JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars waited seven agonizing months to play another meaningful game at EverBank Stadium.
This one won’t help them forget the previous one, a three-point loss to Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs. But it was the best possible way to begin one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise history.
Lawrence threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns, opening the season much like he closed last year, and the Jaguars routed rebuilding Cleveland 34-10 on Sunday to spoil the debut of new Browns coach Todd Monken.
“It was a great first step for where we're trying to get to,” Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said.
Jacksonville scored on six of its first seven possessions, with Lawrence connecting with Parker Washington, rookie Josh Cameron, Brenton Strange and Jakobi Meyers for touchdowns. Three of four targets were wide open.
Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes and finished with a career-high rating of 150.6. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the league down the stretch in 2025 while leading the Jaguars to the AFC South title.
His play under coach Liam Coen was a main reason Jacksonville entered this fall as a trendy pick to return to the postseason and maybe reach its first Super Bowl. The opener was a solid start.
“It was awesome,” Lawrence said. “Guys were ready to play.”
Washington, a pending free agent who’s in contract negotiations with Jacksonville, made a diving catch on Lawrence's first TD pass and flashed a “pay me” sign to the 42,000 in attendance inside a venue being fully renovated.
Lawrence made it look easy all afternoon against a defense that traded five-time All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett in the offseason and was entering its first season under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg.
Cleveland had equally troubling issues on the other side of the ball.
Deshaun Watson, making his first start in nearly two years, threw an interception on the opening drive.
“We did exactly what we wanted to start the game,” Monken said. “We’re going to try to put them on their heels and then we turn it over. And then we couldn’t get a first down to get our defense off the field. That is a recipe to get run out of the arena.”
Watson nearly threw another pick on the team’s second possession and later recovered his own fumble to avoid a turnover.
It was a stark contrast to his previous outings against the Jags. Watson had been undefeated in seven starts against Jacksonville, winning at home, on the road, in London with a swollen eye, in tight games, blowouts and even once while recovering from a broken rib and a bruised lung.
But he was overwhelmed Sunday, getting sacked five times and hit way more often.
Rookie receiver KC Concepcion Jr. also fumbled, and the Browns were penalized 11 times for 75 yards. They also went just 1 for 8 on third down and failed to score a touchdown on two trips inside the 20-yard line.
Cleveland finished with 272 yards and two highlights: Raheim Sanders returned a kickoff 74 yards to set up a 26-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Watson connected with Denzel Boston for a 46-yard TD with 1:52 remaining.
“We were hoping for a ‘W.’ We put in so much work, especially myself, to come in and be successful,” Watson said. “But it's the NFL; it doesn't go that way all the time. You play and you learn. ... The NFL, it's a hard league. You got to be week to week and try to be better each and every time.”
Key injuries
Browns: RB Dylan Sampson (knee) was ruled out in the first half. LG Zion Johnson (left knee) left in the first half but later returned.
Jaguars: DE B.J. Green (elbow) was ruled out at halftime. WR Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) went to the locker room in the second quarter but returned for the final series of the first half.
Van Lanen returns 8 months after knee surgery
Jaguars right tackle Cole Van Lanen started the opener eight months after knee surgery. Van Lanen tore a ligament in his right knee in the regular-season finale, missed most of training camp and didn’t play a down in the preseason. But he managed to make it back in time for the Browns.
He played the first half before giving way to backup Walker Little. It was a fairly quick return for a 312-pound lineman.
Up next
Browns play at Tampa Bay next Sunday.
Jaguars play at Denver next Sunday.
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Mark Long, The Associated Press
