Report: Jay Gruden Could Be Fired If Redskins Lose to Giants in Week 4

The Washington Redskins are off to an 0-3 start after a 31-15 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday, and Les Carpenter of the Washington Post (h/t Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk) reported Friday head coach Jay Gruden may be fired if his team doesn't get its first win over the New York Giants on Sunday. 

"Two people with knowledge of the situation say Gruden could be fired if Washington doesn’t beat the New York Giants on Sunday," Carpenter wrote. "Earlier this week, the betting site Bovada.com updated its odds on the NFL coach likeliest to be fired first this year, making Gruden its top choice."

The Skins have been outscored by 31 points in their first three games, and they rank No. 30 in scoring defense. However, they've endured a tough schedule, with matchups against the 3-0 Dallas Cowboys, 2-1 Chicago Bears and 2-2 Philadelphia Eagles.

Gruden has a 35-47-1 record since the 2014 season when he took his first NFL head coaching gig. After a 4-12 opening campaign, the Skins improved to an NFC East-winning 9-7 in his second year. Washington made the playoffs but lost in the wild-card round to the Green Bay Packers at home.

Washington could not build off that momentum, however, as the Skins fell to 8-7-1 and missed the playoffs entirely in 2016. A couple 7-9 seasons buffered that season and the current campaign.

In fairness to Gruden, he stepped into a difficult situation for a franchise that has not won a playoff game since Super Bowl XXVI in January 1992. The Skins have also endured more than their fair share of injuries over the past few years, with quarterback Alex Smith and running back Derrius Guice among them.

Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan presented his case for Gruden:

On the flip side, the bottom is perilously close to falling out for a team facing an upcoming three-game gauntlet against the 3-0 San Francisco 49ers, 2-1 Minnesota Vikings and 3-0 Buffalo Bills from Oct. 20 to Nov. 3.

If the Skins can't muster a win against the 1-2 Giants, who have the No. 30 scoring defense in the league, then any slight glimmer of hope that may exist now will likely evaporate. In that case, a full overhaul may be Washington's best bet to reset for the future.

The Giants host Washington on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.