The Jacksonville Jaguars are walking into Week 1 of the 2026 regular season with the kind of backing that leaves little room for debate. They’re home against the Cleveland Browns, they’re the heavy betting favorites, and the experts are lining up behind them almost across the board.
At NFL.com, the call was unanimous. All five staff members picked the Jaguars, and Bobby Kownack laid out the case for Jacksonville this way:
"The Jaguars, conversely, are looking to build on a 13-win season. Trevor Lawrence found his stride under coach Liam Coen and now enters Year 2 in the system with a loaded pass-catching group.
Jacksonville’s defense also boasts playmakers at every level. Considering where the Jaguars see their 2026 season going, they shouldn’t run into much trouble hosting the Browns."
ESPN matched that energy with a perfect sweep of its own. All eight of its expert analysts are taking Jacksonville, pushing the count to 13 picks for the Jaguars and zero for the Browns.
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco sees a more lopsided result on the scoreboard, with Jacksonville rolling 30-13. He wrote:
"The Browns come to Jacksonville with Deshaun Watson as the starting quarterback. That will be an issue against an improved Jacksonville defense.
The Cleveland defense should be solid this year, but Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars ' passing game should have a big day here. Jaguars big as they get off to a good offensive start."
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio also has the Jaguars winning by two touchdowns, 28-14. His take:
"Deshaun Watson gets a two-game audition in Florida, with the goal of doing enough to get the folks in Cleveland to accept him for Week 3 and Week 4. The Jaguars feel disrespected and overlooked; Sunday gives them a chance to put the world on notice that they’ll be a force in 2026."
In Other News...
Brian Thomas Jr. Just Put Jacksonvilles Biggest Passing Game Concern Back In Focus
Brian Thomas Jr. briefly sent a ripple through the Jaguars opener when he went down with a shoulder injury in the first quarter against the Browns and was first listed as questionable to return. He made his way back to the sideline and then re-entered the game in the second quarter, which offered an immediate sense of relief for a team counting on him to be a major part of the passing attack this season.
The episode still brought back the questions that followed him through training camp, where the shoulder issue had already been part of the background. For Jacksonville, that is the kind of scare that matters beyond one series or one game, because Thomas is expected to be one of the key pieces in a passing game that cannot afford many more reminders of how fragile its early-season outlook can be. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Defense Flipped Deshaun Watsons Return In Just One Drive
Deshaun Watsons return to a regular-season game came with plenty of buildup, but Jacksonville wasted no time turning the opener into a test. On Clevelands first drive, Watson threw an interception on his first regular-season snap in nearly two years, and Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun brought it back to set up a touchdown for Jacksonville.
Watson had won the Browns Week 1 job after a full-camp competition, and the game marked his first regular-season start since October 2024. For the Jaguars, it was the kind of fast start that can reshape an opener in an instant, especially when the defense is the one delivering the early jolt. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Week 1 Opener Could Bring A Problem Fans Dread
Week 1 brings the usual opening-day buzz, but for fans heading to Jacksonvilles opener against Cleveland on Sunday, Sept. 13, the forecast adds a familiar late-summer wrinkle. Weather across the NFL slate could be unsettled, and the game is among the ones drawing attention as conditions are expected to be the kind that can turn a clean September afternoon into a messy one in a hurry.
For the Jaguars, the concern is less about the calendar and more about the experience, since rain delays and slippery conditions can quickly change how a season opener feels in the stands and on the field. Fans planning to be there should keep an eye on local weather updates and follow safety guidance if storms move in, because this is the sort of situation that can linger right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]