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4 thoughts from the Browns lackluster season opener versus the Jaguars

The Cleveland Browns endured a miserable start to their 2026 campaign on September 13, suffering a 34-10 blowout defeat on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Marking head coach Todd Monken's debut with the franchise, Cleveland struggled extensively across the board, hampered by a penalty-ridden showing and a defensive unit that wilted in the Florida heat without Myles Garrett on the field.

The lone highlights for the visiting squad proved to be strong special teams play and contributions from younger contributors like wideout Kc Concepcion.

Much of the fallout centers around the quarterback situation, where Deshaun Watson retained the starting job over Shedeur Sanders following an Achilles rehab. Watson labored heavily throughout the contest, reviving questions about the offense and doing little to quell doubts surrounding Cleveland's direction under center after a lopsided Week 1 outcome.