After Jim Haslett took over as head coach on Sept. 28, the Rams responded with energetic wins over Washington and Dallas, but the instant success was a fluke that created false hope.

The euphoria soon faded. Hello, reality. The Rams have lost their last seven games under Haslett, getting outscored 216-73. There have been some brutal losses along the way, as gruesome as anything we saw under previous coach Scott Linehan.

Candidly, it will be difficult for Rams management to retain Haslett for 2009. This wreck of a franchise isn't Haslett's fault. He's not responsible for the destruction of an entity that was competing in Super Bowls less than a decade ago. The poor drafts and incomprehensible personnel decisions orchestrated by general manager Jay Zygmunt and coaches Mike Martz and Linehan set the Rams spiraling into a freefall, and the Rams face a massive rebuilding project.

Sunday, when I chatted with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner after his team's 34-10 win over the Rams, ol' No. 13 expressed his sadness over seeing his former team in such sorry shape. Warner offered the suggestion that it's important for the Rams to change the losing culture. Warner made the remark out of genuine concern; there was no malice in his comments.

There is some support for Haslett in the organization. At least for now, Haslett's backers include vice president of personnel Billy Devaney and ownership partner Lucia Rodriguez. It is believed that Rams president John Shaw is in favor of hiring a new coach. The final call belongs to Rams managing ownership partner Chip

Rosenbloom.

Rosenbloom likes Haslett personally, but Rosenbloom is also in the business of selling tickets, and Haslett would be a tough sell for next season. The Rams are understandably worried about taking a big hit on ticket sales for 2009, especially during these brutal economic conditions.

The worst thing Rosenbloom can do is maintain the status quo. The organization and the fans are desperate for change. I don't claim to speak for Rams fans, but I do hear from them, and I do interact with them on my forum at STLtoday.com.

The fan base has lost faith in the current leadership at Rams Park, with Devaney, the relative newcomer, being the lone exception. Rosenbloom is already dealing with the issue. Zygmunt is in his final weeks as the GM. Shaw is set to retire, but will likely serve as a personal adviser to Rosenbloom. And it's almost certain that Devaney will have expanded powers in the reorganization.

The Rams have won the fewest games (five) of any NFL team over the last two seasons. They've hit bottom, and I doubt that Haslett can survive the looming shakeup. Nothing is absolute, however. Given Rosenbloom's fondness of Haslett, it's conceivable that the coach could save his job by winning two of the final three games.

But in the grand scheme, would that really matter? Rosenbloom must strengthen trust and credibility by giving his customers a reason to believe he's determined to take the franchise in a new direction. That begins with new leadership. It's nearly impossible to make that case if management retains key figures who have been tainted by the chronic losing. And that includes Haslett.

Rosenbloom and Shaw will be in town over the next several days, to hold meetings. It's the first step in charting a course for 2009.

Dumping another head coach is the easy part.

The critical challenge is finding the right coach.

The Rams aren't the wealthiest franchise and won't get involved in a bidding war for Bill Cowher or Marty Schottenheimer. Besides, this isn't an appealing job. Why would a coveted coach want to come here?

Most likely, the Rams would look to a recycled head coach, take a chance on a hungry college coach, or pursue a respected NFL assistant.

I'm strongly inclined to believe they'd go for an assistant. In his last job, at Atlanta, Devaney was an integral part of the process that led to the Falcons' successful hiring of Mike Smith, the Jacksonville defensive coordinator. Devaney would have a head start in this process because he did the advance scouting for coaching candidates in Atlanta.

Names? Here are a few: NY Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Arizona assistant head coach Russ Grimm, Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, Tennesse offensive line coach Mike Munchak, Tampa Bay defensive backs coach Raheem Morris, and Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh. But more names will surface. And some of the coaches mentioned here (especially Spagnuolo) will have more attractive options.

Rosenbloom and Devaney are new to the scene at Rams Park. They didn't create this losing culture. But it's their duty to change it.