Redskins under the direction of new Head Coach Mike Shanahan and GM Bruce Allen have used the off-season to change the team from a 4-12 team to an 8-8 team, and this has been accomplished with specific and strategic moves not the :"flashy" signings of the years past

via abritishman.files.wordpress.com

The draft additions and the moves this off-season were to make a team better; to make a 4-12 team magically become an 8-8 team. How long have teams like Oakland, Detroit, St. Louis and yes the Redskins struggled year-in and year-out to improve with huge changes to the coaching staffs or big name signings  only to see a "blip" good year followed by another poor year or several poor years.  A team which can go on a 6-2 run only to collapse in the second half to finish 8-8 and then make the biggest FA defensive signing and end up going 4-12 the next year.

The difference is the decisions being made by coaches and the front office the idea of just adding players versus building a team.  For the first time in Owner Daniel Snyder's history the Redskins are being run by football people in both the Coaching and GM role and it appears they are doing it right by building a team instead of trying to become instant winners.  Transforming a 4-12 team to an 8-8 team does make it a "non-rebuilding" year.  An 8-8 team can "catch a genie in a bottle" and make a serious run at something special or they can finish 8-8 with the future looking bright with a few additions we as fans can see the improvement and competitiveness of a well run team, not just a bunch of players 

As Hall recently stated via the DC sports Bog

"It's based on the talent we feel like we've got," he said. "It's based on the improvements I feel like we've made. It's based on the scheme. The scheme alone is gonna give us four or five more wins. The games we lost by two, three points, we'll win those games, easy.

 Better O-Line check

QB with a Quicker release Check

QB Better at reading defenses Check

An aggressive Defense Check

Coaches might not play the games but coaches decisions have a lot to do with wins and losses.

The Redskins still have "holes" but the Redskins are no longer a 4-12 team they are an 8-8 team which will become a dominate team when all the areas are addressed, I guess it goes to show you  "Rome was not built in a day" and the Redskins could not address every issue in one off-season but the did magic to make a 4-12 team an 8-8 team HTTR!