedEx Field with a Week 1 win.
As much as McCain doesn't want to focus on 2021, simply ignoring the issues from last season won't make all of them go away.
So the team is spending this period of the offseason working to cast out old demons, and create new habits of success.
"It starts now in OTAs," McCain said. "It starts just, you know, with the continuity with each other and understanding that, like I said, you gotta perfect your role, and if it's not perfect get it as close as you can."
Coaches will tell players to win the rep they're in, and if they don't, win the next.
And that's the mentality around the Washington Commanders these days.
Learning from past struggles to create success, in the very near future.
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