Five Key Baltimore Ravens Matches in the 2026 Season. The NFL is preparing the schedule for the 2026 season. The Baltimore Ravens face vital games against the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as a trip to Rio de Janeiro to play the Dallas Cowboys. The encounter with the Los Angeles Chargers promises a notable coaching showdown.
Ahead of the release of the full 2026 NFL schedule, five games have emerged that could define the season for the Baltimore Ravens. The calendar promises several high-stakes matchups, each carrying particular significance for the team and its fans.
One of the most anticipated will be an away game against the Buffalo Bills. Last season, the Ravens faced the Bills in prime time, led by a comfortable margin but lost at the end—a defeat that was among the most painful of the year and set the tone for a disappointing season. Now, both teams have new head coaches: Jesse Minter for Baltimore, and Joe Brady—formerly the offensive coordinator and once a candidate for the Ravens’ job—for Buffalo. This will be Minter’s first visit to the new Highmark Stadium, and for Baltimore, a chance to break a three-game losing streak on the road against the Bills, including two playoff losses. No matter the date, this game is already circled on the team’s calendar.
A no less tense matchup is expected against the Cincinnati Bengals on their turf. For Trey Hendrickson, who moved to the Ravens from the Bengals, this will be a special game—he will undoubtedly want to prove himself against his former teammates and make life difficult for Joe Burrow. Last season, Baltimore shut out the Bengals in Cincinnati, and Burrow had one of the worst performances of his career. In the offseason, the Bengals significantly strengthened their defense by signing Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and drafting Cashius Howell. Whether these changes will be enough to stop Lamar Jackson remains to be seen, as does the intrigue surrounding the Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase duel against the Ravens defense.
The home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is traditionally one of the most crucial matchups for Baltimore. Last season, a loss to the Steelers in the final round cost the Ravens a playoff spot, and another defeat at home contributed to the club's worst home record in history (3-6). Now, the rivalry enters a new phase: instead of John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin, the teams are led by Jesse Minter and Mike McCarthy. For Ravens newcomers like Vega Ioane and Zion Young, this is a chance to experience the atmosphere of one of the league's fiercest derbies. The club has repeatedly emphasized that victory over the Steelers is an essential part of the team's identity.
A special place on the schedule is the international game against the Dallas Cowboys, which will take place on September 27 in Rio de Janeiro. This is the NFL's first game in Brazil and the third international matchup for the Ravens, but the first one outside London. The face-off between two top franchises on a new continent for the league draws attention not only from fans but also from experts: adaptation to the flight, climate, and logistics could play a key role. In the last meeting between the teams, the Ravens defeated the Cowboys, but Dak Prescott remains one of the league's most productive quarterbacks. For Baltimore's defense, now under new coordinator Anthony Weaver, this will be a serious early-season test.
Baltimore is also anticipating the return of Jim Harbaugh, who now leads the Los Angeles Chargers. His duel with Jesse Minter, the former coordinator for both the Chargers and Michigan—where together they won a national title—promises to be an emotional event. For Minter, it's not just a meeting with his mentor, but also a chance to assert himself in his new role. The Ravens are counting on their coach to emerge victorious from this highly anticipated showdown.
For reference: The NFL continues to expand the geography of international games, and interest in the league is growing in Latin America. In 2025, the average attendance at NFL games in the US exceeded 68,000 spectators, and league broadcasts regularly rank in the top 10 most-watched sports events. The Baltimore Ravens were founded in 1996 and have won the Super Bowl twice — in 2000 and 2012.
