Jacksonville Jaguars record four sacks and an interception in 23-17 Week 1 win over Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Jaguars opened Week 1 by building an advantage and protecting it through a competitive finish, defeating the Cleveland Browns 23-17. Jacksonville complemented an efficient outing from Trevor Lawrence with 152 rushing yards, while its defense finished with four sacks and an interception.

Cleveland narrowed the margin after Jacksonville created some separation, but the Jaguars avoided letting the game develop into a last-minute exchange. The six-point final reflected an afternoon in which neither offense consistently sustained possessions: Jacksonville converted 3 of 15 third downs, while Cleveland went 3 of 17.

Lawrence completed 22 of 32 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 94.7 passer rating. His longest completion covered 28 yards, and Brian Thomas Jr. caught the Jaguars' touchdown pass as part of a four-reception, 48-yard performance.

"There were stretches where we were moving it the way we wanted, and other stretches where we had to be patient," Lawrence said. "We had an advantage to manage, and the important thing is that we finished with the result. There's plenty in the numbers that we can clean up."

Jacksonville's offense was more productive on the ground than through the air. Joe Mixon carried 19 times for 76 yards, and Bhayshul Tuten added 41 yards on seven attempts. Tuten supplied the Jaguars' longest run at 27 yards. That rushing production gave Jacksonville a 58-yard advantage over Cleveland in the category, even though the Browns finished with more offensive yards overall.

Cleveland accumulated 383 offensive yards to Jacksonville's 344 and held a 289-192 advantage in passing yards. Tua Tagovailoa completed 26 of 47 throws with one touchdown and one interception, posting a 72.0 passer rating. He was sacked four times, and his longest completion went for 25 yards.

Harold Fannin Jr. delivered the most productive receiving performance of the game. He caught seven passes for 123 yards and Cleveland's receiving touchdown, averaging more than 17 yards per reception. Jerry Jeudy added eight catches for 88 yards, giving Tagovailoa two dependable targets throughout the game.

"I was able to get involved and give us some production, but you always look at the score first," Fannin said. "We moved the ball for a lot of yards. The next step is turning more of that work into points."

The defensive production on Jacksonville's side extended beyond the sack total. Foyesade Oluokun recorded one sack and intercepted a pass, returning it eight yards. Josh Hines-Allen forced a fumble and was credited with two fumble recoveries.

"Four sacks and an interception are good numbers to see, but we also gave up 383 yards," Oluokun said. "That tells you there were things we did well and things that need another look. Starting with a win gives us a much better place to have that conversation."

The red-zone totals offered another contrast. Cleveland reached the red zone twice and scored touchdowns on both trips. Jacksonville made four visits and came away with two touchdowns, without a red-zone field goal. The Browns also converted 1 of 2 fourth-down attempts, while the Jaguars were stopped on their only fourth-down try.

Jacksonville ultimately finished with two more first downs than Cleveland, 16-14, despite trailing in both passing yards and offensive yards. The Jaguars paired their 152-yard rushing performance with Lawrence's touchdown pass and a defense that produced four sacks and an interception, closing Week 1 with a 23-17 victory at home.