Two teams that finished 8-9 a year ago and missed the playoffs open 2026 with something to prove, and the stakes could not be more immediate. The Baltimore Ravens are stepping into a new era — Jesse Minter takes over as head coach, the first new voice on that sideline in nearly two decades — while the Indianapolis Colts are trying to end a five-year postseason drought that has stretched through two consecutive identical losing records.

Baltimore arrives with momentum from a preseason that saw the Ravens outscore opponents by a combined 78-13 across three games, winning all three. That kind of dominant preparation does not guarantee regular-season success, but it signals a team that has bought into whatever Minter is selling. The Colts, meanwhile, are at home at Lucas Oil Stadium, where they will lean on a crowd hungry for something different after injuries derailed their 2025 campaign at the worst possible moments.

Both franchises know what the other represents: a mirror. Same record last year, same hunger, same opening weekend urgency. That symmetry makes this one genuinely compelling from the first snap.

Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts Game Information

Game Date: September 13, 2026
Game Time: 01:00 PM ET
TV Channel: CBS
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Live Stream: Fubo (free trial)

Game Preview

The last time these two teams met, Indianapolis edged Baltimore 22-19 in September 2023 — a result that still sits in the Ravens’ recent memory. Now Baltimore is chasing a return to the AFC North summit after a one-year playoff absence, while the Colts are attempting to reach the postseason for the first time since 2020 and reclaim the AFC South title for the first time since 2014. Both teams enter at 0-0, meaning every game from here carries maximum weight in what figures to be competitive division races on both sides of the AFC.

Indianapolis Colts Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 0-0
Rankings: #6 in Conference, #2 in Division

Baltimore Ravens Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 0-0
Rankings: #5 in Conference, #2 in Division

What to Watch For

The most compelling thread running through this game is what Baltimore looks like under entirely new leadership. Minter inherits a roster with genuine talent but also real questions — the kind that only regular-season football can answer. How the Ravens respond to adversity in their first meaningful game under a new system will reveal something about the character of this group and how quickly Minter’s vision has taken hold.

On the Indianapolis side, the Colts carry the weight of back-to-back 8-9 finishes, the second of which was shaped significantly by a seven-game losing streak fueled by injuries. The players who survived that stretch know what it cost them. That experience can harden a roster, and the Colts open at home with a chance to establish immediately that 2026 is a different kind of year.

With no player statistics available for either side, the game itself will do the talking — two AFC teams with parallel recent histories and divergent paths forward, meeting in a moment where the margin between contention and another long autumn is razor thin.

Indianapolis Colts Injury Report

Anthony Richardson Sr. – Illness (Full Participation In Practice)
Grover Stewart – Rest (Full Participation In Practice)
AJ Haulcy – Ankle (Full Participation In Practice)
Drew Ogletree – Neck (Full Participation In Practice)
Alec Pierce – Heel (Limited Participation In Practice)
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger – Illness (Full Participation In Practice)
Austin Ajiake – Hamstring (Did Not Participate In Practice)
DeForest Buckner – Rest (Did Not Participate In Practice)
Charvarius Ward – Rest (Limited Participation In Practice)

Baltimore Ravens Injury Report

Teddye Buchanan – Knee (Limited Participation In Practice)
Calais Campbell – Rest (Did Not Participate In Practice)
Zay Flowers – Hamstring (Full Participation In Practice)
Nnamdi Madubuike – Neck (Limited Participation In Practice)
Devontez Walker – Groin (Limited Participation In Practice)

Indianapolis Colts Upcoming 2026 Schedule

September 13, 2026 vs Baltimore Ravens
September 20, 2026 at Kansas City Chiefs
September 27, 2026 vs Houston Texans
October 04, 2026 at Washington Commanders
October 11, 2026 at Pittsburgh Steelers
October 18, 2026 vs Tennessee Titans
October 25, 2026 at Minnesota Vikings
November 01, 2026 at Jacksonville Jaguars
November 08, 2026 vs Dallas Cowboys
November 15, 2026 vs Miami Dolphins

Baltimore Ravens Upcoming 2026 Schedule

September 13, 2026 at Indianapolis Colts
September 20, 2026 vs New Orleans Saints
September 27, 2026 at Dallas Cowboys
October 04, 2026 vs Tennessee Titans
October 11, 2026 at Atlanta Falcons
October 18, 2026 at Cleveland Browns
October 25, 2026 vs Cincinnati Bengals
November 01, 2026 at Buffalo Bills
November 05, 2026 vs Jacksonville Jaguars
November 16, 2026 vs Los Angeles Chargers

Our game previews are produced programmatically using real-time data via Sportradar and AI writing tools. Articles are regularly reviewed for accuracy before publication.

Indianapolis City-County Councilor Ali Brown, a Democrat, resigned from her position Sept. 10 to take on a role as executive director of the Indiana Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs.

Brown represented District 10 on the northeast side, which includes Lawrence and Fort Harrison State Park.

The Marion County Democratic Party has 30 days from Brown’s resignation to hold a caucus and elect a new person to represent the district.

Brown said she’s proud of her work on the council but made the decision to step down after some deliberation. Brown said she didn’t want a perceived political conflict with her new role.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up and be an amazing adult and live their life to their full potential, and I see the Boys and Girls Club as a great means to doing that because they’re there to support these kiddos at every level at every time in their life,” Brown told WFYI.

She said she had attended a Boys and Girls Club when she was a kid. In the new role, she will be working with clubs across the state and coordinating financial support with the philanthropic community.

“We know the diversion program’s working here in Marion County,” Brown said. “Are there other counties where their prosecutor is interested in being a part of that? How do we take the amazing things that one club’s doing and sell it to other counties or other organizations so that we can show this impact?”

Brown was elected to the council in 2019 to represent District 5. In the 2023 election, she ran unopposed and won the District 10 seat. She was vice president of the council for two years.

While a councilor, Brown launched the Indy Autism Project and authored a proposal for bilingual English and Spanish captioning for city and county meetings. Brown also worked on animal welfare services, public construction and contracting, transportation and library services.

The Indianapolis City-County Council is composed of 25 councilors representing districts across the county. Brown’s vacancy will set off a process to find a replacement.

Megan Huntzinger, executive director of the Marion County Democratic Party, said it is working on details for a caucus meeting to replace Brown by Oct. 10.

The party must provide 10 days’ written notice before the caucus, and interested candidates must file a declaration 72 hours before the meeting. Precinct committee people will then vote on Brown’s replacement at the caucus.

Contact WFYI data journalist Zak Cassel at zcassel@wfyi.org.

Lauded Saraga International Grocery is opening a fourth location in Indianapolis.