Ravens' Four Keys to Victory vs. Colts

While the NFL world can't wait to see what franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle are capable of through the air, their focus should be on establishing and sticking with the ground game. With a new scheme and so many new pieces both at skill positions and in the trenches

Getting their own multi-time Pro Bowl running back, Derrick Henry, rolling would take a lot of pressure off their revamped offensive line, which includes a whole new interior, by letting them be the aggressors more often instead of retreating into pass protection. It would also go a long way toward aiding the play-action passing game once the Colts are forced to divert more manpower to stop getting gashed and blown off the ball, and that'll be the perfect time to throw it over their heads deep down the field.

Crank up the heat on Daniel Jones

As much as the Colts have been amazed by the speedy recovery of their starting veteran quarterback from the season-ending torn Achilles and broken leg that cut his 2025 season short, the Ravens need to test his mobility and confidence to handle pressure by bringing a lot of it from start to finish.

Outside of the first-half of last season, before he became physically compromised, Jones had historically been one of the worst signal callers at performing under the pressure of a potent pass rush. Minter should dial up some of his best blitzes and simulated pressure packages in this game, especially when it comes to sending defensive backs on nickel blitzes. The last time the Ravens played the Colts was in 2023 in a game that went into overtime and saw three-time All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton record three sacks in the first half alone.

Attack Colts' off-ball linebackers in coverage

Aside from seventh-year veteran and former Cincinnati Bengal, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Indianapolis is very young and inexperienced at the inside linebacker position, especially among the starting lineup. Outside of him, they have fourth-round rookie Bryce Boettcher and third-year pro Jaylon Carlies playing next to him, who have just 13 regular-season appearances and six career starts between them.

Going up against a Ravens passing attack with a quarterback like Jackson, who is at his best throwing over the middle of the field where he can consistently layer the ball over the heads of linebackers and rifle accurate passes past the earholes of their helmets into tight windows. This has all the makings of a mismatch Doyle will almost certainly look to exploit regularly, given all the talent in the Colts' secondary at cornerback and safety. This could lead to a big day for the Ravens' tight ends, in particular, so three-time Pro Bowler Mark Andrews will certainly be busy, and rookie Matthew Hibner might have himself a nice regular-season debut, similar to his first preseason game.