Five bold predictions for the Ravens' 2026 NFL schedule

Baltimore opens the season at home

With a first-year head coach in Jesse Minter, the NFL could give Baltimore an early opportunity to establish momentum at M&T Bank Stadium.

A home opener against Jacksonville, Tennessee, or New Orleans feels realistic and would allow the Ravens to debut Minter in front of a packed home crowd before the more difficult road matchups begin later in the season.

Ravens will travel to Cincinnati for a night game

Last May, Burrow said this about night games in Baltimore on a holiday.

"Playing in Baltimore for the fourth straight prime-time year isn't ideal," Burrow said after Tuesday's voluntary workout. "Maybe we can get one of those in Cincinnati next year. Please."

We predict the NFL will grant Burrow's wish. The matchup features the AFC North's most successful teams in recent years. The Bengals won the division in 2021 and 2022 before the Ravens took the division crown in 2023 and 2024.

AFC North games will dominate the second half

The NFL often stacks division games late in the year, and that trend should continue for Baltimore.

That means multiple late-season matchups against the Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns could determine playoff seeding in December and January. Baltimore’s physical style and the brutal nature of AFC North football could again make the division one of the NFL’s most compelling races.

The Ravens will play at least five primetime games

Baltimore remains one of the NFL's biggest television attractions thanks to Lamar Jackson, an aggressive defense, and perennial playoff-contender status. Games against Buffalo, Dallas (Brazil), Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Houston, and the Chargers all carry primetime potential. Even with a coaching transition, the Ravens remain one of the league’s most marketable teams, making another heavy national television schedule highly likely in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens schedule predictions include primetime showdowns