In our humble opinion, the best attributes a coach can have are flexibility and being able to take a chance on greatness.

You have to be able to recognize what works and what doesn’t work, and you have to be able to project what a young, untested player can give you as opposed to an older player, who isn’t getting any better.

By contrast, that would mean the worst traits coaches can have is stubbornness and a propensity to cling to veteran players.

After watching Cleveland Browns’ coach Mike Pettine in his season and a half with the franchise, the latter would seem to describe him, and that’s not a good sign.

Last week, when questioned by the local media about his defensive scheme, which came under fire after an article on Sports Illustrated’s web site, Pettine defended the unit saying that the plan works.

Except that it doesn’t, at least against the running game.

As defensive coordinator with Buffalo in 2013, the Bills ranked 27th in the NFL in stopping the run.  Last year, the Browns ranked last in this category.  This year through seven games?  Yes, that’s right, again last.

So, to recap, over the last two and a half seasons, the defense run by Pettine and his defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil have been trampled by the opposing team’s running game.

And it’s not like they have faced Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith, and Barry Sanders either.

Dexter McCluster gained 98 yards against the Browns, more than half his total for the season. Oakland’s Latavius Murray rushed for 139 yards, 54 more than in any other game thus far this year.

So, Coach Pettine.  The scheme doesn’t work.

What is more disturbing is the coach’s insistence that nothing is wrong, and it doesn’t appear changes will be made.

Yes, the first half against the Rams wasn’t bad.  Unfortunately, for the Browns’ defense, the NFL requires teams to play a second 30 minutes of football, and the old problems crept up again.

In terms of playing young guys, it seems Pettine only plays them if there are no other alternatives.

First round pick Danny Shelton is a starter, but what alternative was there at the start of camp?  Phil Taylor was hurt.  And now that Jamie Meder has shown that he has ability, Shelton’s snaps have decreased.

Cameron Irving can’t get on the field.  Joel Bitonio did start from game one in 2014, but again, it’s not like the Browns had a lot of alternatives.

And in terms of Justin Gilbert, how do we really know he can’t play?  Because he got torched in a scrimmage this past summer?

Look, we aren’t saying he’s Darrelle Revis, but he never gets on the field defensively.  Could you sign an affidavit saying he can’t do the job based on your eyes?

Remember, the Browns used special teams player Johnson Bademosi against San Diego instead of Gilbert.

Why would you play TE Rob Housler in limited time instead of rookie E.J. Bibbs, who played well in the pre-season?

And you also have the curious case of Barkevious Mingo, a superior athlete that the coaching staff seemingly cannot find a way to use.

The people who say we need to see what we have in Johnny Manziel should feel the same way about Gilbert, Mingo, Irving, and several others.

The only thing worse than being a bad team is to be a bad, old team.

Hopefully, Pettine will change, but he may have to be fired to do so.  Here’s hoping it doesn’t come to that.  But that’s what it took for another defensive minded head coach here in the early 90’s.  He went on to have a pretty good career.

JD