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Rob Ryan: Saints defense 'killing the team right now'

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

The New Orleans Saints finished last season with a top-five defense. 

Two games into the 2014 campaign, the team sits dead last in pass defense and 30th in total defense.

Appearing on WWL radio Monday night, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan pointed to assignment errors and the defense's inability to finish as the reasons behind the Saints' 0-2 start.

"Every two-minute situation we've had this year, we've blown," Ryan said, per ESPN.com. "We want to be a great defense, and great defenses always finish. And that's something you just have to point the finger at us, and we have to get corrected." 

Ryan also said the defense needs to do a better job of communicating.

"These communication errors can't keep happening. Or we're just killing the team right now," he said. "We know we're solely responsible for the two losses that we have. Our offense has been doing great, our special teams have been doing great. 

"Hey, we have some good effort in places, and we've got some guys playing well. But as a unit that we take pride in, we've definitely failed us two weeks in a row."

The Saints will have an opportunity to right those wrongs Sunday when they host the Minnesota Vikings.

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