The Commanders have fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, coach Ron Rivera announced Friday, as the Washington defense has plummeted to the bottom of the NFL rankings after entering the season with high expectations.

The Commanders (4-8) have lost three in a row -- including their 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday -- and eight of the past 10. They had hoped the defense would be a consistent force, given how many new options they had on offense. But instead the defense became an albatross.

As the losses mounted, so did pressure for the organization to make a move.