In Week 1, the Baltimore Ravens came out on top in their regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts in a 41-23 victory on Sunday. They were one of three AFC North teams to start 1-0, putting them in a three-way tie atop the division standings with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals .
In a game where they were slightly favored to win, the Ravens came out of the gate firing on all cylinders on offense, despite struggling with a litany of penalties, and put up over 500 yards. Defensively, they overcame a rough first drive and were lights out for the vast majority of the game, forcing two turnovers, five punts and a turnover on downs.
The Ravens were able to secure the victory thanks to some underrated yet impactful performances from a handful of well-known starters and some of their less-heralded players making plays on both sides of the ball.
The ascension that the fifth-year nose tackle started in the second half of last season continued in the season opener as he was a dominant force in the middle of the Ravens' defensive front. His strength and power at the point of attack were evident throughout the game and really took center stage on his two solo tackles for a loss, where he dropped Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor in the backfield on momentum-shifting plays.
The first came on the first play of Indianapolis' second drive of the game and was immediately followed by an interception by Roquan Smith . The second was in the late third quarter and set up a third-and-long that resulted in a deep incompletion, followed by a punt. In between those two plays, Jones also had a huge solo run-stuffing of Taylor late in the second quarter on third-and-1 that forced the Colts to punt the ball back to the Ravens, who mounted a quick scoring drive to close out the half. He led all Ravens defensive tackles with four tackles and was their third-highest-graded defender, according to Pro Football Focus, with an overall grade of 77.4.
Sep 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) runs with the ball for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Ravens ripped off a chunk and explosive plays seemingly at will in this game, both through the air and on the ground. While everything begins in the trenches and the offensive line deserves a great deal of credit, the blocking efforts of their wide receivers downfield deserve to be highlighted as well because they helped some of their biggest plays finish in the end zone.
On Zay Flowers ' 54-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the second quarter, rookie wideout Ja'Kobi Lane prevented the Colts' last line of defense from getting in the way. On the second score of star running back Derrick Henry 's rushing touchdown hat trick, veterans Rashod Bateman and Chris Moore both made key blocks that sprung him for the 32-yard jaunt to cap off the ensuing drive.
Sep 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Jaylinn Hawkins (21) and linebacker Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates a turnover against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Just because the four-time Pro Bowler and prized free-agent acquisition didn't record a sack in his Ravens debut, it doesn't mean he wasn't massively impactful for the Ravens' pass rush nonetheless. He had several near sacks, should've drawn multiple holding flags for how he was getting blatantly hugged and mugged when he was turning the corner off the edge and he logged a team-high eight pressures. According to NextGenStats , the Ravens posted a pressure rate of 58.6% and recorded both of their sacks when Hendrickson was on the field, as opposed to a 20% pressure rate and no sacks on the plays he wasn't.
Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore (95) tackles Baltimore Ravens wide receiver LaJohntay Wester (10) on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
In addition to providing some juice as a return specialist on both punt and kick returns, the second-year pro also stepped up as a pass catcher after Flowers left the game late in the second quarter. He helped the Ravens move into field goal range on their fifth and final scoring drive of the first half by recording the first two regular-season receptions of his career within three plays of each other for gains of six and nine yards out of the slot. His contributions jump-started a six-play sequence that ended with Tyler Loop drilling a career-long 57-yard field goal to put the Ravens up three scores heading into halftime. Wester finished with 75 all-purpose yards, with 30 on one kickoff return and another 30 on three punt returns.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Trenton Simpson (32) tackles Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
After opening each of the last two seasons as a starter, only to get benched later on or, in last year's case, expeditiously, the 2023 third-rounder in the final year of his rookie contract got off to a very impressive start. He was a force against the run, totaling four tackles, including three solos and two for a loss, in which he dropped Taylor behind the line of scrimmage for losses of three yards and one yard in the second quarter.
Sep 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) breaks up a pass intended for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The third-year pro showed why he is deserving of the mantle as the Ravens No. 1 cornerback in this game, as he wasn't tested much, but when he was, he didn't give up a single reception on two targets in his 34 coverage snaps. Wiggins came up with a clutch pass breakup deep down the field on a third-and-long late in the third quarter and finished with four total tackles, three solos.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/ravens/onsi as Unsung Heroes From The Ravens' Week 1 Win Over Colts .
