If Slide Continues, Expect Changes : Rams: Team executive Shaw says it’s too early to talk about Robinson’s future, but he offers no vote of confidence.

Although acknowledging that management is deeply disappointed with the Rams’ 3-7 record, Executive Vice President John Shaw said Monday that it was “far too premature” to start drawing conclusions about Coach John Robinson’s future with the club.

But Shaw also suggested that if the team does not show improvement over the final six weeks of the season, management would take some major actions. And he did not rule out the possibility of replacing Robinson, who has coached the Rams since 1983 and has, until now, enjoyed remarkable job security.

“We really haven’t addressed the issues as to what changes we’d make,” Shaw said. “All I can tell you is that if the team isn’t turned around, there are sure to be a lot of changes.

“But as far as speculating about the head coach, it’s far too premature because right now there have been no indications about making that change.”

When pressed on the matter--asked directly if Robinson is likely to be the Rams’ coach in 1991--Shaw wouldn’t go much further than saying that the whole organization will be “reviewed and examined” at the end of the season, as is normal team practice.

“I would really have no comment to that,” Shaw said in response to the 1991 question. “We’re going to look at all our options at the end of the season.”

But by not giving Robinson a vote of confidence, Shaw was asked, isn’t he opening the door to rampant speculation about Robinson’s status?

“I think you’re reading more into the speculation than actually exists,” Shaw said. “I don’t believe the organization will make any decision until after the season. It’s obviously an ownership decision. The situation will be examined at the end of the season.

“But if things don’t turn around, I would think that the organization would make every effort to make those decisions that would turn us back into a winning organization.”

For his part, Robinson said that he knows his job may depend on what happens in the final six weeks of the season.

After falling one game short of the Super Bowl last season and an off-season of high expectations, Robinson said talk about his job is natural.

But he said he prefers to concentrate on his team’s status, not his own. “My own particular job security or future isn’t as important to me now as being able to find a way to get this football team playing,” he said. “That’s important to me.

“I’m not trying to be cavalier about my job or any of that, but I’ve been coaching a long time, and I think I’ve coached well.

“And I’m suddenly in a position where my team is not doing well. And I want to try to change that.”

Robinson, who has had only one losing season, the strike-torn 1987 season, in his seven full seasons with the Rams, and who fielded a consistent winner in seven years at USC, said winning is a matter of individual and team pride.

“You’re willing to leave the job, or go on to the next job--we’re all going to have different jobs in our lives--that’s not the key issue,” Robinson said.

“The key issue is we’re a group of people who, going into this year, had the fifth-most wins in this league over the last seven years, had the second-most playoff appearances in this league, a club that had won 13 games last year, suddenly now we’ve gotten ourselves in a lot of trouble.

“I think we would like to get back to being able to believe in ourselves the way we havein the past. That’s what the issue is.”

Particularly in Sunday’s 24-21 defeat by the Dallas Cowboys, but also throughout this dismal season, Robinson said that he is troubled by his team’s inability to play with passion.

And he said he will begin putting younger players such as safety Pat Terrell and offensive lineman Bern Brostek into the game more, just to see what happens.

“There is a point there where you’re getting shoved off the end of the cliff and you better damn sure do something about it,” Robinson said. “You better go off fighting. And I’m not sure that I believe we’re doing that.

“We’re working and we’re trying and we’re improving on the practice field . . . but I just don’t see the kind of fight where we should be absolutely panicked in our fight for survival.

“It’s the key to any semblance of recovery for the rest of this year. . . . Right now that’s the area I find repulsive about us. We’re not able to let go of whatever rage or whatever fight there is in us at this point.”

Robinson has been trying all season to keep his team’s hope alive, to encourage the players and expect them to return to form.

Now, though, with a game against the San Francisco 49ers (10-0) looming Sunday, Robinson just seems frustrated.

“I’ve never had a season like this,” Robinson said. “Disappointing . . .

“I’m not used to losing. I’ve won the 15 years I’ve been coaching. And I’ve also had competitive teams. . . .

“I’ve felt, always when it came down to crucial moments in games or crucial plays, our guys gave it their best at that point.

“It’s a passivity, and just seemingly allowing this to happen and not being concerned and perplexed and not striking out at whatever, at the gods of football or something for the position that we’re in.”