The St. Louis clubhouse was a quiet, somber place Sunday evening as the defending World Series champions reflected on how they squandered a lead in the final two innings and a strong performance from starter Adam Wainwright.

For all the scowls and the lingering frustration that hung in the air, though, the Cardinals didn't view the 3-2 loss to Washington in Game 1 of the NLDS as something that caused the sky to fall. Were they disappointed? Sure, but St. Louis is used to less-than-desirable playoff situations.

These are the Cardinals who qualified for the postseason on the penultimate day of the regular season, won a spot in the NLDS by defeating Atlanta Braves, whom they finished the regular season six games behind. Most of these Cardinals won the World Series in 2011, a journey that saw them triumph in four elimination games.