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First the Washington Capitals, next the Washington Redskins

By Jacob Camenker

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins on the sidelines during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 12, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins on the sidelines during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 12, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Washington has finally crowned another champion for the first time since the 1991 Super Bowl. The Capitals were the team to do it, but hopefully the winning culture will be passed onto the other D.C. teams, including the Redskins.

The 2018 Stanley Cup was quite the series for the Washington Capitals. After falling in a fast paced series opener that saw both offenses clicking, the Capitals really stepped up their game. They went from down one game to winning the final four to take the Cup on the Vegas Golden Knights’ home ice. And the way that they won in Game 5 was impressive.

The second period that was an exciting, back and forth affair, that saw the Capitals strike first thanks to Jakub Varna. Then the Knights answered, but a power play goal from Alex Ovechkin would break the tie shortly. Following that, the Knights scored twice to make it 3-2 heading into the final period.

Down one goal and on the road, the task was tough. But the Capitals proved to have a winning culture. Devante Smith-Pelly made the goal of the night as he scored off a perfect pass while falling to the ice to knot the score. And then, after a puck squirted ever so slightly behind Marc-Andre Fleury, Lars Eller was able to push it into the net to take the lead. And that was all she wrote.

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For the entirety of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Washington Capitals embraced a team mentality. They played smart hockey, were resilient, and never gave up. In short, they played with championship poise and mentality, and that’s why they lifted the Cup.

The Caps winning the championship has really put the city of Washington back on the map. Once known as a relatively unsuccessful four-sport city, the future is looking bright for the Washington teams. The Caps just won a championship. The Nationals have the best pitcher in baseball in Max Scherzer and one of the best hitters in Bryce Harper. They could make noise in the postseason if they can stay healthy. And, of course, the Wizards have a dominant backcourt and have the talent and coaching needed to make a run in the NBA’s weak Eastern Conference.

And then there’s the Washington Redskins. They have been the weakest of the Washington teams in recent memory, finishing last in the NFC East in 6-of-10 years and only qualifying for the playoffs twice. They haven’t won a playoff contest since 2005 and haven’t come close to the Super Bowl since their 1991 win. But now, there is reason for optimism.

The Redskins have a seemingly sound leadership structure right now. They’ve added some potential contributors during the 2018 offseason, and it seems that Alex Smith and Derrius Guice are going to have a massive impact on their offense. And on defense, their unit is looking up thanks to the additions of Daron Payne and Tim Settle. With a strong run defense, the Redskins could sport a top 10 defensive unit if all plays well.

As seen from the Capitals run, championship cultures are built by the players the team has. If they are hard workers who are determined, they find ways to succeed. And if they have faced adversity and even failure in the past, that can lead to better results in the future. The Redskins have the potential to fit this narrative if they all buy into Jay Gruden’s system. If Smith truly can be an upgrade over Kirk Cousins. And if all the role players are able to help lift the Redskins team and support the stars.

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It’s too early to say anything definitively, but the city of Washington now has a winning culture again. And a solid Redskins season would help play into that for future years. So first, the Capitals have won the Cup. And now, it’s the Redskins turn to try and get to the Super Bowl. If they can at least make the playoffs in 2018 and start to build momentum, they will be well on their way to being the next success story in the nation’s capital.

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