JACKSONVILLE – Jaguars correspondent John Shipley examines five key plays that shaped the Jaguars’ 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns in a 2026 Week 1 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday
1.Setting the tone. The Jaguars did not have to wait long for the season's first big plays. Their defense was among the NFL's best last season forcing turnovers, and the Jaguars registered their first takeaway this season when linebacker Foyesade Oluokun intercepted Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on Sunday's fifth play from scrimmage. "That was the statement right there," defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said. "This is when the game is going to turn, that fast. We kind of continued to do that." Said Oluokun, "Catch the ones they throw you and you'll have a hell of a year, so it was nice."
The interception came on 2nd-and-5 from the Jaguars 28, with Oluokun returning it 22 yards to set up an eight-play, 59-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence to wide receiver Parker Washington for a 7-0 Jaguars lead with 8:11 remaining in the first quarter. "You see it in practice all the time; nothing new," tight end Brenton Strange said of Washington's reception, with Lawrence calling it "a pretty sweet catch." Said Washington, "It was cool to just start with a nice drive and start strong."
2.Memorable NFL welcome. Jaguars rookie wide receiver Josh Cameron won't soon forget Sunday. A sixth-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cameron caught his first NFL touchdown on a hard pass from Lawrence on second-and-goal from the Browns 4 with 1:42 remaining in the first quarter – a play that gave the Jaguars a 14-0 lead. Cameron entered the game in what looked like a short-yardage formation, but Lawrence executed a play-action fake and fired the pass into a tight window. "It's definitely a play that we kind of practiced all week, and kind of whenever I saw the safety, kind of cheated over ... it's probably going to come my way," Cameron said. "Usually in practice, he cheated the other way, but I'm like, 'OK, we lock in.' I just kind of did my job, and then I turned as soon as the ball kind of came at me. It was there." The pass also marked Lawrence's 100th career touchdown pass. "Someone said it in the locker room, hundredth touchdown," Lawrence said. "I'm like, 'Oh, where's that ball at?' They're like, 'Oh, it's Josh's first one.' He can keep it. I got to go get 200 now, I'll keep that one."
3.Punchout. The Jaguars' defense has mastered punching the ball from ballcarriers under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, and that is what happened on their second takeaway Sunday. Fourth-year linebacker Ventrell Miller, who started opposite Oluokun, forced Browns rookie wide receiver K.C. Concepcion to fumble by timing the punch on the ball perfectly after a five-yard reception on second-and-9 from the Browns 40 midway through the second quarter. Hines-Allen recovered at the Browns 44, with Lawrence passing 14 yards to tight end Brenton Strange on the ensuing possession for a 24-0 lead. "He's going to lead the league in punchouts," Hines-Allen said of Miller. "The effort he played with today, we can expect that every week from him and he expects it every week for himself, which is great to be part of."
4.Having some fun. The Jaguars did not wait long to score in the second half. They received the third-quarter kickoff and drove quickly with the running game and screen passes. The drive ended with perhaps Lawrence's best play of the day as he evaded numerous Browns pass-rushers in the pocket before rolling to his left and slinging a pass downfield to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. Meyers made the reception in the back of the end zone for Lawrence's fourth passing touchdown of the game – his third career NFL game with four or more touchdown passes. "That's something we always talk about in the offseason especially – that second play when the scramble starts," Lawrence said. "The best teams at it are the guys that can react as fast as possible and continue to work and get open while the play gets extended," Lawrence said. "Scrambles lead the league in touchdowns every year, scramble plays. That's a big part of our offense and something that I think those guys enjoy and are good at and obviously that I'm able to do and continue to build on it.'
5.Sacks, sacks and more sacks. The Jaguars registered five sacks on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson Sunday, with the defensive front never letting up. Defensive ends Travon Walker and Hines-Allen each registered 1.5 sacks, with Miller and linebacker Branson Combs each recording a sack. "It feels great," said Walker, who played through wrist and knee issues much of last season. "It really is just a great feeling to just be healthy and be able to use my hands and things of that nature, and obviously get back into my groove." The Jaguars dominated the line in a big way Sunday, pressuring Watson early and often after taking a big lead and forcing the Browns to pass often. Jacksonville needs its pass rush to step up big all season, and Sunday was a nice start.
