AP

Last year the Saints set a new NFL record by allowing 7,042 total yards over the course of the season, a pathetic defensive performance that resulted in New Orleans making wholesale changes on defense, including hiring coordinator Rob Ryan, who had just been fired by the Cowboys.

This year, Ryan has turned the Saints’ defense around. But his old team is threatening to break his new team’s dubious record.

After last night’s pathetic performance in a loss to the Bears, the Cowboys’ defense has allowed 3,880 passing yards and 1,669 rushing yards for a total of 5,549 yards on the season. That means if the Cowboys allow 1,494 yards over the final three games, they’ll break the record. That works out to 498 yards a game, and last night the Cowboys allowed 497 yards to the Bears.

New Cowboys defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is taking a lot of the blame in Dallas, as he should. There was a time when Kiffin was among the most respected defensive coordinators in football, but that was a long time ago. Kiffin was an utter failure as a defensive coordinator while working for his son, Lane Kiffin, at USC, and he’s been a failure this year in Dallas. It would be a shame for Kiffin to end a fine career by coordinating a defense that sets an all-time record for yards allowed, but he’s heading in that direction.