The Jacksonville Jaguars are facing the Cleveland Browns at EverBank Stadium in Week 1 to open the 2026 NFL season.
Following last year's surprisingly successful 13-4 season, expectations for the Jaguars are high this year, though most analysts already expect the team to regress. The game against the Browns will be the first chance for Jacksonville to prove that last year's success was not an anomaly.
Here are five storylines to follow for Sunday's game.
Can the defense continue to dominate?
Jacksonville had one of the best defenses in the league last season, with the run defense in particular the highest-rated in the NFL. Pass rush was one of the few weak points, but the offseason has shown a strong overall unit that often flashed during training camp. That continued through the preseason,
with a 19-0 shutout against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But will that momentum carry through to the regular season?
Travis Hunter
Hunter's return has been one of the biggest storylines throughout the offseason, and that will continue through the regular season. The first question is which side of the ball he will primarily be contributing on? Through training camp, he has taken the majority of his snaps on defense. It's assumed that this will continue to the regular season, with Hunter serving as a full-time cornerback and taking limited snaps at wide receiver, but Week 1 will be the first confirmation of what his role will be. The second issue is how well he will perform after his season-ending injury last year. He has looked good in training camp, but the Browns game will be his first real test.
Emmanuel Pregnon
Pregnon was one of the sole picks from this year's draft that was celebrated by analysts, and while expectations for his rookie season were high, the plan had initially been for Pregnon to develop slowly. However, a combination of factors — Pregnon's impressive offseason performance and injuries to the offensive line — changed that, and Pregnon will now be a Week 1 starter. Though he clearly has potential, Week 1 will show how he is able to perform against defensive starters.
How will the running back room perform?
One of the biggest criticisms through the offseason has centered on the loss of Travis Etienne, with most analysts assuming that Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez, and LeQuint Allen won't be able to make up for his production. Their joint performance Sunday will be the first indicator of what to possibly expect from the Jaguars running back room this season.
Can the Jaguars start fast before the schedule gets harder?
Jacksonville is expected to win against Cleveland Sunday, but the schedule afterward gets significantly tougher. If the Jaguars lose, it doesn't necessarily mean the rest of the season is doomed, but it sets a bad precedent. Conversely, winning is merely expected, which means Jacksonville will need to start off strong and send a bold message about who they are as a team. Considering most of the league is already ranking the Jaguars below the Houston Texans, despite having won the division, their Week 1 performance will either confirm that narrative or dispel it.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 5 storylines to watch in Jaguars vs. Browns in Week 1
