Good, Not So Good From Jaguars' 34-10 Win Over Browns: Parker Washington Shines

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars got the 2026 season off to a heck of a start on Sunday.

The Jaguars dominated the Cleveland Browns to the tune of a 34-10 beatdown that was not even as close as the score indicated. But even in the most dominant of wins, there will be highs and lows, and Week 1 was no different.

So, what were the ups and downs of the Jaguars' Week 1 win? We break it down with The Good and The Not So Good.

The Good

The Trevor Lawrence-Parker Washington Connection

After reports from the weekend of the Jaguars and Parker Washington not yet coming to terms on a new deal, this was exactly the kind of game you would hope Washington would put together. His price is not going to get any lower at this pace, either, with Washington leading the Jaguars in receiving with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Had the Jaguars not spread the ball around at such a high clip (nine different players caught a pass, 10 different players were targeted), Washington would have easily recorded 100 yards.

Washington and Trevor Lawrence simply looked like they were on the same page all game long, just like they did this summer, and this spring, and at the end of the 2025 season. Washington was the only receiver who got more than three targets from Lawrence, and he looked every bit the part of a No. 1 receiver.

"You would not even know that's going on just the way he carries himself. He's been the same guy. Just comes to work every day, does everything the right way," Lawrence said after the game. "So, yeah, you wouldn't even know that's going on in the background. So really just impressed with how he's handled that, but not surprised. He's a worker and he's a stud. Had a great day today."

The Run Defense

davon hamilto — Sep 13, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Davon Hamilton (52) beffore the game against the Cleveland Browns at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jaguars were always going to have to win this game in the trenches, and the Jaguars certainly did that on defense. Yes, the Jaguars were able to get after Deshaun Watson at a high clip, but what they did against the run arguably was even more impressive. The Jaguars completely dominated the Browns in the running game, both in terms of efficiency and splash plays.

Take out Deshaun Watson's six carries for 38 yards, and the Browns rushed 16 times for 49 yards ... just barely over three yards per carry. Quinshon Judkins was a complete non-factor for the entire afternoon, with his longest carry going for five yards. Judkins was taken out of the game with ease, and the Jaguars' run defense picked up exactlyn where it left off.

The Run Offense

For as completely useless as the Browns' running game was, the Jaguars' run game seemed to be humming all afternoon long. Bhayshul Tuten had a smoot 15-carry, 66-yard day where he ran efficiently and powerfully all game long, and there really were not many plays where the running game simply got stuffed. Chris Rodriguez's average won't look great since he was in on so many clear running downs, but this felt like some real progtess from the Jaguars' running game.

The Not So Good

The Kickoff Coverage

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Jahlani Tavai (31) tackles Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson (22) during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Really the only areas the Jaguars struggled in on Sunday was the kick return game. The Jaguars allowed the Browns to return the opening kick 37 yards to the 40, whole Raheim Sanders later returned a kick 74 yards to take it to the Jaguars' 23. For a team that has routinely been elite on special teams in recent years, the Jaguars were not very good in terms of their kick return coverage on Sunday, with the Browns racking up 228 yards of kick returns on six returns

Allowing Mason Graham to Get a Sack

Remember when the Jaguars were widely believed to be on a crash course to select Mason Graham at No. 5 in the 2025 NFL Draft? Regardless of what happens with Travis Hunter, it is clear the Jaguars were better off not spending a top pick on Graham considering the complete lack of flashes he showed as a rookie with below average pressure and run-defense metrics and just 0.5 sacks as a rookie.

But in his 18th NFL start, the Jaguars somehow allowed Graham to record the first solo sack of his career. That might be enough to warrant a film room breakdown from Browns blogs, but this was really the lone play where it felt like the Jaguars' offensive line did not dominate this matchup. An unfortunate moment to allow a player of Graham's ability to get one on you, but one they can live with it.

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