Cleveland Browns Regular Season Home Openers: A Decade of Bad Starts

This upcoming home opener against the Minnesota Vikings is going to be an astounding eleventh straight home game for the Cleveland Browns to open their season.

You heard that right.

The Browns have opened each of their seasons, since coming back to the league, at home.

No other team in the NFL can even come close to that mark.

The schedule makers for the NFL must really like to see the Browns start off their season with a loss because it has been that way every year, with the exception of one, since 1999.

Generally, a team and it's fans would be thrilled to open at home. But the Browns fans may to open with an away game to help break the trend of losing game one.

To do the Browns a little justice, their only victory did come against a division rival: the Baltimore Ravens. In 2004, Cleveland topped Baltimore, 20-3.

In 2009, the Browns will open against the Vikings, Brett Favre, and the player who has been called "the most exciting player in the NFL," running back Adrian Peterson.

Here is a recap of home openers since 1999.

1999 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Lost 43-0

2000 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Lost 27-0

2001 vs. Seattle Seahawks Lost 9-6

2002 vs. Kansas City Chiefs Lost 40-39

2003 vs. Indianapolis Colts Lost 9-6

2004 vs. Baltimore Ravens Won 20-3

2005 vs. Cincinnati Bengals Lost 27-13

2006 vs. New Orleans Saints Lost 19-14

2007 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Lost 34-7

2008 vs. Dallas Cowboys Lost 28-10

2009 vs. Minnesota Vikings ??-??

With the ultimate question answered (the quarterback competition winner), but being kept secret from the public, Eric Mangini's trial as the Browns head coach begins in less than one week.

(Article originally posted on Dawg Scooper: An Unofficial Cleveland Browns News Source)