Contradicting rumors about Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan are circulating. It was reported this morning the Saints had moved on from Ryan following a 47-14 drubbing in Washington, but head coach Sean Payton is refuting those claims.

The question shouldn’t be if Ryan is fired, but when. The Saints have the worst defense in the NFL, and have surrendered 130 points in their last three games, and have allowed three consecutive quarterbacks to each throw at least four touchdown passes. They allow a league-worst 6.7 yards per play, surrendered the most total yards (4,259), and 28 passing touchdowns. Their defense is even more atrocious by Pro-FootballReference.com’s “expected points contributed by all defense metric. New Orleans is the worst in the NFL at -127.11, and the Browns are a distant second-to-last at -86.71.

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Unless Ryan finds a magic lamp and wishes his woes away, he’ll be fired sooner rather than later. Here are three other coordinators/coaches who could soon join him on the unemployment line.

Darrell Bevell, Seahawks, Offensive Coordinator

Seattle has been to two straight Super Bowls, but they largely have their defense to thank for that. Bevell is routinely interviewed for head coaching jobs but has yet to land one. His stock is probably dropping after this season. Seattle is just 4-5, they’re 20th in the NFL in points scored, and they have been utterly incapable of effectively using tight end Jimmy Graham.

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The Seahawks dealt a Pro Bowl center and a first round pick to get Graham, and to date he has just 41 catches for 491 yards and two touchdowns. If Bevell can’t figure out how to score with Graham, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch, he’s not doing his job.

John Pagano, Chargers, Defensive Coordinator

The Chargers have a lot going on regarding a move to Los Angeles that’s taking a toll on the field, but there’s no excuse for Pagano’s defense to be this bad. Their league-worst run defense isn’t such a shock because the personnel doesn’t stand out, but the secondary is star-studded, and should not rank 27th in the NFL.

They have a Pro Bowl safety (Eric Weddle) and two star corners (Brandon Flowers, Jason Verrett), and they can’t stop anyone. That’s because they don’t get any pressure, and that’s as much scheme as it is talent.

Geep Chryst, 49ers, Offensive Coordinator

If there’s an offensive equivalent to the atrocity that is the Saints defense, it’s the San Francisco offense. This team is such a dumpster fire they have turned to first-round washout Blaine Gabbert to salvage it. Colin Kaepernick, who was never a marksman but nonetheless was a starter in a Super Bowl, has regressed to a point that he resembles a true freshman in college.

They average 4.8 yards per play, the worst rate in the NFL, and have thrown only eight touchdown passes, which is one better than Minnesota and St. Louis, who have arguably the best running backs in football. The 49ers have gone through a lot, including retirements and a total overhaul of the coaching staff, but this offense is too abominable for Chryst to stay.

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