The Rams made Scott Linehan the first coach to be let go this year, firing Linehan this morning after a fourth straight loss to start the season.
Jim Haslett, defensive coordinator for the Rams will take over on an interim basis.
"I have enormous respect for Scott Linehan as a person and believe under the right circumstances he will be regarded one day as a fine head coach," owner Chip Rosenbloom said in a prepared statement released to the media. "Unfortunately, the situation with the Rams as they exist today is no longer acceptable and we have to make a change."
Linehan finished with an 11-25 record in his first stint as a head coach. The Rams have been outscored 147-43 this season, and have allowed at least 30 points in seven straight games dating back to last year.
The move was made heading into the Rams’ bye week and several hours after the Buffalo Bills outscored them 25-0 in the second half of a 31-14 victory Sunday.
St. Louis has lost 17 of its last 20 games overall.
The 0-4 start is the second straight for the Rams, who lost their first eight games last year en route to a 3-13 finish that landed them with the second pick in the draft.
A quick glance at the standing shows Seattle (1-2) only a half-game back of Arizona (2-2) and San Francisco (2-2) after both teams lost over the weekend.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell says the next moves for the Rams will be important in helping to rebuild that franchise.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Bill Coats talks to quarterback Trent Green after the game. Green said he feels bad for Linehan, and that the players should shoulder most of the blame for the team’s bad start.
ESPN’s John Clayton says Linehan lost his players’ respect.
Seattle Seahawks
Gregg Bell of the Associated Press writes that the bye week gave Seattle a chance to regroup.
Listen to Seattle defensive coordinator John Marshall talk about this week’s matchup with the N.Y. Giants in an interview with KJR’s Mitch Levy and Hugh Millen in this audio link.
We’ll have more on the Seahawks today from Renton.
San Francisco 49ers
Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle says talk of quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan’s ability as a playmaker may have been premature, after O’Sullivan was sacked six times, fumbled once and threw two interceptions in the end zone in the team’s 31-17 loss to New Orleans.
San Francisco coach Mike Nolan says his team got beat in every phase of the game.
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat offers some post-game thoughts from the 49ers’ lockerroom.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News writes that San Francisco took a step back in the loss.
Arizona Cardinals
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports that wide receiver Anquan Boldin is doing OK after being on the receiving end of a vicious hit by New York Jets defensive back Eric Smith.
Somers said that none of the Cardinals’ players thought the hit was dirty.
More from Somers: Kurt Warner will remain the starter after a poor performance against the Jets.
Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley says the Boldin injury reminds us how vicious football is.
East Valley Tribune columnist Scott Bordow writes that the Cardinals lost some credibility in the lopsided loss to the Jets.
Kurt Warner looked like his “old’ self yesterday. He should be extremely sackable(Hawks have knocked him out of the game before) when the Hawks pin their ears back !! And payback will be painful for O’Sullivan the next time !! Go Hawks!!
× Flag comment
That’s too bad for Linehan. I think this Washington native (Sunnyside High) will turn things around when he hooks up with a better team.
I recall that, in his first game against the Seahawks, the Hawks received a penalty in the final seconds of a game. Linehan was pumped because he thought the penalty was one of those that would wind down the clock 10 seconds and the Rams would win. When it turned out that it wasn’t so and Josh Brown kicked the game-winner, it was extremely deflating for him and his team.
I can’t help but think that moment defined him and his Rams for the next two years.
× Flag comment
The meltdown is nearly complete. Now Rush Limbaugh needs to buy the Lambs and we can all spend the rest of our lives with a memory happy enough to light the darkest hours.
× Flag comment
“…The Rams have been outscored 147-43 this season, and have allowed at least 30 points in seven straight games dating back to last year.”
Genius move…Fire the coach and promote the defensive coordinator.
Proof positive that the Rams have no future under their current ownership.
× Flag comment
webdome-
well said, lol
× Flag comment
Putting the team in the hands of the man responsible for the 32nd ranked defense in the league can only mean one thing, #1 draft pick! The Rams are sandbagging.
× Flag comment
I am sorry to hear this. I knew Scott when he quarterbacked his 7th grade football team in Sunnyside. He and his older brother Rick were exemplary young boys/men. I had watched his career with interest as a very distant bystander.
I felt that he was a better coach than his record reflected, but then again, he was coaching the Lambs.
× Flag comment