Three Keys: How Jaguars Can Beat Browns in NFL Opener

The unknowns of Week 1 loom over the Jacksonville Jaguars as they gear up for a highly-anticipated 2026 season, opening with the Cleveland Browns. 

Jacksonville will face a team with a first-year coach and a quarterback who hasn’t started a game since Oct. 20 … 2024. While the Browns underwent immense turnover this offseason, the Jaguars won’t take their opponent lightly. Cleveland secured back-to-back wins to cap the 2025 regular season and its roster unknowns make it difficult to predict.

Here are three keys for the Jaguars entering their Week 1 game.

Force the Quarterback Into Difficult Situations

Pressuring Deshaun Watson will play a massive role in Jacksonville’s scheme. Edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker should feast on Cleveland’s inexperienced offensive line. The Browns’ front five was completely revamped as its top starters from a year ago either retired or walked in free agency. Now, Cleveland is stuck with a room with little-to-no experience, depleted by injuries.

As it stands, they’ll flex rookie Spencer Fano at right tackle and first-year Brown Zion Johnson at right guard. Elgton Jenkins is in line to start at center, but in his first six years with the Green Bay Packers, had never been slotted at the position. Watson’s blind side will be protected by Teven Jenkins and Tytus Howard at right guard and right tackle. Jenkins didn’t practice Thursday, though. It would be former Florida star Austin Barber in line to start if the Oklahoma State product can’t suit up.

Regardless of the proficiency or lack thereof of Cleveland’s O-line, the Jaguars have to pressure Watson. Jacksonville sacked opposing quarterbacks only 32 times in 2025, the sixth-worst total in the league. Hines-Allen led with eight sacks, while Walker logged just 3.5. The 2022 first-overall draft selection saw a massive dip in production in his fourth year in the league after posting a career-high 10.5 sacks in 2024. 

The Jaguars, while struggling to apply pressure to the pocket, excelled at forcing turnovers. They were No. 2 in the NFL with 31 takeaways last season, led by five interceptions from both safety Antonio Johnson. 

Facing a quarterback who has started just 19 contests since 2022 should be enticing for the flashy defense Jacksonville boasts. If defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile’s group can fly around the field as they did last season, Watson will be in for a long afternoon. 

Spread the Wealth

Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence is fresh off a career year when he was a prime MVP candidate. The former No. 1 overall pick threw for 4,007 yards and tossed 29 touchdowns on a 60.9 completion rate. Lawrence’s nine rushing touchdowns were the most in his six years. But despite his standout 2025 performance, Jacksonville is much more than a one-man show.

This season will be the first with the core of Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Travis Hunter all at Lawrence’s disposal. Despite Hunter slotted as WR4 on the depth chart, he is expected to log snaps at wide receiver nearly 11 months removed from his season-ending knee injury.

Washington posted a career-best 847 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 58 receptions last fall. He proved to be a sure-handed, explosive play-maker Lawrence could go to while his running mates production took a massive hit.

Thomas’ sophomore slump was all too real. He went from being a 1,282-yard, 10-touchdown machine to nabbing just 707 yards and two scores in 2025. If the Jaguars want to defeat Cleveland — and make a playoff push — Thomas will have to return to his 2024 self. Meyers joined Jacksonville eight games into the season, plummeting Thomas’ targets. While the Jaguars still managed to own the league’s 12th-best passing offense, 2026 will go much smoother if Lawrence can feed all of his targets.

Run. The. Ball. (With Multiple Backs)

The Jaguars’ backfield is its greatest unknown heading into 2026.

Leading rusher Travis Etienne Jr. walked during free agency, opening up a gaping hole in the room. A committee of Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr., LeQuint Allen Jr. and Ameer Abdullah remains. While no one knows who the solidified starter will be, the Jaguars should use the room’s versatility to their advantage. 

Tuten has seen the least game action among the crew but poses as the best prospect. He sat behind Etienne his rookie season and amassed 321 total yards and seven touchdowns. Outside of his rushing threat, Tuten has proved to be the No. 1 kick returner as he logged 539 yards on 19 attempts.

Rodriguez had 112 carries in his third season with the Washington Commanders last fall and found the end zone six times while rushing for 500 yards. His first season in Jacksonville is a highly-anticipated one as the room leaves much to be interpreted as the season rolls on. The depth chart has Tuten and Rodriguez each listed as RB1, leaving both with ample space to take the lead in Week 1. 

Allen is dealing with a soft-tissue hip injury that kept him out of the final weeks of training camp and practice leading up to the regular season. Coach Liam Coen said Allen will be a game-time decision against the Browns, so fans may have to wait for Week 2 to watch the Syracuse product hit the field.

Category: Football, Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL