4 Commanders on the hot seat entering Week 13 vs. Dolphins

Ron Rivera - Commanders HC

Ron Rivera has no more cards left to play.

The head coach fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and took charge of the defense after conceding 45 points at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Rivera's been an accomplished coordinator previously, so there's a chance things improve over their remaining five games.

That might not provide an immediate upturn this weekend. The Miami Dolphins are an electrifying offensive unit under former Washington assistant Mike McDaniel, so containing rather than dominating seems like a more realistic goal to aim for.

All signs point to Rivera being removed by Josh Harris' ownership group once the campaign concludes. Leaving a good impression could help his chances of earning employment elsewhere, even if that won't be his primary focus as part of his week-to-week mentality.

If Rivera can galvanize a talented yet underperforming group of defensive players at his disposal, it'll be a boost. Del Rio didn't exactly set the bar very high before his dismissal, but expecting them to completely thwart the Dolphins isn't smart.

Rivera cannot afford to oversee another blowout before the bye week. That's the worst-case scenario for a man who seems to be living on borrowed time as his fourth season at the helm reaches its final stages.