Could this be a good omen that times are finally changing for the Cleveland Browns?
Under second-year franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield, the first overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Browns scored a touchdown on their season kickoff's opening drive for the first time in over 20 years!
Per NFL Research on Twitter, the Browns' opening-drive touchdown was a first happenstance since 1995—when their head coach was Bill Belichick and their opponent the New England Patriots.
The @Browns scored a TD on their opening drive of the season for the first time since 1995. The head coach in 1995? Bill Belichick. Their opponent? The @Patriots.
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) September 8, 2019
Of course, Belichick is now the much-heralded head coach of the Patriots, winning six Super Bowls with New England and star quarterback Tom Brady, including last year's Big Game. Despite Cleveland's record-snapping opening-drive touchdown, the 1995 season did not end as well as the Dawg Pound hopes 2019 will. The '95 Browns finished 5-11 on the season.
One year after finishing 7-8-1, the Browns have an overhauled and revamped team. With 24-year-old Mayfield under center, the wide out committee includes elite wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, traded to the Browns from the Miami Dolphins last season. Beckham Jr. arrives from the New York Giants, who were frustrated with the three-time Pro-Bowl receiver's antics.
Landry and Beckham played together previously in college for the LSU Tigers.
While Nick Chubb remains the No. 1 option running back in first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens' offense, 24-year-old former undrafted free agent back Dontrell Hillard actually had the honor of breaking that 24-year scoreless opening drive streak for the Browns.
Hillard punched in a four-year rush into the endzone for the score.
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