Football season is here (finally), and we have a full slate of games over the course of four days this week to tune into. If you're like me, you're about to spend a lot of time yelling at the television, and I couldn't be happier to do so.

There are a lot of great games this week, and while Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars may not immediately stand out as one of the top games to watch, I believe it's one you should tune in to (here's why). This game has all the drama and intrigue of new coaches, quarterback returns, on-edge fans and the potential for a major — yet unlikely — upset.

Let's get into it.

The Browns vs. Jaguars matchup

The Browns are entering their first year under head coach Todd Monken, while the Jags are in their second year under Liam Coen and need to prove last year's major season-to-season improvement wasn't a fluke. Their defense gave up the fewest points per game in the NFL in the last eight games, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence excelled during that time as well.

They're coming off an AFC South title; Trevor Lawrence was in the MVP conversation last year, and he put up some of his best numbers. They have Travis Hunter back and a solid overall team, and CBS Sports has them at 10-7 and in the playoff picture. Jacksonville hasn't made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 1998-99.

Now to the Browns. Cleveland's offseason has been nothing short of a soap opera.

Veteran Deshaun Watson came out on top of the quarterback competition, but not without some — or a lot of — criticism. Watson, who signed a historic five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the Browns in March 2022, has had a complicated, injury-plagued history with the team. Needless to say, Watson's journey with the Browns has not been a smooth one and fans have made it known they haven't been a fan of what they've seen on the field so far this summer. 

After a rocky training camp and preseason, fans booed the 30-year-old. He responded by calling the fans' boos "personal" and "disrespectful," which the Dawg Pound did not take well and eventually led to an apology from Watson.

The team's other option at QB was Shedeur Sanders, who famously dropped to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft after once being believed to be a first-rounder. 

Watson's history of unpredictable and unreliable play means the chances of Sanders coming in at some point this season are good. With so much going on at quarterback, this game will be intriguing to watch. Will the Browns crumble like many think they will, or will Watson step up to the challenge and make his first game back one to remember?

How to watch Browns vs. Jaguars live:

Browns vs. Jaguars: Need to know

  • Deshaun Watson makes first appearance since 2024: All eyes will be on Watson as he takes the field for the first time since October 20, 2024. He went just 1-6 in starts that season and is barely holding onto an overall winning record at 37-35. If things start to go bad for Watson and the offense, the QB will be glad this game isn't in Cleveland. 
  • Browns' recent good fortune vs. Jaguars: The Browns haven't lost to the Jaguars since 2017, so they do have that going for them. The Jags have the overall head-to-head record at 12 wins to 8, but the Browns were victorious in their last three meetings. Watson is 7-1 against the Jaguars in his career, with his last loss to Jacksonville also coming in 2017, when he was on the Houston Texans. These two teams were division rivals at one point (both in the AFC Central before the realignment) but now reside in different divisions in the AFC. 
  • Travis Hunter is back: The two-way player had a lot of hype heading into his rookie year last season, but the high hopes were halted when he suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss the last 10 games. His recovery from surgery stayed on track, and he has the potential to be in the Comeback Player of the Year conversation. While many have naturally wondered if Hunter will remain on both offense and defense, head coach Liam Coen assured that the second-year WR/CB will have a plan on both sides of the ball. His snap count is something I'm curious about. He is mostly seen on defense, but I could see the offense getting creative with him against an easier opponent. With last season's injury, they may be cautious with him, but I am hoping for some offensive surprises from him. 
  • Jaguars offseason changes: The Jags offseason had its criticisms, with low draft grades and questionable offseason moves. The team lost running back Travis Etienne, who led the team in rushing three of the last four seasons. They also lost linebacker Devin Lloyd. The moves made it seem like they were more focused on the talent they had in the building than getting talent from other places. 

Browns vs. Jaguars prediction

I have to give this one to the Jaguars. If Jacksonville doesn't come up with a win here, after all the offseason and training camp dysfunction with the Browns, it'll be a surprising loss for Duval County. The Jaguars defense is strong, and the Browns offense is...well, not. This mismatch should mean the home team wins in front of their own fans.

The Browns have not been good against the spread on the road in the last two seasons, going an NFL-worst 4-13 ATS.

Pick: Jaguars 30, Browns 10

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