CBS Sports analyst Garrett Podell put together his bold predictions for Week 1 of the 2026 season, one of which centers around the Jacksonville Jaguars' run defense -- and not in a positive way.
Podell made four bold Week 1 predictions, one of which is that Cleveland Browns' running back Quinshon Judkins rushes for over 75 yards against the Jaguars' defense.
"Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins ran for 827 yards as a rookie in 2025 despite the corpse of Joe Flacco, third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel and fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders all starting at quarterback last season," wrote Podell. "He's used to facing loaded boxes and opponents going all out to take away his production."
Of course, what makes this prediction bold is that the
Jaguars boasted the top run defense unit in football last season.
A second offseason in Anthony Campanile's scheme, along with no significant losses this offseason, a few new rookie additions, and second-year players BJ Green and Danny Striggow making potential jumps, are all reasons to believe that this unit can once again be quite good.
It's also worth pointing out that the Browns are expected to start two rookie linemen in this game as well. Potentially unsteady quarterback play could also impact Cleveland's ability to run the ball.
However, as Podell notes, Judkins had a very productive rookie season and adds playmaking potential to the Cleveland offense. The Jaguars must also prove that they can overcome Devin Lloyd's departure at linebacker.
The Jaguars' ability to contain Judkins could go a long way in determining how this game unfolds and the potential outcome.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Analyst's bold prediction pessimistic about strength of Jaguars' defense
