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The Ravens opened last season in primetime and closed last season in primetime. The results — crushing bookend losses to a conference rival and a divisional nemesis — set the stage for an offseason of change in Baltimore.
But expectations remain high in 2026. And so does leaguewide interest in the Ravens.
Even if the team’s 2026 schedule is relatively light on big-name opponents, there’s plenty of intrigue around how Lamar Jackson, Kyle Hamilton and a talented Ravens roster will fare under first-year coach Jesse Minter.
Ahead of the NFL’s schedule release Thursday night, here’s a reasonable wish list for the Ravens’ 2026 calendar, featuring (at least) four primetime games, a Thanksgiving Day matchup and a potential high-stakes finale.
Week 1: at Atlanta Falcons (Sept. 13)
The Ravens opened the past two seasons on the road, against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 and the Buffalo Bills in 2025. With M&T Bank Stadium hosting a test match between the South Africa and New Zealand men’s rugby teams Sept. 12, the Ravens are expected to hit the road again in Week 1. But, after missing the playoffs last year, will they open with another high-profile matchup? Atlanta could be a comfortable starting point for Minter’s head coaching tenure. The Falcons have a good offensive line and playmakers in Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts, but their quarterback situation is unsettled and their defense remains a work in progress.
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Week 2: at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sept. 20)
The Ravens and Steelers almost never meet early. They’ve played just two October games over the past seven seasons. Their last September meeting came in 2018, when Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger were starting at quarterback. But, with the AFC North’s offseason coaching turnover, why wait for Minter and Mike McCarthy to get acquainted? Most of the stars who figured prominently in the Steelers’ AFC North-winning Week 18 victory last year are set to return, even if John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin are elsewhere. Expect another road game here, too; the Orioles play their final home series of the regular season this weekend.
Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys (Sept. 27 in Brazil)
This is the only locked-in date on the Ravens’ schedule. They’ll face the Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. Sunday in the iconic Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro’s first-ever NFL game. (The city is only an hour ahead of Baltimore.) The Ravens are 1-1 in international games, having last traveled abroad for a 2023 win over the Tennessee Titans at London’s Tottenham Stadium. Dallas had the NFL’s worst defense last season, according to FTN, but should be improved there. The Cowboys’ potent offense features longtime Ravens nemesis George Pickens.
Week 4: vs. Tennessee Titans (Oct. 4)
The Ravens have a long flight back from Rio de Janeiro — they likely won’t touch down in Maryland until early the next morning — but there’s no hope for a week off here. Byes don’t start until Week 5. The best the Ravens could hope for in Week 4, then, is a layup of a home opener. The Titans are in rebuilding mode under Robert Saleh, whom the Ravens interviewed during their own head coaching search this offseason. Cam Ward will lead Tennessee’s offense, while Jeffery Simmons will test the Ravens’.
Week 5: at Houston Texans on ‘Sunday Night Football’ (Oct. 11)
The Ravens might not face a better unit all season than the Texans’ defense, which last year held a Jackson-less offense to 207 total yards, 12 first downs and 10 points in Baltimore. Houston plugged one of its only defensive holes by drafting run stuffer Kayden McDonald, and it has continued to invest in the offensive line this offseason, signing Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith and drafting Keylan Rutledge in the first round. Jackson is 5-0 against the Texans over his career, including the playoffs, but this might be the most well-rounded version he’ll see. A primetime showdown just makes sense.
Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Oct. 18)
The Ravens have won six straight games against Tampa Bay, including all three Jackson has started. Tampa Bay had won four straight division titles until last season, when injuries undercut its playoff hopes. And, if Jackson versus Baker Mayfield isn’t all that appealing, how about Ravens rookie Vega Ioane versus almost-a-Raven Rueben Bain? The first-round picks, taken back to back last month, could lock horns in the trenches.
Week 7: vs. Cleveland Browns (Oct. 25)
How will Ravens players and fans receive Todd Monken in his return to Baltimore? Jackson played at a Most Valuable Player level in his first two years under the new Browns coach, but the offense struggled last season amid a string of injuries and friction with Monken’s play-calling approach. Deshaun Watson, who’s reportedly the front-runner to start at quarterback in Cleveland, has won just one start since November 2023, when he left Baltimore with a surprising comeback victory.
Week 8: at Indianapolis Colts (Nov. 1)
Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon in December, but Shane Steichen said last month he expects his starting quarterback to be ready for training camp. If Jones looks like his old self by Week 1, it might not matter when the Ravens draw the Colts. Indianapolis’ offense has lost key pieces this offseason, but its defense should improve if Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward stay healthy.
Week 9: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Nov. 8)
The Jaguars might be the biggest wild card on the Ravens’ schedule. In their first season under Liam Cohen, they won 13 games, had a top-15 offense despite a disappointing season from Brian Thomas and had a top-10 defense despite an injury-shortened season from top pick Travis Hunter. Can they compete for another AFC South crown? Or will they fall back to the middle of the pack? The Ravens and Jaguars have traded wins back and forth over the past 10 games of the series.
Week 10: Bye
The Ravens got a Week 7 bye last year, which they ended up needing after a handful of significant early-season injuries. A later break could help this year if the team is pointed for a long playoff run.
Week 11: vs. Carolina Panthers on ‘Thursday Night Football’ (Nov. 19)
Thursday nights are no longer a backwater for low-profile Ravens games. Sure, Jackson made his return from injury against the Miami Dolphins in a short-rest matchup last year. But, over the three previous years, the Ravens faced the Cincinnati Bengals in back-to-back seasons and the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers in 2022. The Panthers aren’t a sure thing, but they’re coming off an 8-9 season and a playoff appearance. Carolina should be improved on both sides of the ball, with Tetairoa McMillan leading the way on offense and Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips signed to lift the defense.
Week 12: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day game)
Maybe the biggest surprise of the Ravens’ 2024 schedule was that their “HarBowl” against Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers was scheduled for Nov. 25 — three days before Thanksgiving Day. With John Harbaugh now leading the New York Giants, Ravens-Chargers matchups have lost some luster. But not all of it. There’s plenty of football family connections: Minter coached under Jim Harbaugh for four seasons at Michigan and in Los Angeles, while Anthony Weaver coached under Mike McDaniel for two seasons in Miami. Getting a normal week of rest for a Thursday home game, meanwhile, would be helpful.
Week 13: at Browns (Dec. 6)
The Browns fell to No. 6 in the draft order after winning their final two games last season. With a deeper quarterback class expected in next year’s draft, what late-season steps, if any, could Cleveland take to stay within range of a franchise-changing passer? Monken is a hard-wired competitor, but his best hope of keeping the job depends on finding his own Lamar Jackson.
Week 14: at Buffalo Bills on ‘Monday Night Football’ (Dec. 14)
Three straight Ravens-Bills games have kicked off in primetime, and the past two were instant classics. The Ravens nearly stormed back in their 2024 divisional-round loss, then collapsed in the fourth quarter of their 2025 opener. Will the NFL really pass on a late-night rematch at the new Highmark Stadium? Josh Allen and Jackson always drive ratings, and they happen to play for the AFC’s Super Bowl favorites. With the head coaching changes in Buffalo and Baltimore, this could also be scheduled as a September showcase.
Week 15: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Dec. 20)
This rivalry needs late-season juice. Cincinnati entered its Week 10 meeting in 2024 with a losing record. The Ravens and Bengals both entered their Week 15 meeting last year with losing records, too. Joe Burrow and Jackson weren’t at their best in their 2025 showdowns, a disappointment after their 2024 pyrotechnics. The Ravens and Bengals have played in primetime in four straight seasons. Will the streak continue this year?
Week 16: vs. New Orleans Saints (Dec. 27)
The Ravens haven’t hosted New Orleans since 2018, when a last-minute missed extra point by Justin Tucker cost them against Drew Brees and Co. The Saints have built a good offensive line to protect Tyler Shough, and they drafted Jordyn Tyson to complement Chris Olave out wide. But they’ll need their defense to continue punching above its weight.
Week 17: vs. Steelers on ‘Sunday Night Football’ (Jan. 3)
The Ravens played the Steelers in Week 18 last season, in Week 16 two years ago, in Week 18 three years ago, in Week 17 four years ago and in Week 18 five years ago. It’s reasonable to expect another late-December or early-January matchup, but would the NFL match the divisional rivals up in Week 18 again? Probably not, even if it might be Aaron Rodgers’ final NFL game.
Week 18: at Bengals (Jan. 10)
It’s not hard to imagine this game deciding the AFC North — and perhaps getting primetime treatment. The Bengals should have a top-10 offense. They traded for Dexter Lawrence and signed Boye Mafe to anchor a defensive front that lost Trey Hendrickson in free agency. If Cincinnati can’t help get Burrow back to the playoffs this year, could he force his way out next offseason?
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