The Washington Redskins, in a hopeful sign of things to come, rang in the calendar year 2005 by playing their best, and perhaps most complete game of the season, running the Minnesota Vikings out of the stadium and nearly out of the playoffs. Riding a monstrous performance by the defense, who once again began the game missing key defensive starters and featuring players you’ve never even heard of, like Garnell Wilds, the Skins played an efficient and opportunistic offensive game and got past the 20-point mark once again. For the late-arriving but eventually stoked faithful at FedEx Field, it seemed to be a satisfying tonic after last weekend’s debacle in Dallas, a game this DCist was spared the sight of, thanks to the sparing satellite television feed from on board the m.s. Zuiderdam, floating in the Atlantic Ocean.

No, Gibbs did not provide DC with a miracle in his first season back, but one couldn’t help notice the team had, by season’s end, moved a great deal closer to the Gibbsian ideal. A defense full of no-names, bringing a relentless rush and dominating the Vikings running backs, key touchdowns hauled in by tight ends and H-backs, a more wide-open offense for Ramsey, and a key, clock-killing drive with Ladell Betts pounding through the gaps. A mere three penalties. Ramsey’s most confident game yet. Great special-teams plays: Taylor Jacobs ferocious hit, Antonio Brown breaking a long return, Sean Taylor making a shoestring grab of Mewelde Moore.

But it’s also worth noting how the Redskins responded with superlative effort in a meaningless game. We’re talking about Taylor reaching with his fingertips to put a second tip on the ball, James Thrash pulling in a sweet sideline catch, Demetric Evans sacking Culpepper on a three-man rush, and Ladell Betts finding his way through the arms of a trio of tacklers to deliver unto Gibbs one more important fourth quarter first down. If there’s any reason to trust in Gibbs and look forward to the rest of 2005, it’s seeing that sort of play out of the team.