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Posted at 2:43 p.m., Monday, December 10, 2007

NFL: Rams' Linehan won't get fired for 3-10 record

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS — Coach Scott Linehan won't lose his job because of the St. Louis Rams' 3-10 record.

Linehan said he received a vote of confidence from team president John Shaw a few days before Sunday's 19-10 loss at Cincinnati, and today said he was looking forward to an end-of-season meeting in early January.

"It's important to know you've got support and those things," Linehan said. "But at this point it's really not my issue. My issue is trying to get our fourth win."

The Rams were 8-8 in Linehan's first season and were perceived as a contender in the NFC West this season. But they began the season with eight straight losses, mitigated by numerous injuries.

St. Louis has 11 players on injured reserve, seven of them starters. The two feature players on offense, quarterback Marc Bulger and running back Steven Jackson, both have missed significant time because of injuries.

Bulger has missed the past two games because of a concussion and his availability remains in doubt for next week's game against the Packers. The Rams promoted Brock Berlin off the practice squad and gave him his NFL debut on Sunday. Berlin was 17-for-28 for 153 yards and an interception against the Bengals.

Offensive coordinator Greg Olson said Bulger was feeling better on Monday, a day off for players.

Shaw continues to be based in Los Angeles, where the team had been located before moving to St. Louis in 1995, and doesn't attend every road game. But Linehan said the two speak every week, and on Monday they communicated by telephone.

"He's very supportive and he understands," Linehan said. "I also understand this isn't where we wanted to be.

"It's not the record we intended on having, but the focus is to improve at season's end and continue to get better in certain areas."

Linehan said Shaw has told him to be prepared for a comprehensive meeting after the season.

"He wants me thinking about some of the things we want to get done," Linehan said. "He definitely wants my mind in that direction.

"I'm sure we'll talk about pretty much everything."