JACKSONVILLE — Quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers as the Jacksonville Jaguars dismantled the Cleveland Browns 34-10 in their Week 1 opener at EverBank Stadium.
The defending AFC South champions scored on six of their first seven possessions and forced a turnover on the game’s opening drive, setting the tone for what NFL Media and Jaguars Media Analyst Bucky Brooks called “a 60-minute beatdown of the overmatched Browns.” Lawrence connected with nine different receivers, distributing the ball to Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Brenton Strange, all of whom delivered big plays in Head Coach Liam Coen’s balanced attack.
Brooks, in his weekly analysis, said Lawrence “was as good as advertised as a 2025 MVP finalist,” noting the sixth-year pro showcased “exceptional accuracy, velocity and anticipation as a passer” and looked ready to challenge Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford and Lamar Jackson for a spot among the NFL’s top quarterbacks.
Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson finished with 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards with a touchdown and an interception, adding six rushes for 38 yards. But Brooks noted the former Pro Bowler “did not move the ball consistently against the Jaguars until garbage time,” crediting defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile for unleashing “an assortment of blitzes, simulated pressures and games to disrupt the visitors’ offensive flow.”
Right tackle Cole Van Lanen’s return to the lineup after an eight-month recovery from knee surgery provided a boost along the offensive line. Brooks singled out Van Lanen as the game’s unsung hero, crediting the veteran’s steady play and versatility for stabilizing the unit, protecting Lawrence from Cleveland’s aggressive defensive front and opening running lanes on zone and gap-scheme runs.
Brooks wrote that the performance suggests the Jaguars “are ready to take the next step as a perennial contender by dominating the games they are expected to win,” adding that Campanile’s defense delivered “physical domination and schematic suffocation” that should place the unit among the league’s elite by season’s end. Jacksonville hosts its Week 2 matchup at EverBank Stadium as the 2026 season continues.