For better or worse, the Baltimore Ravens are almost ready to kick off the 2026 season. Last year did not go as most fans thought it would, with the Ravens unable to meet lofty preseason expectations and finishing with a losing record for just the second time in the last decade.
Even so, there is reason for excitement. New coach Jessie Minter worked with the team from 2017 to 2020, the Ravens added edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to bolster the pass rush — don’t ask about how that went down — and the team still has a guy by the name of Lamar Jackson leading the offense.
Baltimore loves the Ravens, and you should, too. If you’re already a season ticket holder, no need to read further. But if you’ve never been to a game or only go occasionally, here is a list of five games worth checking out at M&T Bank Stadium this season.
- Preseason Week 3 vs. Washington Commanders; Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.
Summer football, anyone? Surely, a few of you scoffed at the suggestion that a preseason game made the cut, however, for new fans, a preseason contest can offer a lower barrier to entry than the regular season. One, it’s cheaper and there will be fewer people in the stands. And two, it’s a game against the team’s local rival. Even if starters aren’t playing, that adds a level of excitement you won’t get in the first two preseason contests. Finally, if you’re a superfan, you’ll get the chance to see which fringe guys make the cut to pad out the roster ahead of Week 1.
- Week 2 vs. New Orleans Saints; Sept. 20 at 1 p.m.
In Week 1, the Ravens are out of town, meaning this will be the home opener. You can bet that The Bank will be rocking, and the game should be a ton of fun. It’s no secret that the Saints are struggling right now, and the Ravens will be heavy favorites in this one. The game is in the 1 p.m. window, which means that even if you live in the outer reaches of Baltimore County, you’ll be able to stay until the clock hits zero and get back in time for a full night at home ahead of work Monday.
- Week 7 vs. Cincinnati Bengals; Oct. 25 at 1 p.m.
The Ravens schedule has four key divisional games in the final four weeks, with this being the second of two early season AFC North opponents after a tilt at Cleveland in Week 6. Even though this game won’t decide anything per se, it will give fans a good view of where the Ravens stand in the pack. The Bengals seem to be the biggest threat to the Ravens in the North, with both the Browns and Steelers expected to lag behind. Attend this game if you want to see meaningful football — both in the sense of the standings and in the sense that division rivals always seem to have a little more juice when they play each other.
- Week 10 vs. Los Angeles Chargers; Nov. 16 at 8:15 p.m.
There are two interesting notes about the coaching staffs in this game. One, Minter took the Ravens job after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Chargers for the past two seasons, so this game will be his first chance to battle his former employer since taking the reins in Baltimore. Less relevant, but still noteworthy, is that Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is, of course, the brother of former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who now serves as the head coach of the New York Giants. This game is a Monday Night Football game — that means it’s on national television, will be hyped up all week and comes with an extra layer of fanfare as opposed to a normal Sunday afternoon matchup. If you’ve never seen MNF live, check this matchup out. The Chargers will likely be good this year, and the game should be competitive.
- Week 18 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers; TBD
This write-up could be the shortest of all of them, as “Week 18 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers” says all you need to know about why you should plan to attend this game. The Ravens archrival might seem to be headed in a downward direction. They enter year one without Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Tomlin, and year two with geriatric future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But end-of-year matchups between Baltimore and Pittsburgh always mean something. Last year, a missed field goal by Ravens kicker Tyler Loop in the waning seconds of the final game of the season saw Pittsburgh win the division despite an up-and-down campaign, so you can bet the Ravens will want revenge in the first game of the new year.
