When Washington football was all shiny and new after the franchise moved from Boston in 1937, fans came to expect title games, starting with an NFL championship in their very first year in the District, one of two NFL championships in the early years five NFL Eastern division titles from 1937 to 1945.
Title games seemed like business as usual until they abruptly ended following the 1945 season with a bizarre championship game where Washington lost a chance at third championship because of gentlemen and footwear.
After a 6-3-1 mark and a third-place finish in the NFL East in 1944, Washington came back in 1945 and had a strong season, posting an 8-2 mark, with Sammy Baugh completing 128 of 182 passes 70.3% for 1,669 yards, 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions.