The defending AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars open their 2026 season Sunday afternoon against the Cleveland Browns at EverBank Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
Jacksonville enters the new NFL season with considerably higher expectations after emerging as one of the league’s biggest surprises in 2025. The Jaguars went 13-4 in Liam Coen’s first season as head coach, won their final eight regular-season games to capture the division and eventually saw their season end with a 27-24 loss to Buffalo in the Wild Card round.
Trevor Lawrence played a major role in that turnaround, throwing for 4,007 yards and 29 touchdowns. He returns with Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr. and two-way star Travis Hunter among his primary targets, while Bhayshul Tuten is positioned for a larger role in the backfield following the departure of Travis Etienne Jr. to New Orleans.
Cleveland comes into Week 1 trying to rebound from a 5-12 season in which it averaged just 16.4 points per game. The Browns replaced longtime head coach Kevin Stefanski with former Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who will begin his tenure with Deshaun Watson back under center after the veteran quarterback missed the entire 2025 season with an Achilles injury.
The Browns also made one of the offseason’s biggest moves on defense, trading reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to Los Angeles in a deal that brought Jared Verse to Cleveland. Verse joins Denzel Ward, Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger on a defense that will be tasked with slowing a Jacksonville offense coming off its best season of the Lawrence era thus far.
Despite the difference between the teams’ 2025 records, Cleveland has had the upper hand in this matchup recently. The Browns have won three consecutive meetings with Jacksonville, including an 18-13 victory at EverBank Stadium in 2024, while Lawrence is still looking for his first career win against Cleveland.
Browns vs. Jaguars Odds Today
The Jaguars enter Sunday’s matchup as 8.5-point favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Moneyline: Browns +325, Jaguars -450
- Spread: Browns +8.5 (-110), Jaguars -8.5 (-110)
- Total: Over 40 (-110), Under 40 (-110)
Referenced odds are subject to change.
Browns vs. Jaguars Best Bet
Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub provides streaks, trends and other useful matchup data for every game on the NFL schedule. Check it out before placing any bets on CLE-JAX, like the one below:
Cleveland Browns +8.5 (-110): Jacksonville deserves to enter Week 1 as a sizable favorite after winning 13 games last season, but asking the Jaguars to win by more than a touchdown is where this game gets interesting.
Cleveland’s defense gives the Browns a path to keeping this game within one possession. Trading Garrett removed one of the league’s premier pass rushers, but acquiring Verse in the deal prevented Cleveland from entering the season without a proven impact player on the edge. With Ward in the secondary and young defensive building blocks Graham and Schwesinger returning, the Browns still have enough talent at each level to make Lawrence work for points.
The matchup’s recent history also favors taking the points – Cleveland has beaten Jacksonville in three consecutive meetings, and the most recent matchup at EverBank Stadium finished 18-13. Lawrence is 0-2 in his career against the Browns.
Jacksonville is the better team entering the opener, but Cleveland’s defensive personnel and recent success in this matchup make the points worth taking.
- Best Bet: Cleveland Browns +8.5 (-110)
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
Hard Rock Bet players are backing Jacksonville to win, but the splits flip dramatically when the points are added to the equation:
- Moneyline: The Jaguars have pulled in 84.7% of all tickets and 81% of the handle.
- Spread: Browns +8.5 is the popular side with 93.4% of all bets and 85.3% of the handle.
- Total: Over 40 has received 81.4% of tickets and 74.4% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for CLE-JAX
Touchdown markets account for all five of the most popular player props for Sunday’s matchup, with Jaguars occupying four spots:
- Bhayshul Tuten – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Parker Washington – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Quinshon Judkins – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Brian Thomas Jr. – Over 0.5 Anytime 1st Half Touchdowns
- Trevor Lawrence – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
Browns vs. Jaguars Game Info
- 📍 Where: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
- 📅 Date: Sunday, September 13
- ⏰ Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: CBS
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