The season opener -- Yikes!

It's that time of the year for the Browns, the time when the emotional tone for an entire season is set, at least theoretically, that can make a huge difference between ultimate success and abject failure.

Game One. 

The first game out of the starting gate of a season has been nothing even close to resembling success for the Browns since the National Football League made up for its grievous mistake that cost Cleveland its franchise for three very long seasons more than two decades ago.

It has been nearly 24 years now since the Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed the Browns back to the league in 1999 with a 43-0 shellacking in Cleveland. No one knew it at the time, probably because they were so happy to get football back, but that loss has set a nightmarish emotional tone for the last 23 years.

Rather than delineate the specifics of opening games during that period of time, all you need to know is the Browns have overwhelmed the opening opponent just once, underwhelmed 21 others and whelmed one. The 21-21 tie with Pittsburgh in 2018 halted a 14-game opening-game losing streak and was thus celebrated as a victory at the time.

Since then, the Browns have strung three more season-opening losses in a row to now give them a 17-game winless streak entering Sunday's visit to Carolina for the dreaded (for Browns fans) season opener. For the record, this will be their seventh opener on the road, where they are 0-6.

That's right, the Browns are 1-15-1 at home entering game two. They have scored 333 points (14.48 points a game) and allowed 603 (26.22) against 14 different opponents. Carolina becomes No. 15.

Again for the record (or just in case you didn't commit it to memory), it was a 20-3 victory over Baltimore on Sept. 12, 2004. Butch Davis was the head coach, Jeff Garcia threw one scoring pass and ran for another score and Phil Dawson kicked two field goals. Ah for the good, old days.

By the way, the Browns finished 4-12 that season, one of 20 -- 20!! -- losing seasons in the inglorious history of what once was one of the bellwether franchises in the NFL. Oh, and Davis quit about two-thirds of the way through the season.

So anyone daring enough to think the Browns will knock off the Panthers and Baker Mayfield Sunday is either playing fast and loose with their prediction record this season, a homer or isn't paying attention to history.

The odds, of course, favor the Browns even though oddsmakers have made them point-and-a-half underdogs. Why? Because they're way overdue to win. Why not today against a franchise that has won just 10 games the last two seasons, losing the last seven last season, and is coached by Matt Rhule, a successful college coach now barely hanging on to his job?

Aren't the Browns the better team from a personnel standpoint? Yep. Not even close. And a coaching standpoint? Uh huh. And a motivational standpoint? Can't argue that, either. Returning to the postseason is the Browns' goal. 

So why are the Panthers favored? Two reasons: Home field and Mayfield. 

This is the game the ex-Cleveland quarterback no doubt pointed toward mere moments after the Browns agreed to trade him to the Panthers in early July. It will be his only opportunity for at least a few years to prove they made a mistake by giving up on him last season.

It doesn't take much to motivate Mayfield. He is a self-starter to begin with and playing a revenge game against his ex-teammates just adds fuel to his inner fire. 

Remember the home upset over Atlanta in his rookie year when he threw three touchdown passes and had a near-perfect quarterback rating in week 10? And what he said after that game? Lemme refresh your memory. "I just woke up (this morning) feeling real dangerous," he said.

It's the Cleveland defense's job Sunday to make certain dangerous is not the adjective Mayfield uses following the game. And it's that defense that also must neutralize Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey, who is just as dangerous catching the football as running it. He makes Mayfield more, uh, dangerous.

The Cleveland secondary, which lost starting cornerback Greedy Williams to injured reserve a couple of days ago, is still in good shape with Greg Newsome II filling in outside and either A.J Green or rookie Martin Emerson Jr. in the slot.

Look for the peerless Myles Garrett of the Browns to renew acquaintances with Mayfield on a regular basis along with Jadeveon Clowney, and the secondary to swipe two passes in what figures to be a low-scoring game with kicking quite possibly being the difference in the outcome.

I see the Panthers' defense squeezing the field on Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett, shutting down the Cleveland ground game and daring him to throw deep. And with the weak Browns receiving corps, that's an invitation to trouble.

Points will not come easily in the game for either team with strong red-zone defense by both teams, thrusting kickers Eddy Pineiro and Cleveland rookie Cade York front and center. This one very well could be decided by which team has the football last.

With Mayfield unable to achieve danger status, Brissett failing to get into the end zone and McCaffery scoring the game's only touchdown on a short run late in the first half, it'll be Pineiro vs. York in a field-goal battle.

York's leg will put up all the Cleveland points, but it will be Pineiro's 31-yard dagger as time runs out that prolongs the Browns' curious and maddening inability to win the opening game of the season. Make it:

Panthers 16, Browns 15