Ravens Go Roaring Into the Jesse Minter Era, and the Colts Look Like Frauds

By Charles Harris

The Jesse Minter era could not have started much better for the Baltimore Ravens.

On a Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis, the Ravens walked into Lucas Oil Stadium and announced that this was not going to be a slow transition, a feeling-out process, or a rebuilding season. Baltimore came out attacking, played with explosiveness on offense, made the necessary adjustments defensively and walked away with a convincing 41-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in the 2026 season opener.

The final score tells the story, but the box score makes the statement even louder.

Baltimore finished with 506 total yards, compared with just 251 for Indianapolis. The Ravens averaged 7.9 yards per play, controlled the ball for more than 35 minutes and forced two turnovers while committing one of their own. Indianapolis managed only 4.7 yards per play and converted just a small portion of its third-down opportunities.

This was not a lucky win.

This was not Baltimore surviving a close game.

The Ravens went into Indianapolis and took control.

And after watching the Colts enter the season with plenty of expectations, I have to say it: the Colts look like frauds.

Welcome to the Jesse Minter Era

Every new head coach wants to make an immediate impression.

Jesse Minter made his with a 41-point road performance.

Baltimore's first game under Minter showed a team that appeared prepared, aggressive and confident. There were mistakes, especially the 10 penalties for 86 yards, but the Ravens consistently answered their mistakes with big plays.

That is what stood out most.

The Ravens did not need a perfect game to dominate Indianapolis.

They overcame penalties.

They overcame injuries.

They overcame an Indianapolis offense that came out aggressively.

And when the Colts tried to make things interesting, Baltimore had an answer.

That is an encouraging sign for a team beginning a new era.

Minter's fingerprints were most obvious defensively as the game progressed. Indianapolis scored on its opening possession when Jonathan Taylor ran for a touchdown, but Baltimore did not panic. The defense settled down, created pressure and forced Daniel Jones into mistakes.

Roquan Smith intercepted Jones, and the Ravens also recorded two sacks while generating significant pressure throughout the afternoon.

The Colts quarterback finished 19-of-31 for 166 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

That is not the type of performance that makes anyone believe Indianapolis is ready to compete with the AFC's best.

Lamar Jackson Looked Like Lamar Jackson

Then there was Lamar Jackson.

The Ravens quarterback looked explosive from the opening snap.

Jackson finished with 324 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, while adding 40 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground. His ability to make Indianapolis defend every blade of grass was one of the biggest differences in the game.

Baltimore's first offensive play was a perfect example.

Jackson hit Zay Flowers for 49 yards, immediately putting the Colts defense on its heels.

Two plays later, Jackson finished the drive himself with a five-yard rushing touchdown.

That sequence told you exactly what kind of afternoon Indianapolis was facing.

If the Colts wanted to focus on Henry, Jackson could hurt them.

If they wanted to contain Jackson, Flowers could hurt them.

If they tried to take away the passing game, Henry could punish them.

That is the nightmare Baltimore can create when its offensive pieces are healthy.

Jackson did not have to carry the entire offense because the Ravens had another superstar waiting behind him.

Derrick Henry Is Still Roaring

Derrick Henry looked like a player who has no interest in slowing down.

The veteran running back carried the ball 24 times for 144 yards, averaging six yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns.

His long run was 32 yards.

His second touchdown was a 32-yard burst that showcased the exact combination Baltimore wanted when it brought him to the Ravens: power, patience and explosiveness.

Henry also made history during the game.

His first touchdown moved him into a tie with Marcus Allen for third place on the NFL's all-time rushing touchdown list. His second touchdown moved him past Allen.

Only LaDainian Tomlinson and Emmitt Smith now stand ahead of him on that particular list.

That is remarkable company.

And Henry is doing it while continuing to look like one of the most dangerous short-yardage and goal-line backs in football.

Baltimore did not abandon Henry after halftime, either.

Once Flowers and Ja'Kobi Lane were out, the Ravens leaned even more heavily on the running game. Henry responded by continuing to punish Indianapolis, including his third touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

That is what makes this Baltimore offense so difficult.

It has multiple ways to win.

Zay Flowers Was Unbelievable — Until the Injury

One of the biggest stories of the game was also one of the biggest concerns.

Zay Flowers was sensational before leaving with a hamstring injury.

Flowers finished with five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, averaging an incredible 30 yards per reception.

His 54-yard touchdown reception from Jackson was one of the plays of the game. Flowers caught the ball, turned upfield and simply outran the Colts defense.

Before leaving, he had already established a career high in receiving yards.

Then the injury happened.

Flowers was ruled out for the remainder of the game, and the Ravens offense looked different afterward.

That is something Baltimore cannot ignore.

Ja'Kobi Lane also left the game with a wrist injury. Lane had one catch for 11 yards, and he also had a touchdown reception wiped out by an offensive penalty.

The Ravens still won comfortably, but losing Flowers and Lane potentially creates a major concern heading into Week 2.

The good news is that Baltimore proved it has enough offensive firepower to survive the afternoon.

The concern is what happens against better teams if Flowers is unavailable.

Chris Moore Becomes an Important Name

With Flowers gone, Chris Moore became one of the players who had to step up.

Moore finished with just one catch, but it was a huge one — 53 yards.

That catch demonstrated why depth matters.

Baltimore cannot expect to replace Flowers' production with one player, but it can compensate with a combination of players.

Mark Andrews also contributed four receptions for 49 yards.

And that is where the Ravens have an advantage over many teams.

They have Lamar.

They have Henry.

They have Andrews.

They have multiple receivers.

The key now is keeping enough of those pieces healthy.

The Offensive Line Was Better — But the Penalties Were Bad

I thought the offensive line looked better overall.

There were moments when Jackson had time to work, and Baltimore's running game consistently found room.

But the penalties were frustrating.

The Ravens were flagged 10 times for 86 yards, and some of those mistakes stalled drives or put Baltimore in difficult situations.

That cannot continue.

A team with championship aspirations cannot repeatedly give away yardage.

Jova Gwyn also deserves attention at center. He handled the position in the opener and helped the offensive line function effectively enough for Baltimore to produce 506 yards.

The overall performance was positive.

The penalties were the negative.

That should be one of the easiest things for the Ravens to address because discipline is correctable.

The Defense Deserves Credit

The Ravens defense was not perfect.

Indianapolis scored 23 points, and Jonathan Taylor had a strong afternoon with 98 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

But Baltimore's defense made the plays necessary to win.

Roquan Smith's interception was important.

Marlon Humphrey forced a fumble from Taylor.

The Ravens recorded two sacks and pressured Jones throughout the game.

Most importantly, Indianapolis never sustained enough offensive consistency to truly threaten Baltimore.

The Colts finished with only 251 total yards.

That is a major difference.

The Ravens offense was explosive, but the defense also made sure Indianapolis could not keep pace.

Trey Hendrickson Was Quiet, But the Defense Still Worked

Trey Hendrickson did not have the box-score performance some fans expected.

He was relatively quiet when it came to sacks, but that does not mean he was irrelevant.

The Ravens generated pressure without needing one player to dominate the stat sheet.

That is important for a defense operating under a new head coach.

The defense also played without Teddye Buchanan and Nnamdi Madubuike, two players Baltimore expects to be important contributors.

Despite those absences, the Ravens were able to control Indianapolis for most of the afternoon.

That should make Ravens fans feel good about what this defense could look like when everyone is available.

Tyler Loop Continues to Build Confidence

Another positive from the box score was kicker Tyler Loop.

Loop was perfect on the afternoon, including a 57-yard field goal and a 45-yard field goal.

The long kick was particularly impressive because Baltimore did not need to force the offense into a risky situation.

Loop simply stepped up and delivered.

For a young kicker, confidence matters.

This was an excellent way to begin the season.

And About Those Colts…

Now let's talk about Indianapolis.

The Colts opened the game by scoring a touchdown and briefly had Baltimore on its heels.

Then reality hit.

The Ravens scored 14 points in the first quarter and 17 more in the second.

By halftime, Baltimore led 31-13.

The Colts never recovered.

Jonathan Taylor was excellent, but Indianapolis could not get enough from the passing game. Daniel Jones struggled to consistently move the offense against Baltimore's defense, and the Colts finished with only 251 yards.

The defense also could not stop Baltimore's explosive plays.

That is the part that concerns me most if I am an Indianapolis fan.

Baltimore did not just beat the Colts.

The Ravens exposed the gap between the two teams.

Indianapolis looked like a team that may have received too much preseason hype.

One game does not determine an entire season, but if the Colts continue to play like this, the word fraud is going to become increasingly difficult to avoid.

The Ravens Are Sending a Message

The most important takeaway from Sunday's game is not simply that Baltimore is 1-0.

It is how the Ravens got there.

They scored 41 points.

They gained 506 yards.

Lamar Jackson looked like an MVP candidate.

Derrick Henry looked ageless.

Zay Flowers looked unstoppable before his injury.

The defense created turnovers.

The special teams delivered.

And Jesse Minter won his first game as an NFL head coach.

That is one heck of a debut.

There are still concerns.

The 10 penalties have to be cleaned up.

Flowers' hamstring injury has to be monitored closely.

Lane's wrist injury creates another question at receiver.

T.J. Tampa also left with a knee injury.

Baltimore cannot afford to lose too many key players.

But if you are looking at the big picture, there is a lot to like.

The Ravens went into Indianapolis and played like a team that believes it can compete for something significant.

This was a roar.

And the roar came from Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and a Ravens offense that Indianapolis simply could not handle.

The Jesse Minter era is officially underway.

And after one game, Baltimore looks dangerous.

The Colts?

They have a lot of explaining to do.

Because if Sunday was supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter for Indianapolis, it looked much more like another reminder that this franchise still has a long way to go.

The Ravens came roaring into the Jesse Minter era.

The Colts looked like frauds.

And Baltimore has officially put the rest of the AFC on notice.