Week 1 staff predictions: Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins

The NFL is back, and what better way to kick off the season than with something that's never been done before: the Jacksonville Jaguars opening up the season against the Miami Dolphins .

The Dolphins are favored by 3 points at home, a 1 p.m. start at Hard Rock Stadium.

Our seven expert pickers return to take on another season of Jaguars football.

Our experts include six Times-Union staffers: Demetrius Harvey (Jaguars beat writer), Gene Frenette (columnist), Garry Smits (reporter), Juston Lewis (reporter), Clayton Freeman (reporter) and Tim Walters (Sports Editor), as well as Mike DiRocco of ESPN.

When all was said and done, Demetrius Harvey, Gene Frenette and Clayton Freeman finished in a three-way tie for first place with 10-7 records.

All four other pickers — Garry Smits, Mike DiRocco, Juston Lewis and I — were 9-8, just one game back.

Yes, all seven experts finished above .500, and we had a 67-52 overall record.

Who will it be this year. Here's what our experts think heading into Week 1:

Who's been better? Comparing Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence and Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa

DEMETRIUS HARVEY

Jaguars beat writer

Jaguars 31, Dolphins 30

The Jaguars have a slight advantage. The Trevor Lawrence belief is real around these parts.

Season: 0-0

MIKE DiROCCO

ESPN

Jaguars 31, Dolphins 24

The offensive line is the Dolphins’ biggest weakness and the Jaguars have the edge rushers to take advantage of that, so I’m expecting a big day out of Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker and Arik Armstead. That should somewhat negate the impact of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Season: 0-0

GENE FRENETTE

Times-Union Sports columnist

Jaguars 30, Dolphins 27

This game has a coin-flip feel to it, and my original thought was favoring the Dolphins because of the Week 1 timing and the venue. While how the Jaguars' offensive line and Ryan Nielsen's reconfigured defense holds up is a concern, Miami possibly having to go without hamstring-impaired cornerback Jalen Ramsey is a huge factor. I now like the Jaguars in an entertaining Trevor-Tua shootout.

Season: 0-0

GARRY SMITS

Times-Union Sports reporter

Dolphins 27, Jaguars 23

I don't completely trust this defense to hold off a team with as much speed as Miami until I see it.

Season: 0-0

JUSTON LEWIS

Times-Union Sports reporter

Dolphins 24, Jaguars 17

Based on last season, the Dolphins are ahead of Jacksonville.

Season: 0-0

CLAYTON FREEMAN

Times-Union Sports reporter

Dolphins 26, Jaguars 23

Mike McDaniel's Dolphins have been a September steamroller, starting 3-0 in both 2022 and 2023. That's bad news for the Jags, but worse news: A still-unproven O-line must contain Jaelan Phillips, Emmanuel Ogbah, rookie Chop Robinson and non-rookie Calais Campbell. Look out, Trevor Lawrence.

Season: 0-0

TIM WALTERS

Times-Union Sports Editor

Jaguars 27, Dolphins 24

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are going to force Tua to get the ball out quickly, meaning he won't make as many big plays to Tyreek Hill as he'd like. The Dolphins' offensive line is probably the team's biggest question mark. Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence and the improved Jags offense will do what it takes to get a win in steamy, swampy South Florida.

Season: 0-0

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Week 1 staff predictions: Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins