An Up and Down Day for some ex-Redskins

Day one of the divisional round of the playoffs are in the books!

The San Francisco 49ers smoked the Minnesota Vikings and the Tennessee Titans ruined everyone's groveling party for Lamar Jackson and hammered the Baltimore Ravens.

Because the Redskins didn't make the playoffs, haven't made the postseason since 2015 and never win a game the rare times that they get there, we're left observing and cheering for former Redskins players, coaches and personnel to have success in January and February.

Last year, it was Sean McVay and Joe Barry in the Super Bowl.

This year, Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings won a game NOBODY said they would win.

The Buffalo Bills were loaded with four former Redskins in the retiring Lorenzo Alexander, Trent Murphy, Andre Roberts and Ty Nsekhe.

You get the point.

Some (many?) Redskins fans get mad at me anytime that I say anything about Cousins or Kyle Shanahan. It makes their skin crawl. Sorry, but I don't care. I'm amused by it and I will keep supporting people that made the Redskins better and that also treated me with common decency and respect.

Man that was one hell of a triple split screen of discarded #Redskins on @NBC a minute ago.
— Chris Russell AKA the 🐓🐓! (@Russellmania621) January 11, 2020

Mike and Kyle Shanahan did that. Their entire coaching staff did as well. Kirk Cousins is a good man, no matter how Bruce Allen tried to shake him down and sadly what Redskins fans have turned into when it comes to Cousins' time here in Washington.

Quite simply, he's the best quarterback the Redskins have had in 25 years. Period. Maybe longer.

On Saturday, in Santa Clara - Cousins and the Vikings were pummeled by a very good, rested and sharp 49ers defense.

27-`10 was the final. Kyle Shanahan and his team are heading forward. Cousins and his Vikings squad are packing their bags.

That does not mean Cousins is a loser and anyone that calls him that should look in the mirror.

Cousins did not play well. He was (21/29), 172 passing yards, a touchdown and a pick. 84.3 was his rating.

By beating New Orleans on the road last week, a team many picked to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, including myself, Cousins completely got the monkey off his back. Every quarterback and team is going to lose games in January. That narrative was officially retired.

Shanahan and his 49ers staff, which is comprised of former Redskins coaches Bobby Turner, Mike McDaniel, Richard Hightower, Jon Embree, Shane Day and Bobby Slowik have completely turned around the 49ers and filled up a stadium that was half empty despite being brand new.

Mike Shanahan even contributes to his son's team, even though he's not officially on the coaching staff.

Congratulations to them as they will take on the win of the Packers/Seahawks game Sunday night.

Speaking of that, why wouldn't you be rooting for Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur and former Redskins edge rusher, Preston Smith? I sure am. Former Redskins linebackers coach, Kirk Olivadotti is with the green-and-gold too. Also, a good personnel man and scout, Darryl Franklin, who used to be with the Redskins, is with LaFleur in Green Bay.

In the Kansas City-Houston game on Sunday at Arrowhead, Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller are part of a revamped Chiefs defense and there's also Andy Reid, who has made the Redskins his b***h a few times with the Donovan McNabb and Alex Smith trades.

Then there's the Titans who smashed everyone's darling, Lamar Jackson, in Baltimore on Saturday night. Former Redskins Will Compton and Brian Orakpo went to Nashville at different times and are no longer on that roster, but they had a helping hand in building things.

Also, Titans Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith is Redskins minority owner, Fred Smith's son. He was also on the Redskins staff in 2007 and 2008.

I also am happy for two behind the scenes former Redskins employees that I worked with . Jennifer Hinkle went to Nashville this past summer after dealing with the Redskins for a long time. Susanna Nickell left a while ago to go back home and join Tennessee.

Congrats to both of them and to all of the former Redskins who represented themselves well this weekend and even the ones that have lost. Onward they go!

Chris Russell is the Publisher of Maven & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.

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