JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting their first must-win game out of the way early. Very early.
No season will ever be defined by its Week 1 result, but the Jaguars have not had many Week 1 games that carry the importance of next Sunday. But what makes the season-opener against the Cleveland Browns so important, and why should it already be considered a must-win game?
Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during the second half against the Buffalo Bills in an AFC Wild Card Round game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There are endless cliches to describe why this entire premise might be off. One week doesn't make a season, which is true. Each week is a must-win week in the NFL which is true, sort of. But with all of that said, I think there is merit in calling this a must-win for the Jaguars and head coach Liam Coen.
Just consider what the first-half of the Jaguars' schedule looks like. In the five games after they play the Browns, the Jaguars will spend two weeks on the road and two weeks in London, taking on the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans in the process. The Jaguars beat two of these teams last year and should have beat three, but that doesn't make this any less of a murderer's row.
The Jaguars' toughest leg of their schedule comes during their five-week schedule after Week 1. Once they return from the bye week they get two games against the Tennessee Titans and a game against the New York Giants, while the final month of their season sees them close with the Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts.
Aug 28, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There are other tough stretches of the schedule, such as playing the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, and Dallas Cowboys in a four-week span toward the end of the season. But the one they face after the Browns game will determine just what the rest of their season will look like.
That is what makes the Browns contest such a must-win game. The Browns are significantly the easiest team the Jaguars play in their first six weeks, and this is a game the Jaguars can't afford to let slip through their fingers. They need every win they can get while facing a first-place schedule, and the Browns are one opponent they simply can not afford to drop a game to.
That doesn't mean the Jaguars should overlook the Browns. But it does mean that things get tougher for the Jaguars after Week 1, and they have some big problems if the Browns are enough to throw up a significant hurdle in front of them.
Nov 16, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen reacts to a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Jaguars went 4-2 in their first six games last year, and they had to go 9-2 over their final 11 games to secure an AFC South title over the Texans. They likely need a similar start this year to ensure they can land another AFC South title, and the way that must start is with a win over the Browns.
If the Jaguars can defeat the Browns in Week 1, they can afford to go 3-2 over the next five weeks. That seems much more doable than goign 4-1 in the same stretch, which is what makes the Browns game a week in which the Jaguars must come through with a win.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/onsi as The Browns Are Already the Jaguars' First Must-Win Game .
