Advocate staff photo by ELIOT KAMENITZ– New Orleans Saints Defensive Coach Rob Ryan, left, and Head Coach Sean Payton on the side lines as they play Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014.
The Saints defense’s fall to a No. 27 ranking in the NFL from their fourth-place finish in 2013 is not going over all that well — that’s obvious to anyone who has watched New Orleans’ games this season.
Television cameras caught coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan having a heated verbal exchange during a Week 2 loss at Cleveland. Something similar occurred in Monday night’s loss at home to Baltimore, according to CBS.
On Sunday morning, two national media reporters said it’s worse than imagined and may result in Ryan’s dismissal from the Saints (4-7) this offseason.
One of them, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, cited anonymous team sources claiming that Ryan and Payton “hate” each other. La Canfora reminded readers that Payton is on his third defensive coordinator since 2011: Gregg Williams, Steve Spagnuolo and Ryan.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman then cited anonymous team sources saying it’s “very accurate” that a rift between Ryan and Payton is growing.
Ryan was a popular topic in the news this week. Players passionately came to his defense in numerous media interviews, saying it was their failure to execute that has resulted in the Saints’ tumble in the defensive rankings this year after surrendering the fourth-fewest yards and points in 2013, Ryan’s first season in New Orleans.
Meanwhile, Ryan says he has to call defensive plays better.
However, it’d surprise very few if Ryan got fired for fielding a porous defense to complement an offense that has gained the second-most yards and is tied for the seventh-most points in the NFL.
The Saints’ offense was also very productive in 2012, but the defense allowed the most yards in NFL history. Spagnuolo was fired early in the offseason, and Payton brought Ryan on.
The Saints kick off against the Steelers (7-4) at noon on Sunday. They’ll be trying to snap a four-game losing streak.