Haslett goes from coach to candidate

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jim Haslett acted as if it was business as usual on Monday, grading game tape when he wasn’t giving a farewell address to St. Louis Rams players and reviewing the season with media.

But things have changed. The coach during a 10-game losing streak to end another sorry season has been reduced to a candidate to coach in 2009, with chances that hinge on a wish list that will need to reflect a radical makeover for a franchise that’s missed the playoffs five straight years.

General manager Billy Devaney, who’ll head the coaching search, has talked several times with Haslett about the future but only in general terms.

“We need to talk with Jim about specifics, and just how radical the changes would be,” Devaney said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It’s not working around here, there’s no getting around that, and what we want to hear from Jim is what exactly he’s going to do.”

Haslett has often harped on a negative mind-set during the season that he’d quickly work to rehabilitate. He’d bring in a new offensive coordinator, wants a fullback to lead block for Steven Jackson, along with offensive line upgrades and a middle linebacker with size.

Haslett is 47-61 for his career, a record dragged down by the mess he inherited following a dismal stretch of 17 losses in 20 games under Scott Linehan and by his ’05 season in New Orleans, when the Saints went 3-13 after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Devaney gives Haslett points for wading into a quagmire and making the best of it.

“As a rule, it’s almost impossible to turn it around,” Devaney said. “When he came in it was pretty dreary around here, on the field and in this building.”

Haslett didn’t have time to get involved with an offense that averaged only 14.5 points, tied for 31st in the NFL.

“When he jumped on board, that train had already left,” Devaney said.

But Haslett doesn’t get a total pass. The Rams hit rock bottom during a five-game losing streak after Steven Jackson was sidelined with a thigh injury and were competitive after the 240-pound running back returned, but not quite competitive to win a game.

On the positive side, losses by four or fewer points in all but one of the last five games is far from the profile of the typical 2-14 sad sack. On the other hand, the Rams had the lead three times in the season finale before losing 31-27 at Atlanta, and fizzled at home in losses to the Seahawks and 49ers.

“There were still games during this ending stretch that we should have won, with or without Steven Jackson,” Devaney said.

Bottom line: Devaney’s not sure what grade he would give Haslett.

“You can say an ’F’ because we lost 10 games,” Devaney said. “But there were so many things out of his control, just a lot of mitigating factors and some that will probably never be known, that the guy had to deal with. He handled that like a pro.”

Devaney, elevated to GM last week as part of a front office overhaul, was finalizing his game plan for the coaching search on Monday, with a news conference set for Tuesday. He expects to have interviews under way by the end of the week and will lean toward candidates with NFL experience given the difficulty of grasping the nuances of the salary cap, and the likelihood a coach will have to be a team member and not all-powerful.

Devaney said owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez would not get involved until there are two or three finalists for the job.

The Haslett interview can dispense with formalities, given he joined the Rams as Linehan’s defensive coordinator in 2006.

“Billy and I have kind of been tied at the hip since we took over, so Billy knows exactly what this team needs,” Haslett said. “If I’m not the guy, then Billy also has a pretty good idea, whoever it is, how to fix this problem.”

The Rams know that players want Haslett back. Virtually the entire roster signed a petition before the finale, asking that he be retained.

“I stand by him,” safety Oshiomoghe Atogwe said. “Even though we didn’t get the wins underneath him, we definitely enjoy playing for him.”

“I’d love to see Haz back,” linebacker Will Witherspoon said. “He’s a guy you can relate to as a player, being an ex-player. You feel a level of comfort in that.”

Haslett, a player’s coach but not afraid to work his players hard, can take solace in the petition.

“It makes you feel good as a coach that at least they feel that way about you and they want you back,” Haslett said. “It makes you feel good about your work.”

Haslett knew taking over in midstream was far from ideal, inheriting a staff too, while battling the losing tradition. He has no regrets.

“I understood the circumstances when I did it, and I knew it was going to be a hard road,” Haslett said. “It’s not like I didn’t know what I was getting into.”

A healthy Jackson is a big key to the future. He ended with a fourth straight 1,000-yard season despite missing all that time, and the Rams are looking at an offseason program for their marquee player that’ll give him a better chance of staying on the field.

Jackson had a season-best 161 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns on Sunday.

“Obviously, you saw the way he ran yesterday,” Haslett said. “He’s the guy they need to build this team around, at least on the offensive side.”