NOTES : Fourth Loss Keeps Coslet in Storm Center

ANAHEIM —  New York Jets Coach Bruce Coslet, who may or may not know by now that nobody wins a skirmish with the New York media, is 0-4 after Sunday’s 18-10 loss to the Rams and acting even angrier by the loss.

His postgame news conference Sunday lasted at the most two minutes, providing little insight into how a team many predicted would go deep into the playoffs has fallen so far, so fast, making so many mistakes.

Coslet remains at the center of this storm, however unhappily he deals with a media that now has four games’ worth of ammunition to fire.

“I don’t know what the reason is, but we can’t make mistakes like that and expect to win,” Coslet said, referring to his team’s 12 penalties, two interceptions and two lost fumbles against the Rams.

Then he said something he might, once again, regret: “We’ll regroup, I guess. I don’t know.”

What that statement may look like on the back page of the New York tabloids is anybody’s guess.

Last week, Coslet brushed off a reporter’s question about how important the Jets’ game against the San Francisco 49ers was, then added: “We’re going to win the damn game, though.”

When his statement was, as might be expected, played big in the New York press as a “guarantee” that the Jets would win, Coslet snapped at the media for misrepresenting his words.

His prediction, by the way, did not come true.

The Jets and Coslet, however, do get what could be considered a break next Sunday when they play host to the 0-3 New England Patriots.

Jet quarterback Browning Nagle had a shaky second half, throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble after being sacked, but at least one teammate’s confidence in him didn’t waiver.

“He’s a great quarterback who’s going to win a lot of games for us,” offensive guard Dave Cadigan said. “This won’t be a setback. It’s a big learning experience for him. He grows with each game, whether we win or lose.”

Cadigan said Nagle, who has three professional starts, remained focused throughout the game and never got discouraged in the huddle, despite all the negative things happening around him.

“He’s a good ol’ boy who goes through a couple of cans of chewing tobacco a day,” Cadigan said. “He’s 6-3, 225 pounds and can take a hit. He really hangs in there. I like him. He doesn’t whine like some of the quarterbacks I’ve played with over the years. He’s a real tough guy.”

Isn’t he special? Cornerback Sammy Lilly, acquired off waivers last week, is back with the Rams and he’s up to his old tricks.

Lilly, an Anaheim Stadium crowd favorite last year because of his arm-waving cheerleading and aggressive special-teams play, made an acrobatic play to pin the Jets back on their six-yard line late in the first quarter. He sprinted down under a Don Bracken punt, chased the ball as it bounced parallel to the goal line and then swatted it out of bounds.

He was back at it again in the fourth quarter, setting up with his back to the goal line and then fielding another Bracken punt on one bounce to down the ball on the Jet one-yard line.

Lazy day: The action on the field was hardly sizzling Sunday, but maybe the Rams and Jets had a pretty good excuse. Temperature on the field at halftime was 105 degrees . . . in the shade.

During timeouts, the Jets were sitting on their helmets on the field.

Asked if the oppressive heat worked in the Rams’ favor, Coach Chuck Knox said, “I think it’s a little advantage . . . if you play good football.”

Is the glass half full? Defensive end Gerald Robinson says he is not surprised that the Rams are 2-2 and he thinks those who have predicted a grim season for the boys in blue and gold will be proven wrong.

“I’m really proud of this defense,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys and we’re making some mistakes, but we bend but we don’t break. We always seem to get back together.

“I’m looking forward to the future. In due time, both the offense and defense are going to start clicking together, and this team is going to win a lot more games than people think we will.”

Times staff writers John Weyler and Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this story.