Robinson Era Ends With a Thud, 23-9 : Rams: Coach’s last game isn’t memorable. Blown chances against Seattle result in 10th loss in row.
He came to the franchise nine seasons ago during dark times, and John Robinson, six playoff berths and two dreadful seasons later, politely left the Rams Sunday night the way he found them:
Lost, losing and looking forward to a top-three draft choice and a new beginning.
The Rams (3-13) played out the final, futile chapter of Robinson’s career the only way they could, the only way that properly finishes the 10-game losing streak that cost Robinson his job and concludes their sorry 1991 season.
They fumbled away a snap and the lead. They gave up an easy touchdown pass. Their quarterback was intercepted two more times. They couldn’t score touchdowns.
They lost to the Seattle Seahawks, 23-9, before 51,100 at the Kingdome, and whatever percent of cable viewers that enjoy a good anticlimax. Seattle Coach Chuck Knox also probably coached the final game in a nine-year tenure, with the twist that he is a leading candidate to replace Robinson in Anaheim.
By losing, the Rams earned at least the third pick overall in next spring’s draft, and can get the No. 2 overall pick if the Chicago Bears defeat the San Francisco 49ers tonight.
If they do get the No. 2 selection, it will be their highest pick since they made Eric Dickerson second choice of 1983 and the cornerstone of a new era--the newly begun John Robinson era. That ended Sunday, about 8 p.m.
The next new one begins the day the Rams hire his replacement, and he begins deciding the best use for that pick.
In the end, all the Rams could do was say goodby to Robinson, who, for most of the game, had a smile on his face that embodied a man glad simply to be leaving.
“It’s the end of nine years, of times that I’ve really enjoyed,” Robinson said in his final postgame news conference. “When you’re in this business, you have ups and, clearly, we’ve had a lot of ups and you have downs and, it’s obvious, we’ve had some downs of late.
“And you know, you have to expect to have it, and you have to deal with that.”
Before the game, Robinson said he wanted to have fun, to enjoy the competition of their last game together. Afterward, his players said he did exactly that, or at least as much fun and dignity as can be salvaged in a finale to a 13-loss season. In the past 20 games, the Rams are 3-17.
“He was Coach Robinson,” right tackle Jackie Slater said. “He spoke of being proud of having been involved with us as a football team and football players individually. (It was) just a real testimony to the character of the guy and the type of leader he really was.”
Linebacker Kevin Greene just shook his head when he was asked to express his emotions.
“Sum up everything I’ve felt the last seven years in one statement? Can’t do it,” Greene said quietly. “That man’s personality, his loyalty, his comfort to me, it’s beyond explanation. I owe the man what I am.
“You have players on this team that absolutely love the man. Love him. And I’m right at the top of that list. Does that tell you enough?”
Robinson, whose Ram career regular-season record is 75-68, refused to rhapsodize about his time with the Rams, saying that his immediate future plans and private musings were exactly that, private.
“Those thoughts are mine,” Robinson said.
He would not repeat, either, what he told the players one last time. “That’s between the players and me,” he said. “It won’t go down in any history books.”
After a few more answers, Robinson turned and left the conference room, and ended his time as Ram coach. What’s left is a hazy future and players who do not quite know whether to reminisce or get busy preparing for what comes next.
Sunday, the Rams inched out to 6-0 and 9-7 leads on three long field goals by Tony Zendejas, but the usual combination of offensive mishaps and wearying defense led to the usual second-half fall and defeat.
Seattle scored 16 unanswered third-quarter points on a field goal and James Jones’ two short running touchdowns. The last touchdown was a result of the Rams’ sixth lost center-snap fumble of the season, which might be a record if such statistics were kept.
By the time the fourth quarter began, Robinson had started shaking hands with his players, and the Rams had their longest single-season losing streak in club history.
“In my five years here, he’s treated everyone with respect, like a man,” running back Buford McGee said. “Everyone. As a coach, ballplayers just love him. I’m not worried about his future, because he’s a great coach, he doesn’t have to worry. Just personally, I know I’ll miss him. That’s all.”
Ram Notes
Tony Zendejas set an NFL record by becoming the first kicker to go a full season without a missed field goal. Sunday night, Zendejas made field goals of 44, 46 and 50 yards, making him 17 for 17 for the season. Zendejas, who had attempted only two kicks from beyond 40 yards before Sunday, said he was glad he didn’t get the record cheaply. “Yeah, it wasn’t like I got three 20-yarders today,” Zendejas said. “It makes it a little bit better. The record’s very important because I know it’s a record that’ll never be broken. It’s a record that can be tied, but it’ll never be broken. It’s something I can always be proud of when my career is over. I can always look back on it.” Dating to last season, Zendejas has made 23 consecutive field goals, one short of Kevin Butler’s record of 24 without a miss from 1988-89. “I knew I had 23,” Zendejas said, “and I knew he has 24. I thought maybe in the second half I’d get an opportunity to try to break that record, but it didn’t work out that way. Just wait until next year and hopefully we’ll break it in the first game.”
How do the Rams have a shot to get the No. 2 draft pick when only last week it looked as if they could do no better than fourth? Because Green Bay, Tampa Bay and Cincinnati won on the final weekend, something difficult to foresee. Because of strength-of-schedule tiebreakers, if Chicago beats San Francisco tonight, the Rams draft second. If the 49ers win, the Rams draft third.
* INFANTE OUT: Lindy Infante, 24-40 as head coach in four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, was fired. C5
* HENNING OUT: NFL sources say that the San Diego Chargers will fire Coach Dan Henning today. C9