Decision time is approaching for Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who must decide if he will retain or release general manager Ray Farmer and coach Mike Pettine after a disastrous season that appears headed to a 3-13 finish.

We'll take a look today and Wednesday at the case for and against the coach and GM, starting with Pettine.

Four reasons to keep Mike Pettine as Browns coach:

1. Continuity. Other teams have persevered through lousy seasons. Bill Cowher twice went 6-10. Marvin Lewis was 4-11-1 and 4-12. The Steelers and Bengals, respectively, didn't blink because ownership and management in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati believed those coaches were the right guys. Coaches and teams will have bad years. Panicking doesn't always solve the situation.

2. He's played the hand he was dealt. Pettine was not responsible for the draft picks that failed or the free agents that didn't work out. The Browns' unusual management approach creates a leadership vacuum in which no one person is in charge of everything, so individuals do their thing. Pettine had to play the players he was given by Farmer.

3. Pettine stood for the right principles. He didn't play someone because of name, draft position or money. He played the guys he believed were the best for that game. He also took the stance to demote Johnny Manziel for two games after Manziel's off-field escapades reached the no-more limit. In the long run, someone with those principles usually wins.

4. The Browns are still playing hard. Some 3-12 teams mail it in. Browns fans know that from experience. This season's team played as hard in Week 16 as it did in Week 1. That's a reflection on the coach.

Four reasons to fire Pettine:

1. The record. Nothing confusing here. When a team and a coach lose 17-of-20, no matter the circumstances, it doesn't reflect well.

2. The defense has been abysmal. When a defensive head coach has a defense that struggles, it's just not a good look. Pettine has steadfastly stood by his system, but neither the players nor the system has come through. If the coach can't succeed at his forte, that's a problem.

3. The Browns are trending in the wrong direction. The Browns have been miserable since they started 7-4 a season ago. But two losses, Brian Hoyer's struggles and pressure from above and within, led Pettine to pull Hoyer and play Manziel before he was ready. There was much celebration when the Browns were in first place after a win in Cincinnati last season, but questions started after Hoyer won a game in Atlanta. Since that win, the Browns and Pettine have gone 3-17.

4. Continuity when going the wrong direction only leads to more problems. The worst thing about making a mistake is not admitting to it. Continuing with the mistake only compounds the error.

Wednesday: The case for and against GM Ray Farmer.