CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It’s happening right in front of our eyes, under clear skies and frigid 20-some-degree temperatures.

As players from both teams had white puffs of smoke coming from their mouths in-between the chattering of teeth -- the sun was out.

The sun was shining on the Browns, a 26-20 victor over the Carolina Panthers.

The Browns are now 3-2 since Gregg Williams took over as interim head coach. And the offense is cooking up a tasty stew with Freddie Kitchens calling the plays in the last five games.

Know what’s happening here?

The Browns are turning into a real football team in November and December, the months that had been so cruel to the Browns in the past.

Not now.

Not with this team.

Not with the Browns' defense stopping Carolina twice at the Cleveland 3 late in the fourth quarter, preserving a six-point lead.

Not with the offense consistently coming up with big plays when it meant the most.

Not with Baker Mayfield at quarterback, giving everyone who cares about the orange helmets reason to stand, cheer, stomp, clap and feel something strange in their football hearts.

It’s called hope.

That’s right: hope.

HERE COMES LANDRY

Right after the game ended, there was Jarvis Landry on the field, being interviewed. You could see him on the scoreboard. You could hear him screaming, “Here we go Browns, here we go...woof, woof.”

The weather was still cold enough to make a penguin shiver, but Landry had Browns fans wanting to dance.

Then the song “Danger Zone” boomed over the public address system.

Mayfield was, indeed, “feeling dangerous” again on this Sunday afternoon. He didn’t have to say it, he showed it.

And he was clicking with Landry.

Landry caught a 51-yard TD pass from Mayfield. He ran for a TD on a 3-yard sweep. That’s right, a sweep to a wide receiver -- a play that appeared to be initially designed for running back Nick Chubb.

Later in the game, the Browns ran that same sweep to Landry -- and he ran for 51 yards.

Yes, Landry had a 51-yard catch and a 51-yard run in the game. Landry attempted to throw a TD, but it was incomplete.

“He’ll probably want to kick it next,” said a smiling Williams.

KITCHENS, MAYFIELD ON DISPLAY

Freddie Kitchens keeps making his case for being the Browns offensive coordinator in 2019, regardless who is the head coach.

It began in the beginning, the first play from scrimmage. Kitchens allowed Mayfield to heave the ball down field.

Breshad Perriman was told to run fast, long and hard toward the goal line. Mayfield heaved the ball about 60 yards -- a perfect air-mail delivery right into the receiver’s hands.

Give the Browns 66 yards on their first play.

“We scripted that play then repped (practiced) it all week,” said Williams.

Soon a discussion broke out in my area of the press box about how the Browns are “a fun team to watch.”

When was the last time you could say that?

Mayfield is so comfortable in this offense, completing 18-of-22 passes for 238 yards. His ability to evade a rush and throw off the run are so impressive because he rarely seems rattled.

Williams mentioned how he could “hear the ball coming out of the hand” of Mayfield.

Williams made a “ssst” sound, indicating the tight spiral cutting through the wind.

“He was zipping it,” said the coach.

Mayfield completed passes to eight different receivers. He didn’t get upset when Rashard Higgins fumbled, or when Higgins dropped what could have been a possible TD pass.

Rookie offensive coordinator. Rookie quarterback. Rookie runner in Nick Chubb, who has scored a TD in each of the last five games, the first Cleveland running back to do so since Greg Pruitt in 1975.

Williams praised Kitchens for putting the ball in the hands of the playmakers.

Suddenly, the Browns are making plays.

They are winning games.

Fans are screaming and barking.

Football is back for real in Cleveland.