The Jacksonville Jaguars wasted no time setting the tone in their opener, rolling past the Cleveland Browns 34-10 at home to start the season with a statement win.
Trevor Lawrence was right at the center of it. The quarterback completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns, spreading the ball to four different receivers without an interception. He also found Brian Thomas Jr. three times for 40 yards, and nine different Jaguars caught a pass as Jacksonville controlled the game from the jump.
One of Lawrence’s favorite targets on the day was Parker Washington, who turned a contract situation into a big early-season moment. Washington, whose extension talks had stalled before the regular season, chose to bet on himself heading into his fourth year.
That move paid off quickly when he opened the scoring with a diving 30-yard touchdown grab from Lawrence in the first quarter. Washington finished with five catches for 83 yards and the score.
Lawrence’s touchdown passes also went to Jakobi Meyers, Josh Cameron and Brenton Strange, giving the Jaguars a balanced passing attack that looked comfortable even with Cleveland bringing pressure.
The Browns never found their footing, and Deshaun Watson spent most of the afternoon under siege. Jacksonville’s defense kept him rushed, hurried, sacked and hit throughout the game, and Cleveland managed just 1 of 8 on third down. The Jaguars also shut down the run, forcing the Browns into obvious passing situations and then finishing the job with five sacks.
It was the kind of complete showing Jacksonville wanted to kick off the second year of the Liam Coen era. The Jaguars have now won back-to-back season openers, after beating the Carolina Panthers to start last season.
Next up is a road trip to Denver, where Jacksonville will face the Broncos in a matchup between two teams that were among the league’s best last season.
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 🡒]