The Ravens' regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at 1 p.m. comes with an immediate test: how much of last year's early Colts offence can survive the challenge of a healthier, more settled start? Daniel Jones is back after a torn Achilles, and he says he feels really good physically heading into the game.
That is the key storyline for the Ravens Game. The Colts were 8-2 last season and averaged 32.1 points per game and 3.17 points per drive through their first 10 games before injuries and a seven-game losing streak ended the year badly. Now they open the season against a Baltimore Ravens defence that will know exactly where the danger lies: in how quickly Jones can process, distribute and keep the offence on schedule.
Jones gives the Colts a different look
Roquan Smith summed up the challenge well, saying Jones is efficient and processes the game very quickly, which means the Ravens cannot allow him to get comfortable in rhythm. Smith added that Baltimore will need to change the picture on him and force him to a second hitch on throws where he would otherwise want to get the ball out fast.
That matters because the Colts have had success with a structure that helps the quarterback. Since Shane Steichen arrived in 2023, they have used play-action on 29.1% of dropbacks, a sign of how much they want to create simple, defined reads. If Jones is sharp after the Achilles injury, that can make the offence harder to defend than a standard drop-back attack.
Jones himself sounded positive on Wednesday. He said he feels really good, that it felt good to start training camp, and that he feels even better now. He also said he is happy with where he is physically and excited to be out there.
Why Jonathan Taylor changes everything
For Baltimore, the other obvious concern is Jonathan Taylor. The Colts are a different team when their running game is threatening, because it helps the play-action game and keeps the defence from sitting on Jones' first read.
That is what makes the opener such a useful early test for the Ravens. The Colts showed last season that they can score in volume when everything is working, and Taylor gives them the kind of rushing threat that can make those long, methodical drives possible. If he starts fast, the Ravens will have to defend both the run and the pass without giving Jones the easy answers he wants.
The Colts also have a small but notable quarterback storyline behind Jones. Last season he became the only Colts quarterback other than Peyton Manning to log at least 200 passing yards in the first 10 games of a season, a reminder that the position has not often produced this level of productivity in recent team history.
That does not guarantee anything on Sunday, of course. But it does explain why this opener feels important for both sides. The Ravens will want to control the game early, while the Colts will hope Jones, Taylor and Steichen's structure can pick up where last year's strong start left off. The first answer comes at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
