Where to watch Colts vs. Ravens: TV channel, live stream, prediction, pick, odds, spread

Lamar Jackson and Daniel Jones look to bounce back from injury-plagued seasons

Sep 11, 2026 at 8:12 am ET • 3 min read

The NFL is back, and so, too, are Super Bowl expectations for the Baltimore Ravens. This time, though, things look a little different. The Jesse Minter era opens Sunday with a visit to the Indianapolis Colts, who are out to prove last season's strong start was no fluke.

Both teams feature quarterbacks hoping to bounce back from up-and-down 2025 seasons. Lamar Jackson struggled with injuries all year, and he rarely looked like himself. He had the highest sack rate of his career and averaged 26.8 rushing yards per game, less than half of his career average. The Ravens' stop-and-start season came to a sudden end when Tyler Loop missed a game-winning field goal attempt in Week 18 against the Steelers, sending Pittsburgh to the playoffs.

Daniel Jones, meanwhile, was playing the best football of his career by far—and some of the best football in the NFL, in fact—before a midseason leg fracture (he played through it) and, a few weeks later, a torn Achilles. Through 10 weeks, Jones led the NFL in passing yards and was fourth in yards per attempt. The Colts fell into disarray after the injuries, slipping from 8-2 to 8-9 and missing the postseason for the fifth straight year.

Both teams have several reasons to be optimistic they'll put their respective disappointing finishes in the past, and that starts Sunday. Here's what you need to know.

Where to watch Ravens vs. Colts live

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
  
• Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
• TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Odds: Ravens -3, O/U 47.5 (via DraftKings)

Ravens vs. Colts: Need to know

Lamar Jackson in a new offense: Each of the two times Jackson's changed offensive coordinators, he's won MVP. Can he make it three for three? Declan Doyle is only 30 and is calling plays for the first time, but he was the Bears' offensive coordinator under Ben Johnson last year, and Jackson has drawn rave reviews from him. Expect more under-center play-action passes—an area Jackson has excelled—and other notable shifts in the approach.

Superstar running back meeting: Over the past five seasons, Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor rank first and second, respectively, in rushing yards. Sunday, they'll go head to head. Henry is coming off another monster statistical year—1,595 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns—but he had some costly, uncharacteristic fumbles as well. Taylor was averaging 113.9 rushing yards per game through 10 weeks, but Jones' injury threw a wrench into things, and he averaged just 63.9 yards per game over the final seven contests. Still, 1,585 rushing yards and a league-high 18 rushing touchdowns is hardly anything to sneeze at.

Jesse Minter's impact on the defense: Minter will call defensive plays for Baltimore, which makes sense given he was excellent as the Chargers' defensive coordinator the past two years. He should immediately help patch up a leaky pass defense. The Ravens allowed an NFL-high 64 passes of 20+ yards last year. Minter's Chargers allowed just 37, tied for second-fewest in the league.

Ravens vs. Colts pick 

By all accounts, Jones has looked outstanding, physically, even after such a major injury. That is crucial in Shane Steichen's offense. Jones' ability to throw on the run via play action and even scramble when needed finally allowed Steichen to run the ideal version of his offense. Adding Taylor into the mix made Indianapolis one of the NFL's most explosive offenses over the first half of the season. Defensively, the healthy returns of DeForest Buckner, Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward cannot be overstated.

But there's simply more talent in Baltimore, where Jackson is finally healthy again and the defense has plenty of individual talent, especially up front. The Colts' excellent offensive line against the Ravens' defensive front should be a terrific battle throughout. Minter's play calls should unlock the best version of Baltimore's secondary, too.

There will be some starts and stops for both offenses, but Henry should be in line for a monster day, and Indianapolis' linebackers could have some trouble against the run and the play-action pass. Minter's coaching debut is a winning one.

Pick: Ravens 23, Colts 20; UNDER 47.5