The Ravens open the Jesse Minter era Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET on CBS, the Ravens are favored by 3 1/2 points, and Indianapolis leads the all-time series 11-7.
Minter's Debut Against a Familiar Problem
Minter's last game plan against this offense did not go well. As the Chargers' defensive coordinator in 2025, he watched Indianapolis roll to a 38-24 win behind Jonathan Taylor, who averaged 5.9 yards per carry and scored three times. Minter inherits a better front than the one he had in Los Angeles, but the assignment is identical, and the Colts know it. He is not hiding his enthusiasm for the reunion: "First of all, I am just super excited to be in this position. Week 1 – getting ready for a really good [Indianapolis] Colts team."
Two Defensive Starters Are Out
Baltimore will try to slow the NFL's carries and rushing-touchdown leader without Nnamdi Madubuike, who has been ruled out as he works back from the neck injury that ended his 2025 season. Minter said the All-Pro tackle is "really, really close" and should be back inside the first month: "We feel great about where he's at, but we're not going to play him this week."
Linebacker Teddye Buchanan, a co-starter at weakside linebacker on the Week 1 depth chart, is out with a knee injury. Broderick Washington takes on a larger interior role beside Travis Jones, and Trenton Simpson becomes the every-down partner for Roquan Smith.
A Healthy Colts Team Is a Different Team
Indianapolis started 8-2 last season while scoring 32.1 points per game, then lost seven straight after Daniel Jones tore his Achilles. Jones is back and says he feels better than he did before the injury, and so is a secondary that was decimated in 2025 — Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward Sr. and Justin Walley are all available, which matters against a Ravens receiver group that spent the week managing injuries. Zay Flowers shook off a hamstring issue to practice fully the last two days, but Devontez Walker is questionable.
Ravens Front Seven vs. Jonathan Taylor
Taylor led the league in carries, rushing scores and yards after contact a season ago, and Baltimore's plan without Madubuike depends on winning early downs. Roquan Smith said the priority is getting the Colts "behind the sticks" on first and second down. Minter's scouting report was blunter: "He is the total package. He can take any sort of run scheme. He can get the tough yards; he can take it to the house." If Taylor is churning out four-plus yards a pop, Trey Hendrickson's Ravens debut turns into a long afternoon of chasing play-action.
Derrick Henry Is the Fantasy Play
Henry has been a problem for this franchise for a decade — 1,432 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 16 career games against Indianapolis. The matchup is not soft on paper; the Colts allowed 101.9 rushing yards per game last season, seventh-best in the league. But they also let 12 different players score on the ground, and touchdown equity is the argument here. Henry finished 2025 as the RB6 and opened last season with 169 yards and two scores. Projections have him around 15 to 16 points, but with Baltimore likely wanting to keep Jones' offense on the sideline, the volume case is stronger than that.
What They're Saying
Lamar Jackson, who called himself "100 percent healthy" this week, sounded like a quarterback glad to be learning something new under first-year coordinator Declan Doyle. "I believe we have a lot in store," he said. "New season, it feels like a new breath of fresh air." Asked what he wants out of the year, he skipped the buildup: "Us winning it all, but it starts Week 1."
Derrick Henry, 32 and two seasons into a Baltimore stay that has yet to produce a Super Bowl trip, put it in similar terms. "I came here to win," he said. "I believe that we have all the pieces to get it done. We just got to go out there and go do it and take it one week at a time."
Smith, asked about Taylor, did not bother with coachspeak: "Since his Wisconsin days — and even in the NFL — he is a really good back. But love the challenge."
Who's Out
Ravens: LB Teddye Buchanan (knee) — out; DT Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) — out; WR Devontez Walker (groin) — questionable. WR Zay Flowers (hamstring) practiced fully Thursday and Friday with no designation. DE Calais Campbell did not practice Friday for rest, also with no designation.
Colts: LB Austin Ajiake (hamstring) — questionable. DT DeForest Buckner and CB Charvarius Ward Sr. were held out or limited Friday for rest with no designation. WR Alec Pierce (heel) was limited all week but carries no designation.
Kickoff Information
Matchup: Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts
When: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
TV: CBS — Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Logan Ryan (analyst), AJ Ross (sideline)
Line: Ravens -3 1/2