Deshaun Watson is heading into the 2026 season with a familiar opponent waiting in Week 1, and the Browns quarterback has owned the matchup.
Watson is scheduled to start for Cleveland against the Jaguars in the first game of the 2026 season in Jacksonville, and the numbers against that franchise have been lopsided. In seven starts against Jacksonville since 2017, split between Houston and Cleveland, Watson is 7-0.
His lone loss to the Jaguars came in his first NFL appearance, when he was not the starter. Trailing 19-0, Watson entered the game five months after being drafted to replace Tom Savage. He did not play in the Dec. 17, 2017 rematch, a 45-7 Jaguars win.
Since then, Watson has handled Jacksonville with regular success across multiple seasons and uniforms. His first start against the Jaguars came on Oct. 21, 2018, when he completed 12 of 24 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, while adding 13 rushing yards in a 20-7 Texans win.
He followed that with another Texans victory on Dec. 30, 2018, throwing for 234 yards and running for 66 more in a 20-3 win. In 2019, Watson beat Jacksonville twice more, first in a 13-12 game on Sept. 15, when he went 25-for-35 for 234 yards, rushed for 66 yards and scored a touchdown, then again on Nov. 3 in a 26-3 win, finishing 16-for-29 for 159 yards, five rushing yards and a touchdown.
The success kept rolling in 2020. Watson went 22-for-28 for 201 yards and two touchdowns with 13 rushing yards in a 30-14 Texans win on Oct. 11, then threw for 359 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 25 rushing yards in a 27-25 victory on Nov. 8.
His most recent appearance against Jacksonville came with Cleveland on Sept. 15, 2024, when the Browns beat the Jaguars 18-13. Watson completed 19 of 32 passes for 28a yards, threw two touchdowns and rushed for 50 yards.
For Watson, the Jaguars have been one of the steadiest matchups of his career. Now he’ll get them again to open 2026.
In Other News...
Jaguars Opened With A Statement But One Issue Still Stands Out
The Jaguars opened their season the way teams hope to, mixing a balanced offense with a defense that never let Cleveland find a rhythm in a 34-10 win at EverBank Stadium. Jacksonville moved the ball well through the air and on the ground, while the defense forced multiple turnovers and kept steady pressure on the Browns quarterback, giving the home crowd plenty to feel good about early.
Still, not every phase was as clean as the final score suggested. Special teams had some kickoff coverage problems, even as the kicker stayed perfect on field goals, leaving one area that stood out on a day when the Jaguars otherwise checked most of the boxes in convincing fashion. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Lawrence Gave Jaguars Fans Exactly The Start They Needed
Trevor Lawrence did not waste much time giving Jacksonville the kind of opening act it had been waiting for. He threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-10 season-opening win over the Browns, and the Jaguars were in rhythm from the start, scoring on six of their first seven possessions while Cleveland spent much of the afternoon fighting turnovers and penalties.
Cole Van Lanens return was one of the more encouraging subplots for Jacksonville, as the right tackle got back on the field eight months after knee surgery. The game also came with some injury concern on both sides, with Browns running back Dylan Sampson and Jaguars defensive end B.J. Green both leaving the opener, a reminder that even a clean-looking win can carry a few lingering questions into the next week. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Thomas Jr. Shoulder Scare Just Put Jaguars Fans On Edge
Brian Thomas Jr. gave Jaguars fans a brief scare in Week 1 when he left the game against the Browns with a shoulder injury, only to return later in the second quarter and finish out the afternoon. It was the kind of early-season moment that can turn tense fast, especially for a player expected to be part of Jacksonvilles passing-game foundation.
Thomas ultimately avoided a major injury and came away with three catches for 40 yards, but the shoulder will be something the Jaguars keep an eye on heading into Week 2. For a team trying to build momentum right away, any uncertainty around one of its most important young targets is worth monitoring closely. [Read more 🡒]