Jay Gruden envies Packers' 'winning experience'

INDIANAPOLIS - It’s been more than six weeks since the Green Bay Packers ended his team’s season, and Washington coach Jay Gruden said the NFC wild-card loss still hurts.

Washington was an upstart playoff team last season, making a surprise run to the NFC East title. Once it got to the postseason, it ran into the veteran Packers.

Gruden sees the Packers as a model franchise, a team that has a chance to win it every season.

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Gruden said Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine. “I think every team is trying to figure out and trying to get where the Packers are, and the Patriots and the Broncos now. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

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In his review after the game, Gruden saw the gap between an established contender and a team aspiring to reach that level. He lauded the Packers consistency and “winning experience,” traits he hopes to further instill in his team.

Washington will get a chance to once again measure itself when it hosts the Packers this fall.

“Now that we have an idea of how to win, now it’s a matter of taking how to win and find ways to improve our football team both physically and mentally and hopefully we can do that.”

rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood