The Ravens don’t need to reinvent the wheel in Week 1. If anything, they can lean into the simplest part of the plan: give Derrick Henry the ball and let the matchup sort itself out.
That idea gets even more appealing when you look at what Indianapolis has in front of him. The Colts were tough to run on last season, finishing seventh in the league in fewest rushing yards allowed per game at 101.9. But the real change is inside the linebacker room, where the familiar names are gone and the replacements are much less established.
Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt are no longer there, and that matters. Indianapolis has turned to Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jaylon Carlies in starting roles, while rookies CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher could also see the field. That’s a second level that looks vulnerable on paper against a back like Henry.
And Henry doesn’t exactly need perfect blocking to make damage happen.
Baltimore’s interior offensive line is new, and DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart will get their chances to win at the line of scrimmage. But Henry has spent years turning contact into extra yardage, and 2025 was another reminder of how hard he is to corral. He finished with 1,225 rushing yards after contact, 17 runs of 20-plus yards, four runs of 40-plus yards, 79 first downs, and 16 rushing touchdowns.
That kind of production is why the Colts’ linebackers are the focus here. Davis-Gaither posted a 66.9 PFF run defense grade with the Arizona Cardinals last year, but he also missed 13 tackles.
Carlies has promise, but he has only six starts entering Year 3. Against Henry in space, that’s a dangerous assignment.
Then there are the rookies. Allen, a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, brings a feel for plugging run plays and sorting through traffic.
Boettcher, a fourth-rounder, plays with the kind of fearless edge that suggests he wants to take your head off on every snap. But rookies are rookies, and neither is expected to start.
If they do get rotational snaps, they could be staring at Derrick Henry in their NFL debut.
The Colts still have talent up front with Buckner and Stewart, and Baltimore’s offensive line will have to prove it can hold up in 2026. But none of that changes the basic truth: Henry is going to get to the second level, and once he does, the Ravens have every reason to like their chances. It wouldn’t be a shock if he comes out and dominates right away.
In Other News...
Lamar Jackson Looks Reborn In Ravens Offense But One Concern Looms
Lamar Jackson opened the season looking every bit like the version of himself the Ravens had been waiting for. In Baltimores Week 1 victory, he completed 17 of 25 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown while adding 40 rushing yards and another score, a strong reminder of how dangerous he can be when the offense is working around his full skill set. The offseason hire of Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator already appears to have made a difference, helping Jackson bounce back after a difficult previous season and get the ball to multiple playmakers in rhythm.
Zay Flowers was one of the biggest beneficiaries, catching five passes for 150 yards before leaving with a hamstring injury. His early exit introduced the kind of concern that can change the tone of an otherwise encouraging opener, especially for an offense that looked far more explosive with Jackson distributing the ball across the field. The Ravens got the kind of start they wanted from their quarterback, but the health of one of his top targets will now be worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Zay Flowers Exit Leaves Ravens Facing An Immediate Passing Game Concern
Zay Flowers had already given the Ravens exactly the kind of explosive start they wanted in Week 1 against Indianapolis, piling up five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown before leaving late in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. He was listed as questionable to return at halftime and was spotted on the sideline without a helmet as the second half began, a frustrating turn for a Baltimore passing game that had leaned on his big-play ability early.
For a Ravens offense that has spent much of camp trying to sharpen its aerial rhythm, losing Flowers in the middle of such a productive afternoon was an immediate concern. His availability for the rest of the game was the first question, but the larger one was how Baltimore would handle the passing attack if the injury kept him from being a full-participant going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Enter Week 1 With One Big Question Against The Colts
The Ravens open their season on the road against the Colts, and the biggest storyline is the first game of the Jesse Minter era after the club moved on from longtime coach John Harbaugh. Baltimore kept its core intact, including Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, and also added veteran help on the edge with Calais Campbell and Trey Hendrickson, giving this roster a familiar backbone even as the sideline changes around it.
Indianapolis brings its own set of questions into Week 1 after a season that started well before fading late, and the hope there is that better health from players such as Daniel Jones and DeForest Buckner can spark a rebound. For Baltimore, though, this feels like an early test of how quickly a new coaching staff can settle in, especially on the road against a team that believes it still has more upside than it showed a year ago. [Read more 🡒]