WASHINGTON — It’s hard not to believe there is a culture change going on at Redskins Park.

With Sunday’s emphatic 47-14 win over the Saints, the Redskins avoided starting 3-6 for a fifth consecutive season. That is hardly sexy, or something to put on a bumper sticker, but it’s a major step in the right direction.

In three of the previous four seasons, the Redskins collapsed in the second half. In 2011, 2013 and 2014, the Redskins were a combined 3-21 over the final eight games. Only the memorable march to the playoffs in 2012 was different.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins delivered a perfect passer rating in the win over the Saints. It helped that his receivers didn’t drop balls and that the running game started running again to the tune of 213 yards.

Yes, I know the Saints entered the game with the 31st-ranked defense in the NFL, but the Redskins seized on that instead of playing down to their level.

It is worth noting that this season the Redskins have refused to blink even when surrounded by criticism. The bad loss to the Jets was followed by a positive, albeit dramatic, response against the Buccaneers and now the Redskins have delivered after their stumble in Foxboro.

It is clear this Redskins team believes in its coach and itself, and that qualifies as a major culture change.