AP

Last year, Washington stunk. At 4-12 for the year, the team earned the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, making them officially the fifth worst team in the league.

As the 2015 season approached, it seemed like it would be even worse. Nothing was done to address the quarterback position, despite a revolving door of substandard options including Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, and Colt McCoy. Griffin, the second overall pick in 2012, was given the job again, after the team exercised a gigantic option on his contract for 2016.

Enter August, and it looked like a disaster was looming. Horrendous offensive line play during a preseason game resulted in a concussion for Griffin. Then, as the injury lingered, coach Jay Gruden reversed course and made Cousins the starter.

Yes, Kirk Cousins. The guy who showed short-term promise after Griffin dislocated an ankle in 2014, but who then became an interception machine before being benched for McCoy, who was later benched for Griffin.

No one expected much from Washington. Which, in a preseason power ranking process that necessarily requires one team to occupy the 32nd spot, made Washington the pick of many as the worst team in the league, entering the season. PFT, among others, put them at No. 32.

Gruden noticed, and he used it to his benefit.

“[Y]ou’re always looking for ways to motivate your team,” Gruden told reporters on Wednesday. “Football is hard enough as it is. It’s a grind, obviously. But if you can find unique ways — and there’s a lot of doubters and a lot of haters that really had a lot of negative things to say about this franchise before the season about this team, and you should take it personally. This is their jobs. This is what they are paid to do. We have a lot of pride in this locker room, and for people to give us no respect whatsoever is insulting and it is a motivational tool. I’d be stupid not to use that, in my opinion – to an extent, obviously. But to challenge these guys and let them know that, ‘Hey, this is where we are. This is where we need to get. That’s a long way.’ I think they’ve accepted the challenge and have come a long way. But I try not to buy into what people say, but to an extent, I think it was important to let them know what the views are. It wasn’t just one publication — it was ESPN, it was PFT, it was CBS. It was all of them that had us in the 30, 31 or 32 [range]. It is what it is. We still have a long way to go obviously but we’re proud of what we’ve done so far but we have a long way to go.”

First, you’re welcome, Jay.

Second, it’s good to know you “try not to buy into what people say.”

Third, I’m sorry I assumed that Gruden’s mediocre, 7-7 team would be worse than mediocre.

The team is in contention for a playoff spot only because it’s currently the best team in one of the worst divisions in football. If Tony Romo’s collarbone hadn’t broken twice, Washington would have no chance to play beyond Week 17. And if/when they appear in a playoff game, at home against most likely the Seahawks, Washington may wish they didn’t make it to the playoffs at all.

Still, Gruden should be proud. He exceeded expectations. And, frankly, he should be glad the expectations were so low. Next year, they won’t be — which will put far more pressure on him than there was in 2015.

The best news will be for whoever ends up coaching the Browns. Because Gruden has shown that there’s a way to parlay being regarded as the worst team in football into a positive.