In the wake of firing Jay Gruden Monday morning, Redskins team president Bruce Allen addressed the media and did his best to explain that things are still on the right track in Ashburn. Seriously.

"The culture is actually damn good. These people care," Allen said. "We have a very young core of players that we have brought in here who are accustomed to winning. If you look at the record of these guys they're accustomed to winning. They want to win."

Allen was asked specifically about the organizational culture of the Redskins, a team with no playoff wins in the last decade and a record of 59-89-1, and he worked to defend the team.

"We haven't put it together. We've made too many mistakes on game day," he said. "But the effort, the effort of the players and the rest of this organization is fantastic. Doug Williams, his hours, if you want to check his time card, working all the time. Our scouts on the road, working all the time. And they're trying to find the right formula for success. These players have the ability and we just have to execute it."

It's obviously a tough time for the Redskins. Dismissing a coach in midseason is never the goal for any NFL team, and it's something that's happened just one other time since Dan Snyder took over as owner.

At the same time, however, there is continued futility on the football field. Washington has won exactly one playoff game since 2000. One playoff this win this century.

Still, Allen remains optimistic about the Redskins future, even if that seems baseless to many fans.

"The pieces are here for a winning team. We have to put them in the right place, believe in each other, and keep fighting for our goal. There's only one way you win. You have to work. You have to get better and you have to beat your opponent. And that's what we have to do. And I believe these players and these coaches will do that."

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