With the Ravens kicking off the Jesse Minter era with a trip to Indianapolis to take on the team that once played in Baltimore, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Though there’s always Week 1 enthusiasm, when was the last time there was this level of anticipation for an opener? Maybe 2019 with Lamar Jackson entering his first full season as the starter? Still, a new head coach for the first time in nearly two decades speaks for itself.
2. Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is familiar with many Ravens offensive players from his six years coaching in Cincinnati, but preparing for first-time play-caller Declan Doyle’s offense that’s expected to draw from both Sean Payton and Ben Johnson while needing to account for Jackson’s transcendent talents? Good luck with that.
3. There’s no secret that each side has a 1,500-yard rusher, and I wouldn’t envy defensive players needing to tackle Derrick Henry or Jonathan Taylor out of the gate. “It’s something every defensive coach in the National Football League is worried about right now,” said Anthony Weaver about early-season tackling.
4. Considering how limited Nnamdi Madubuike was throughout camp, it’s difficult to be surprised about him being inactive Week 1, but he was in good spirits upon breaking his silence Friday. “I’m getting back in that groove and getting back in my zone again. I’m in a great place right now.”
5. As of Friday afternoon, it was to be determined whether Lucas Oil Stadium’s roof would be open, but Tyler Loop should have ideal conditions in which to kick. Anything short of 100% accuracy will beg tougher questions. Practice doesn’t matter if it’s not going to translate to games.
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6. The Indianapolis defensive front should provide a good first test for Jovaughn Gwyn and this revamped interior offensive line. There will be some early hiccups, but Vega Ioane looking the part as a first-round right guard would go a long way toward easing big-picture concerns with that unit.
7. Kudos to Daniel Jones for being ready for Week 1 after tearing his right Achilles tendon in early December, but the Colts quarterback facing a Minter defense without a single preseason snap to re-acclimate is tough. I’d anticipate a steady diet of simulated pressures to mess with his live-game clock.
8. Speaking of preseason, debate persists about holding out starters or giving them snaps to knock off rust. While Minter barely played any starters at all, Shane Steichen gave many offensive starters six snaps and defensive veterans four snaps in their finale. Maybe that proves helpful, but color me very skeptical.
9. Questions persist about how healthy Colts receiver Alec Pierce is, but a league-leading 21.3 yards per catch a year ago speaks for itself. Meanwhile, two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner almost feels forgotten after his injury-plagued debut run in Indianapolis. Those two are capable of swinging the outcome of this one.
10. Asked about the Colts accumulating 38 points and 400 yards against his Chargers defense last October, Minter said, “That’s great tape obviously for myself to look at. … It’s different. We have obviously different players and different pieces.” Ultimately, it comes down to players making plays.
11. It’s not quite the Harbaugh Bowl, but Indianapolis defensive quality control coach Dillon Doyle — the younger brother of Declan — will be on the opposing side and has been responsible for collecting tape for how to prepare for Baltimore’s offense. Declan Doyle quipped, “I haven’t talked to him for a while.”
812. Calais Campbell will play in his 19th opener and made his debut when George W. Bush was in office. Asked about his workload, the 40-year-old joked, “I’m kind of experienced at being old. I know what I need to do to be able to still be effective on the field.”
Prediction: Anything can happen in Week 1 with San Francisco’s blowout win over the allegedly invincible Los Angeles Rams being the latest example. Minter is a first-time head coach who’s also juggling calling the defense, Doyle is calling plays for the first time, and Anthony Levine is a rookie special teams coordinator. In other words, there’s an awful lot of new to navigate before even taking the players’ adjustment into account. But spirits have been good all summer, and the Ravens have the advantage of the unknown, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. After repeatedly noting how much of a breath of fresh air it’s been to move on from the John Harbaugh era, the Ravens laying an egg against an Indianapolis team with only modest expectations wouldn’t be the best look. While this offense figures to have some early growing pains with so many new variables, I still expect a group led by Jackson to score more than enough points, and there’s very little excuse for the defense — the side of the ball with Minter’s expertise and more continuity in terms of both personnel and schematics — not to play well early. Trey Hendrickson will collect his first sack as a Raven and Kyle Hamilton will force a turnover as Baltimore wins Minter’s debut in a 24-13 final.
