Browns vs. Jaguars Prediction, Odds, Spread, Injuries, Trends for NFL Week 1

Liam Coen and the Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the biggest surprises in the 2025 season, winning 13 games and earning the No. 3 seed in the AFC.

While Jacksonville’s playoff run was short lived, the Jaguars have a nice foundation to build on with former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence posting one of the best seasons of his career.

Now, Jacksonville gets a home game in Week 1 of the 2026 season against the Cleveland Browns, who have undergone a few major changes since they last played in 2025.

Deshaun Watson is back and set to start at quarterback in Week 1. Myles Garrett is now a Los Angeles Ram. Kevin Stefanski is now the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Todd Monken is in as the new head coach and has his work cut out for him in Week 1 and beyond.

Cleveland is a major underdog in this Week 1 matchup, and it’s unclear how the Browns will look on the defensive side of the ball now that Garrett (the reigning Defensive Player of the Year) isn’t wreaking havoc all over the field.

Here’s a look at the latest odds, injury updates, betting trends and my prediction for Sunday’s Week 1 battle.

Browns vs. Jaguars Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Browns +8.5 (-112)
Jaguars -8.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Browns: +340
Jaguars: -440

Total

40.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

There has been some line movement in the market for this game, including at Fanatics Sportsbook, where the Jaguars are 8.5-point favorites.

“The only one we saw somewhat significant move was Jags-Browns,” Ty Gour Sports Trader at Fanatics Sportsbook told Sports Illustrated. “That moved from 7.5 to 8.5, and that seemed to happen in tune with the news that Deshaun Watson is going to be the QB1. And then his subsequent preseason performance.”

Browns vs. Jaguars How to Watch

Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Venue: EverBank Stadium
How to Watch (TV): CBS
Browns record: 0-0
Jaguars record: 0-0

Browns vs. Jaguars Injury Reports

Browns Injury Report

Isaiah Bond – questionable
Dillon Gabriel – injured reserve

Jaguars Injury Report

Bhayshul Tuten – questionable
LeQuint Allen Jr. – questionable
Jakobi Meyers – questionable

Browns vs. Jaguars Betting Trends

The Jaguars were 12-6 against the spread last season.
The Browns were 8-9 against the spread last season.
Jacksonville was 7-2 against the spread at home last season.
Cleveland was 2-6 against the spread on the road last season.
The OVER was 10-7-1 in the Jaguars’ games in 2025.
The UNDER was 9-8 in the Browns’ games in 2025.
The OVER was 4-4-1 in the Jaguars’ home games in 2025.
The UNDER was 5-3 in the Browns’ road games in2025.

Browns vs. Jaguars Key Player to Watch

Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars

Over the final seven games of the 2025 regular season, Lawrence was one of the best players in the league, putting himself in the MVP conversation for a few weeks.

During that seven-game stretch, Lawrence completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 1,856 yards, 18 scores and four picks. He also added 178 yards and four scores on the ground.

Jacksonville was one of the best teams in the AFC a season ago, but the betting market is down on the Jags now that they have to play a first-place schedule in 2025.

If they want to avoid a regression, Lawrence needs to continue to play the way he did at the end of the season. In 2025, the former No. 1 overall pick completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,007 yards, 29 scores and 12 picks. If he turns the ball over a little less in 2026, Jacksonville should be a dangerous team in the AFC.

Browns vs. Jaguars Prediction and Pick

Can anyone trust Deshaun Watson to play good enough to win this game?

The veteran quarterback has been a disaster with the Browns, winning just nine of his 19 starts while making an insane fully guaranteed contract that pays him like one of the league’s best players.

Watson has thrown 12 picks and completed just over 61 percent of his passes as a member of the Browns, and it’s hard to see him remaining as the starter all throughout the 2026 season.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars are coming off a season where their offense was rejuvenated under Coen and they ranked third in the NFL in EPA/Play on defense. A few key pieces left in the offseason, including Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienee, but the Jaguars have a pretty elite receiver room with Brian Thoms Jr., Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers and potentially Travis Hunter.

I think they’ll be able to make some noise against a Cleveland defense that could take a step back without Garrett wrecking games as a pass rusher. Sure, Jared Verse is a strong replacement, but Garrett is the best defensive player in the NFL.

Jacksonville was a dominant team at home in 2025, covering the spread in seven of nine games. On top of that, the Browns struggled on the road last season and may not even have a quarterback that they can trust to play an entire game given his recent injury history.

I’m going to lay the points with Jaguars, who should be one of the top Survivor Pool Picks in Week 1.

Pick: Jaguars -8.5 (-108 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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