Week 1 of the regular season is finally here. The Baltimore Ravens have their first opportunity to put their summer work on display against the Colts in Indianapolis.
In 2025, the Ravens started the season 1-5 and never caught up to the top teams in the AFC. Multiple players have said in training camp that they want to prioritize starting fast this year. The Colts, meanwhile, started out 8-2 last year before losing their last seven games and quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles injury.
The last two years, the Ravens opened on the road in primetime against top AFC foes Kansas City and Buffalo. On paper at least, a 1 p.m. game against the Colts should be an easier affair. These are some keys to look for Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Offense
Offensive line cohesion: The Ravens have made three changes to their starting line since the end of last season, all on the interior. First-round rookie Vega Ioane will make his NFL debut at right guard and fourth-year pro Jovaughn Gwyn will make his first start at center. Is quarterback Lamar Jackson evading rushers every passing down? Is running back Derrick Henry finding space? Head coach Jesse Minter has said the success of the offensive line will be a work in progress throughout the season, and this game is step one.
Rookie pass-catchers: Receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman and tight end Mark Andrews figure to get the majority of targets on Sunday. Flowers has been nursing a hamstring injury the last few weeks of camp but was listed as a full participant in practice on Thursday. How will the rookies factor into the passing game? Receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt and tight ends Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas will play in their first NFL game, assuming they are active. Lane was the talk of training camp, and this will be his first opportunity to make plays when it counts.
Formations: How much will we see Jackson under center? Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is expected to call more under-center plays with Jackson, who has had success with that in limited opportunities, in order to utilize play action more effectively. The breakdown of plays under center and in pistol and shotgun formations will be telling as to how Doyle wants the offense to look this season.
Defense
Containing running back Jonathan Taylor: Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said this week that the only way to contain the three-time Pro Bowler is to have all 11 players flying to the ball on every play. Taylor had 18 touchdowns and nearly 1,600 rushing yards last season but did not rush for more than 87 yards in any of their seven losses to end the year. If the defense can keep him quiet, they’ll likely keep the score down. Lineman Nnamdi Madubuike, who missed most of 2025 with a neck injury, was listed as a limited practice participant Wednesday and Thursday of this week, so it’s unclear if he’ll be ready to go by Sunday. The Ravens have consistently preached optimism about his status without giving any specifics on his return.
Quarterback Daniel Jones returns from injury: This will be the first game back for Jones, who tore his Achilles late last season. He took first-team reps throughout training camp but didn’t play at all in the preseason, so Sunday’s game will be his first action against a defense that is allowed to hit him since the injury. If he isn’t comfortable in the pocket or scrambling, the Colts will have a long day offensively.
First look at the revamped pass rush: Big free-agent acquisition Trey Hendrickson makes his long-awaited Ravens debut. He will want to put pressure on Jones from the first snap and get his season off to a hot start. Rookie second-round pick Zion Young will also play his first game in purple and black. He has a big first test in setting the edge to make sure Taylor and others aren’t able to slip outside.
Storylines
All eyes on kicker Tyler Loop: Speaking with the media after practice on Wednesday, Loop acknowledged the pressure and responsibility he has to make field goals regardless of the circumstances. Loop was 5 of 8 on kicks in the preseason, and the Ravens signed free-agent kicker Jake Moody to the practice squad after roster cuts in late August. If Loop struggles on Sunday, Minter may not have much more patience with Moody around. Loop will have to put the pressure aside and make kicks to earn his spot.
Minter’s first game: Everything went about as well as possible for Minter in the three preseason games. The defense was excellent, the offense scored points and the team had few major injuries. Now the real games start. Minter’s decision-making will be scrutinized from here on out as he tries to do what John Harbaugh couldn’t the last few years. Challenges, two-minute drills, penalties, timeout usage and fourth-down calls are all placed on the shoulders of the head coach, fairly or not. The honeymoon is over, and Minter knows it’s now about results.
The pick: Ravens 27, Colts 13
From a roster talent standpoint, the Ravens (-3.5) have a clear edge here. For now, there are a lot more questions than answers about how they will operate (and who will play meaningful snaps) on both sides of the ball. I expect a heavy dose of Derrick Henry, play action and quick passes to get the Ravens’ playmakers in space.
Defensively, the Ravens will swarm to Taylor, forcing Jones to beat them in the air, and his Week 1 rust shows with multiple turnovers. The game ends with the Ravens forcing a turnover on downs in the red zone, and they start the season with a win.
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