They’re Kings of Capitol Hill

Ah, the good old days.

There used to be a time when having the Washington Redskins on your schedule was a good thing, an unofficial bye week. A defensive coordinator could ease back in his chair, fold his hands behind his head and catch up on his sleep.

But that was last month.

Now, the Redskins are the first team in NFL history to go from 0-5 to 5-5, and their ascent from joke to juggernaut has suddenly made things tough on opposing game-planners.

“The thing that’s impressive to me is that they didn’t just lose their first two or three games, they got absolutely pounded,” said Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, whose Cowboys play at Washington on Sunday. “It wasn’t like they were close games. What they’ve done is really remarkable.”

Pick a reason--the team’s finally healthy, players are grasping Marty Schottenheimer’s system, a back-to-basics approach is paying off--but none provides an adequate explanation for such a dramatic turnaround.

The same Redskins who averaged 184.6 yards, 9.2 first downs and 6.4 points in their first five games, averaged 326.6 yards, 17.6 first downs and 21.8 points in their last five. Their average time of possession has rocketed from 23:01 to 33:50.

And it’s not just an offensive U-turn. The defense has made amazing strides in total yards given up (376.4 to 275.4), rushing yards given up (169.2 to 81.6) and average points given up (28.8 to 12.4).

“They believe they can win now. That’s a big part of it,” said Rick Walker, the former Redskin tight end turned CBS radio commentator. “They had a chip on their shoulders and they were humiliated at 0-5. Plus, you’ve got to remember, these guys are two years removed from winning the NFC East. We’re not talking the ‘Bad News Bears’ here.”

Rather than trying to outthink opponents with novel formations and exotic plays, the Redskins have resorted to a style they used so successfully throughout the 1980s--they run a few plays well, over and over.

“They’re a lot more deliberate in their offense,” Zimmer said. “They seem to be running the football more and more effectively. They’re blocking a lot better up front, and the quarterback is taking better care of the football and getting the ball out quick.”

That quarterback is Tony Banks, whom the Cowboys unceremoniously dumped this summer after signing him in training camp. It seemed like a prudent move, especially last month when the Cowboys defeated Washington, 9-7, in one of the ugliest games in memory. But since that game, the Cowboys have shuffled through four starting quarterbacks--Quincy Carter, Anthony Wright, Clint Stoerner and Ryan Leaf--while the Redskins have stuck with Banks.

On Wednesday, Banks told Washington reporters he won’t allow any bitterness to creep into his head this week. He can’t afford to think vendettas.

“If we weren’t where we are right now, maybe it’d be more of an issue and it’d be more payback for me,” he said. “But if I take that kind of attitude into a game like this with us on this five-game winning streak, then I set up our team to lose.”

Redskin observers point to two turning points this season: a soul-probing, players-only meeting after a 45-13 loss to Kansas City in Week 3 and a game-saving interception by linebacker LaVar Arrington in the last 10 minutes of a come-from-behind victory against Carolina in Week 6.

With cornerbacks Darrell Green, Champ Bailey and Fred Smoot, the Redskins can rely on man-to-man coverage and stack players at the line of scrimmage to stop the run.

“I think we’re pretty tough to deal with right now because we’re so fast,” Arrington told the Washington Post. “It’s hard for people to keep up with us. As long as we stay healthy, it seems like we’re dishing it out more than we’re getting it these days. As long as we can continue to be the givers instead of the receivers, I think we’ll be all right.”

Say what you will about soft schedules, but the Redskins winning in the snow at Denver two weeks ago, then shutting down Philadelphia on the road Sunday qualify as impressive testimonials.

Joe Jacoby, the former Redskin tackle who was a cornerstone of the Hogs, says Schottenheimer’s coaching is the No. 1 factor.

“Marty’s a winner,” he said. “Everybody says he came back for the money. Well, maybe he did. But there’s more to it. There’s a pride factor and an ego thing. He’s going to win. He’s going to make sure they win.

“Seven weeks ago, they were ready to get rid of him. [Redskin owner] Dan Snyder was trying to get Steve Spurrier from Florida. They didn’t give Marty a chance. They gave Norv Turner seven years, and this guy gets seven minutes and they were ready to blow him out of here.”

That said, one thing about Washington’s success has Jacoby nervous: “They’re on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, and you know what that means.”

Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted.