After three straight losses to open the season, Sunday might be a must-win for Jay Gruden. Not to make the playoffs -- playoffs?! -- but to keep his job.
The Redskins coach was asked if he thinks he is coaching for his job on a weekly basis now, and while he didn't concur, he didn't exactly shoot down the stakes either.
"Uh, no I haven't felt like that, but who knows," he said, per ESPN's John Keim. "I'm just trying to concentrate on the Giants."
New York has to be a welcome sight after what Gruden and the Redskins have seen thus far. All three of their opponents -- Eagles, Cowboys, Bears -- were playoff teams last year, two were division winners, and their combined record in 2019 is 6-3. The Giants are 1-2, after eking out a win this past Sunday against the 1-2 Buccaneers.
More concerning for the Redskins is that they've been less competitive in each game. After leading Philly by two touchdowns at halftime in the season opener, Washington allowed 25 straight points. The Redskins needed a garbage-time TD against the Cowboys to earn a 10-point loss in their home opener. At home again on Monday night against the Bears, Washington fell behind 28-0 in the first half before making things mildly interesting in the fourth quarter.
After their date in the Garden State with Danny Dimes and the Giants, the Redskins host the Patriots. So, yeah, Washington needs to win this weekend. If these are Gruden's final days as the Redskins coach, he's decided he's going out with veteran Case Keenum over rookie Dwayne Haskins.
"I think the most important thing is we have to have some continuity," Gruden said moments after Keenum committed five turnovers against Chicago.
We'll soon find out if the Redskins brass feels the same way about Gruden.
