AP

Washington coach Mike Shanahan wants his players to realize that even if they have no realistic shot of making the playoffs, they still have plenty to play for.

Most importantly, Shanahan says, the players are playing for their careers: Every player should realize that if he doesn’t play well enough at the end of this year, he may not have a job next year.

“I think the players are smart enough to understand that if you are 3-8, then everybody is playing for their jobs,” Shanahan said. “That’s the nature of our business. I don’t care if it’s players, coaches, support staff. The nature of this game is to find a way to win, and if you don’t win, everybody is accountable.”

Shanahan is right. In this business, everybody is accountable. And that includes Shanahan himself, who is now 24-36 in his four years in Washington.