They’ll Try to Save Face--and Coach : Rams: Today’s game against Falcons could be last home game for Robinson.

The Rams are not even trying to hide their uncertainty and trepidation as they prepare to take the field at Anaheim Stadium against Atlanta today in what could be the last home game of John Robinson’s nine-year Ram coaching career.

They are 3-10. They have lost seven consecutive games. Firings happen, even if the Ram front office would prefer not to make a change.

And as a sidelight, the Rams also have a chance to get a close look at a Falcon team that has been the polar opposite of the Rams this season--lucky, confident and usually victorious.

So, while Atlanta Coach Jerry Glanville is in the rare position of not hearing his name in firing rumors, the Rams, before heading off for a season-closing two-game road string, are accepting the possibility that those swirling around Robinson might come true.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen,” veteran fullback Buford McGee said. “I’m looking at it like it might be my last home game here. The situation that’s occurred is that it might be a lot of people’s last game here.

“That’s what I’ve been thinking about the whole week: ‘Damn, it might be the last time I play here.’

“It’s tough, but it’s reality. And I’m sure deep down inside, Coach Robinson probably is thinking about the same thing.”

Ram players can hardly avoid it. After nine years of Robinson’s kindly rule, they’re wondering if his potential replacement will be a stern whipcracker or possibly someone who will just clean house.

“They’re not really saying much, but you can kind of see it on people’s faces,” McGee said. “It’s like that song, ‘It’s written on your face.’ It’s written on everybody’s face.”

Said cornerback Darryl Henley: “J.R., he’s our man. We don’t want to see him get replaced. It’s not his fault. He’s not out there lining up, getting beat. That’s us. That’s the players. I think it’s up to us.”

Meanwhile, here come the Falcons (8-5), who are in the thick of the battle for playoff spots. Just six weeks ago, both teams were 3-4 and playing each other for the right to sneak into playoff contention.

The Falcons scored the first 31 points, forced Ram quarterback Jim Everett into a horrendous nine-for-27 passing day with constant blitzing, bombed the Ram defense mercilessly--and won easily. The Falcons have gone on to take four of five games since then to pull within one game of free-falling division leader New Orleans.

Atlanta won one game on a Hail Mary pass, defeating the San Francisco 49ers; beat the Saints two weeks ago in overtime, and just last week rousted starting quarterback Chris Miller from his fever-induced absence to rally from a 21-7 halftime deficit and down the Green Bay Packers, 35-31.

The Rams, since that debacle in Atlanta, have just kept on losing. An eighth consecutive loss would match their worst streak since 1965. Both teams were 5-11 last season, but only one has been able to raise itself this season.

“It’s a funny thing, I’m not sure how good they’re playing,” Robinson said of the Falcons. “I don’t think they’re really making big plays. Their defense wasn’t too good last week. But they are really scrambling and playing and having all that stuff happening. It’s good.

“Just like it’s not happening for us. I think people are very willing to say, ‘That’s coaching.’ And when it does happen for them, you’ve got to say it’s coaching, too.

“(Glanville) deserves the credit.”

The Falcons, who have won three games in a row, need to sustain the streak to keep pace with the rest of the NFC contenders. Right now, the Falcons can assure themselves a postseason spot by winning the rest of their games. A loss today to the Rams would make them dependent on outside help.

“We’ve all gotten bunched up here lately,” Glanville said. “I guess the Saints losing three in a row has sort of opened the door for us to make a little run at it.

“We’ve been able to come up with the plays, the offense, the defense, the kicking. . . . We’ve had some real close ones at the end.

“Last year, I think we had a shot to win the game at the last possession about half a dozen times, and couldn’t get it done. This year, we’ve been fortunate to be able to make it work.”

Ram Notes

This is the Rams’ last chance to win a division game this season and end a nine-game NFC West losing streak that dates to Nov. 25, 1990, when they upset the San Francisco 49ers (then 10-0).

Falcon Coach Jerry Glanville, never known for his quiet diplomacy, took a swipe at Bobby Beathard, the San Diego Chargers’ general manager, for trading backup quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver to Atlanta during the summer, in exchange for a 1992 fifth-round draft pick. Tolliver, the Charger starter last season, has appeared in five games this year as Chris Miller’s backup and has a quarterback rating of 101.6. “That’s the best thing we’ve ever done,” Glanville said about the trade. “I’ve got to thank Bobby Beathard for allowing us to acquire a player like that at that price. I can’t believe it. Bobby Beathard’s probably done more to help this team than he has San Diego.”. . . Miller, who missed the first half last week with a high fever, is healthy for today’s game.

Anaheim Stadium will also be the host of Operation Santa Claus today. Representatives from the Orange County Fire Dept. will be at stadium entrances to collect new, unwrapped toys for underprivileged children.