Entering the season, Jay Gruden landed the best odds to be the first NFL coach fired this season. If his Redskins lose to the New York Giants Sunday and fall to 0-4, that odds may be cashed in.
According to Les Carpenter of the Washington Post, Gruden could be fired if Washington falls to the Giants.
“Two people with knowledge of the situation say Gruden could be fired if Washington doesn’t beat the New York Giants on Sunday”
Les Carpenter/ Washington Post
Gruden currently is 35-47-1 as the head coach of the Redskins. The Redskins have finished 7-9 in back-to-back seasons, and has never won more than nine games in a season. Washington has played in only one playoff game (2015) under Gruden.
The Redskins were facing a daunting task opening the season against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Chicago Bears. All three are considered Super Bowl contenders. Gruden entered this season with his third different starting quarterback in the last three seasons.
However, even with journeyman Case Keenum behind center, the Redskins were expected to be favored against the Giants in Week 4. That has since changed, as the Redskins are a three-point underdog against the 1-2 Giants.
The Giants switched quarterbacks last week after a 0-2 start, benching two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning for first-round pick Daniel Jones. Jones threw for 353 yards and two touchdowns while scoring two rushing touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter that led to the Giants 32-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jones was selected sixth overall in this year’s draft, nine spots before the Redskins selected Dwayne Haskins.
Haskins has not played this year, suiting up as the backup behind Keenum in each of the first three games. Following, the Redskins’ 31-15 loss to the Bears on national television that included five turnovers by Keenum, many fans and pundits thumped for Haskins to replace him.
The handling of the future franchise QB has increased the chorus singing for the Redskins to fire Gruden. He hasn’t won much in his five seasons and counting and the benching of Adrian Peterson in Week 1 upset fans and some of his players in the locker room. That chorus may be gleeful Sunday if the game does not play out in Washington’s favor.
