Week 14 Open Thread - Rams at Bengals, Linehan vote of confidence edition

Well, throw out the Linehan ax watch. It looks like Scotty could be back for another season according to team president John Shaw.

I'm withholding judgement at the moment because, frankly, I'm jsut not sure how I feel about this non-move move. The Rams have not been what you'd call a stellar team under Linehan, so he can't slide by, like La Russa or when the Blues held on to Mike Keenan for too long, based on the fact that he's a proven winner. Linehan, if he does indeed keep this job, owes a debt to luck because the injuries have provided more than enough cover from even his harshest critics.

But for the all the confused feelings about more bland play calling and second half meltdowns, the one thing that keeps going through my mind at this very moment, is what happens to Haslett. At various times this season, there have been fleeting moments where his presence on the sidelines has loomed so much larger than that of his ostensible boss. Naturally, professionals like Haslett and Linehan are able to keep rivalries and friction in check, buried somewhere deep down, but professionals, particularly in the coaching ranks, are by their very nature competitive something that makes rivalry almost impossible to avoid. Will Haslett stay? Not if he can get a head coaching job somewhere else, and I just wonder if a) that's a possibility and b) whether Linehan's return and Haslett's shot at the Rams HC job gone will send him looking for greener pastures even if he can't get a HC job.

Of course, there are still games to play, and PD columnist Brian Burwell raises a good point in wonder if Shaw would actually put Linehan on the spot with the season still slowly ticking by.

While the Linehan era looks like it will continue, the Brock Berlin era begins today.  Hopefuly his ribs are strong. Romberg's still out, and Gorin will start in Pettiti's place at RT, which isn't a bad thing...well relatively.

Don't forget to stop by Cincy Jungle for more on the game.