This Sunday, the Cleveland Browns take on the Jacksonville Jaguars as they look to rebound from their season-opening loss. Below, we analyze a few advantages, disadvantages, or general thoughts about the two teams before getting to our predictions for the game.

Game Analysis

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How Much Panic Do We Want to Have?

• As Jared Mueller pointed out, the Browns typically respond well after a loss in the Kevin Stefanski era: a 22-8 record, to be specific. Last week’s season-opening loss was all-the-more of a gut punch because we were going off the highs of the magical run to conclude the 2023 season. We didn’t see Deshaun Watson play during the preseason, so we were just hopeful that he could channel the effort he did in the final game he played in before hurting his shoulder against the Ravens last year. It all fell apart.
• The reason we panic, in my opinion, is one person and one person alone: Watson’s lack of productivity, especially to start a game. With Watson, it feels like the offense is so lost, that the entire first half goes by with no drives sustained, a field goal on the board if we’re lucky, and a wasted half.
• But maybe, just maybe, the silver lining to that is sometimes, you get a little humility all across the board. It’s just one week, but I guarantee you that locker room is pissed off with the way they played in Week 1, and I expect the offensive gameplan to have some adjustments.
• We still have what I believe to be a top-ranked defense, too. They weren’t perfect last week, but we saw the individual talent on display. The big difference this week is that you hope the defense can generate some turnovers, just like a year ago when they snagged three interceptions against Trevor Lawrence. A year ago, the Jaguars were not the type of team that utilized the motion plays that would give the Browns’ defense fits.

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Things to Follow this Week

• The tight end situation stands out to me. The position was already thin heading into the season, with David Njoku obviously being the standout. He is out, and that means Jordan Akins will start. Akins used to average about 400 yards receiving a season with the Texans, and his hands seem OK whenever he is targeted. Cleveland has a trio of tight ends on the practice squad, none of whom were with the team in training camp. We know at least one of them will be called up, and Barry Shuck wrote about each of them here.
• I didn’t like the Browns’ running style last week. It was what I feared, and what my brother pointed out to me about Ken Dorsey’s system in Buffalo: there used to be a lot of spread with short passes, and very little tough running where the offensive line can take over a game. The difference for Buffalo all those years was that Josh Allen can make the game-saving play at any moment. Watson isn’t even close to doing that. Everything, including the ground game, looked slow to get started. Hopefully, we see something a little different stylistically this week.
• Something of interest last week was the first touchdown that the Browns gave up. At first, it looked like S Juan Thornhill was to blame. Afterward, it seemed like it was a miscommunication by someone else. This week, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz seemed to indicate that it may have been on Thornhill, who is now on injured reserve. S Ronnie Hickman will get the start in his place in all likelihood. He started against Jacksonville last year. He was a stud to end the regular season, but then struggled in the postseason.

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Quick Hitters

• Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone talked to the media on Thursday about the team’s punt return allowed. Obviously, it’s not good that (including preseason) the group has allowed a punt return touchdown in two straight games. He says they’ll clean it up, but that’s a concern for me.

“Geez, there’s a lot of bad football in that play that, you know, we were not obviously up to our standards, you know. So, gotta have a better punt with location and hang time. The leverage needs to be better. The effort was poor and it was addressed, and we will move forward and keep coaching it up.”

This game might be in then hands of Deshaun Watson again, like it or not. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was asked about how the Jaguars’ run defense held the Dolphins’ running backs in check in Week 1:

“I mean, they’re a physical front. They’re fundamentally and schematically sound and they fly around and so there’s a lot of things that go into it. Like I said, kind of early on, this is the ultimate team game and when a defense is able to do something like that the past week, there are multiple factors that go into it. It’s all 11 guys on their side operating at a pretty high level against a team like that.”

• Curtiss Brown talked about three Jaguars who could spoil Cleveland’s hopes this weekend.
• Matt Wilson went back and found three things the Browns can repeat from their 2023 match-up against the Jaguars.
• Damon Wolfe looked at this week’s X-factors on offense and defense.
• According to the betting appsFanDuel Sportsbook, the Browns are 3-point underdogs against the Jaguars.

Predictions

Here are predictions from multiple staff members at DBN.

Chris Pokorny: “I am maintaining my faith in the Browns’ defense to shut down the Jaguars this week, knowing how they need to carry the team. The offense should be a little more guarded with what their weaknesses were last week, and also found some wide-open lapses against Jacksonville’s defense last year (even though that was with Flacco).” Browns 20, Jaguars 14

Jared Mueller: “I really don’t know what to expect in Week 2. While there was a lot of blame to go around in Week 1, it doesn’t seem like an easy fix. On the other hand, the Browns have been pretty stellar after losses in the Kevin Stefanski era with very few losing streaks.

The Jaguars also seem like a team that struggles to get it all together. They had a nice lead in Week 1 before falling apart against the Miami Dolphins. A good team, they have struggled to put it together for a variety of reasons.

Given the stink coming off of last week, I have to go against Cleveland until my eyes see something different.” Jaguars 24, Browns 21

Thomas Moore: “This is such a difficult game to predict. The heart wants to say the Browns will rebound from a disappointing Week 1 performance and pick up the win. But the head says the current offense is struggling, and the devil on our shoulder continues to make a strong case that the quarterback is legitimately shot. But the sort of angel (he has his struggles to stay on the righteous path) on the other shoulder is making a good case that the Jaguars have their own set of issues and they don’t have Myles Garrett. So maybe the Browns really do have a chance? Cleveland struggled on the road last season, but this is a new year and maybe the defense can steal a win on Sunday in Jacksonville.” Browns 14, Jaguars 10

Barry Shuck: “One game is not much of a sample size, but it did show a lot of issues. The largest is the offensive line. James Hudson is not a good tackle and perhaps more suited for the guard position. He is often fooled with a nifty inside move. Last year, Dawand Jones played like a veteran, but against Dallas, he could not figure out his assignments on stunts. Deshaun was harassed all day, flushed out of the pocket, and the amount of pressures that came his way was staggering. If these two are the options this week, expect more of the same and the same amount of sacks (6) as last week. Granted Dallas has some exceptional pass rushers so the credit is thrown their way. Jacksonville had a three-game lead in their division last year but lost five of their final six games. They are a good team and can really get after the quarterback with Trevon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. The Browns had more three-and-outs and punts than any other stat it seems, which makes for a tired defense.” Jaguars 37, Browns 13

Ezweav: “Obviously that game was a gut-punch, and it’s hard to really know where this team is after this last week. Injuries abound and that’s not helpful. I feel like there’s no way this team can look that bad two weeks in a row, but I don’t really have a great basis to think that, so it’s basically just gut.” Browns 18, Jaguars 12

Curtiss Brown: “My expectations for Week 2 are kind of low. Considering how everyone is doubting the Browns right now, it wouldn’t shock me if they came out and rout Jacksonville because why not. Or they could come out and lose the way they did last week. I don’t see the latter part happening because Cleveland tends to respond to adversity pretty well. Jacksonville is a good team but I don’t think they are great, considering how they looked last week in which they looked great in the 1st half and forgot how to play football in the 2nd. Defensively, the Jags are well equipped to stop the run but the secondary is banged up and not particularly great in the cornerback room. Offensively, the unit is good but the offensive line is a concern in some areas. I trust the Browns defense to hold up, but the offense? Not so confident. I’ll take the Jags in this one.” Jaguars 24, Browns 19

Damon Wolfe: “After a turbulent week in Berea, the Browns find a way in Jacksonville to get the job done with their backs against the wall. They win a physical match up on the strength of their defense who rattled Trevor Lawrence all game and win the turnover battle.” Browns 27, Jaguars 14

Who do you think will win, Browns fans? Let us know in the comments section below.