Trevor Lawrence throws 4 TD passes as the Jaguars rout the Browns 34-10 in season opener

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars waited seven agonizing months to play another meaningful game at EverBank Stadium.

This one won’t help them forget the previous one, a three-point loss to Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs. But it was the best possible way to begin one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise history.

Lawrence threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns, opening the season much like he closed last year, and the Jaguars routed rebuilding Cleveland 34-10 on Sunday to spoil the debut of new Browns coach Todd Monken.

“It was a great first step for where we're trying to get to,” Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said.

Jacksonville scored on six of its first seven possessions, with Lawrence connecting with Parker Washington, rookie Josh Cameron, Brenton Strange and Jakobi Meyers for touchdowns. Three of four targets were wide open.

Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes and finished with a career-high rating of 150.6. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the league down the stretch in 2025 while leading the Jaguars to the AFC South title.

His play under coach Liam Coen was a main reason Jacksonville entered this fall as a trendy pick to return to the postseason and maybe reach its first Super Bowl. The opener was a solid start.

“It was awesome,” Lawrence said. “Guys were ready to play.”

Washington, a pending free agent who’s in contract negotiations with Jacksonville, made a diving catch on Lawrence's first TD pass and flashed a “pay me” sign to the 42,000 in attendance inside a venue being fully renovated.

Lawrence made it look easy all afternoon against a defense that traded five-time All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett in the offseason and was entering its first season under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg.

Cleveland had equally troubling issues on the other side of the ball.

Deshaun Watson, making his first start in nearly two years, threw an interception on the opening drive.

“We did exactly what we wanted to start the game,” Monken said. “We’re going to try to put them on their heels and then we turn it over. And then we couldn’t get a first down to get our defense off the field. That is a recipe to get run out of the arena.”

Watson nearly threw another pick on the team’s second possession and later recovered his own fumble to avoid a turnover.

It was a stark contrast to his previous outings against the Jags. Watson had been undefeated in seven starts against Jacksonville, winning at home, on the road, in London with a swollen eye, in tight games, blowouts and even once while recovering from a broken rib and a bruised lung.

But he was overwhelmed Sunday, getting sacked five times and hit way more often.

Rookie receiver KC Concepcion Jr. also fumbled, and the Browns were penalized 11 times for 75 yards. They also went just 1 for 8 on third down and failed to score a touchdown on two trips inside the 20-yard line.

Cleveland finished with 272 yards and two highlights: Raheim Sanders returned a kickoff 74 yards to set up a 26-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Watson connected with Denzel Boston for a 46-yard TD with 1:52 remaining.

“We were hoping for a ‘W.’ We put in so much work, especially myself, to come in and be successful,” Watson said. “But it's the NFL; it doesn't go that way all the time. You play and you learn. ... The NFL, it's a hard league. You got to be week to week and try to be better each and every time.”

Browns: RB Dylan Sampson (knee) was ruled out in the first half. LG Zion Johnson (left knee) left in the first half but later returned.

Jaguars: DE B.J. Green (elbow) was ruled out at halftime. WR Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) went to the locker room in the second quarter but returned for the final series of the first half.

Jaguars right tackle Cole Van Lanen started the opener eight months after knee surgery. Van Lanen tore a ligament in his right knee in the regular-season finale, missed most of training camp and didn’t play a down in the preseason. But he managed to make it back in time for the Browns.

He played the first half before giving way to backup Walker Little. It was a fairly quick return for a 312-pound lineman.

Browns play at Tampa Bay next Sunday.

Jaguars play at Denver next Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit (9) breaks up a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller (51) tackles Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken looks on in the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (1) celebrates his touchdown catch in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Partial results from Sweden's national election on Sunday showed conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s four-party alliance locked in a close race with opposition parties on the left including former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrats.

Exit polls from public broadcaster SVT had initially shown the left-wing parties ahead by several percentage points but with two-thirds of the actual vote counted, the two blocs were nearly dead even.

The exit polls set off jubilation at the Social Democrats’ election gathering but the mood shifted to quiet waiting as the results indicated a closer race.

Kristersson has led Sweden since 2022 with a three-party center-right coalition. It relied on outside support from the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration party that has far-right roots but has moved toward the political mainstream, for a parliamentary majority. The Sweden Democrats had been promised Cabinet posts this time if the governing coalition were returned to office.

The center left Social Democrats have led most Swedish governments since World War II. Andersson served as prime minister from 2021 until she lost power at the last election, and a win for the four left parties would pave the way for her to return to office.

There are two major political blocs: one with four parties on the right and another with four parties on the left. So the big question is less about which party wins and more about which side can form a majority. Individual parties need a minimum of 4% of the vote to win parliamentary seats.

With broad political consensus in Sweden on several major issues such as support for Ukraine and the country’s decision to join NATO, much election discussion focused on the possibility of the hard right entering government. The Sweden Democrats’ role was in focus against a background of gains for the populist right in Europe, including the first-place finish by the far-right Alternative for Germany party in a regional election there Sept. 6.

The Sweden Democrats were founded in the 1980s by people who had been active in right-wing extremist groups, including neo-Nazis. They toned down their rhetoric and expelled openly racist members under Jimmie Åkesson, who has led them since 2005 and overseen their growth from what was once a marginal party.

“This is a very important election for Sweden, if we for the first time should have a right-wing extremist party founded by Neo-Nazis in our government or if the government should be led by me,” said Andersson after voting.

More than 8 million people in the nation of about 10.6 million were eligible to vote in the election for the 349-seat parliament, the Riksdag.

Liberal Party members react to the presentation of the exit poll at the election night watch party, in Stockholm, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

The Centre Party members react to the presentation of the exit poll at the election night watch party, in Stockholm, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Social Democrats react to the presentation of the exit poll at the Social Democrats' election night watch party, in Stockholm, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Jonas Ekströmer/TT News Agency via AP)

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, leader of the Moderate party (M) casts his vote at a polling station at Multeum Cultural Center in Strangnas, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Claudio Bresciani/TT News Agency via AP)

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up in a school, in Enkoping, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station set up in a school, in Enkoping, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

A ballot envelope is placed in a ballot box at a polling station at the City Hall in Malmo, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson votes at a polling station in Nacka, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026.(Stefan Jerrevång/TT News Agency via AP)

Leader of the Sweden Democrats party Jimmie Åkesson votes in Rinkeby, a suburb of Stockholm, Saturday Sept. 12, 2026, a day prior to the general election in Sweden. (Claudio Bresciani/TT via AP)

Election workers Felicia Platner and Nora Aissaoui visit the Vardaga Kullabo nursing home with a mobile polling station, in in Huddinge, Sweden, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Jessica Gow/TT via AP)

Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson arrives for a party leadership televised debate in Gävle, Sweden, on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

From left, the Liberals' Simona Mohamsson, Sweden Democrats' Jimmie Åkesson, Christian Democrats' Ebba Busch and Moderates' leader Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson arrive on the Moderates' bus for the party leadership televised debate in Gävle, Sweden, on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

People wait in line at a polling station in Triangeln shopping center Friday evening to give their early vote, in Malmo, Sweden Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, ahead of general elections on Sunday (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)