* Alec Pierce's health and impact could be crucial for Colts offense
* Colts defense faces new-look Ravens offensive line, an advantage to exploit
* Colts coaches Steichen and Anarumo have recent success against Ravens coaches
Source: Cooper Neill / Getty
**Colts Wednesday Notebook: Alec Pierce Good To Go**
**INDIANAPOLIS** **–** Another NFL chapter is here.
The Colts and Ravens will kickoff on Sunday at 1:00 PM inside of Lucas Oil Stadium.
What did we learn from the Colts as they began their regular season practice schedule?
\-Shane Steichen says wide receiver Alec Pierce “should be good to go” for Sunday’s season opener. If Pierce practices all this week, that would be 7 practices for him in trying to ramp up in time for Week 1. For me, the question with Pierce this week is _how much_ can he play and _how effective_ he can be when he’s on the field. Is he his normal home run hitting threat, demanding respect from the opposing defense? Pierce’s mere presence on the field commands attention that should open up things underneath in the pass/run game. But if Pierce is limited in snaps/ability, that could allow for the Ravens to deploy resources elsewhere. This is a huge Week 1 storyline for me.
_\-“__We have been very clear with Chris and Shane that giving them another opportunity means that the sense of urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher.”_ That was Carlie Irsay-Gordon back in January when assessing the 2025 season, and looking ahead to the ’26 campaign. What did hearing that mean to Shane Steichen? “I think every year in this league, the urgency’s got to be high, regardless of circumstances, whether you go to the playoffs or you don’t go to the playoffs, you got to go and work your butt off every single day to do the very best you can be,” the head coach said on Wednesday. “Because at the end of the day, I talk about preparation all the time, the separation in this league is in the preparation, but you got to prepare the right way, and then sometimes…the process will control the outcome, so our process has got to be great, and that’s the way I look at it. So, my urgency level is very high. I know these players and coaches’ urgency level is very high because we have a good football team, but we got to go make plays and win games.” Does the urgency level ramp up after 3 straight seasons of missing the playoffs. “Yeah, I think so. Absolutely. I mean, we got a lot to prove, and we got to go out and prove it. Every week.”
\-Shane Steichen says no limitations for Daniel Jones as the QB returns to the lineup on Sunday, 280 days after tearing his right Achilles. “He’s ready to go,” is what Steichen said on Wednesday when asked if Jones would have any limitations come Sunday. In camp, Jones looked pretty darn healthy. But the red jersey now comes off. Do we see anything lingering when it comes to the inevitable random movements that pop up in a game? Throwing wise? Jones looked totally health to me in camp.
\-From the Baltimore side of it, the Ravens are starting Jovaughan Gwyn at center. Gwyn has played 11 career offensive snaps in 3 NFL seasons, having never started a game. The Ravens are starting players at left guard, center and right guard that weren’t on thire team last season. So, for the Colts, that should be some feasting opportunities for the likes of Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner. Remember, Buckner is coming off a preseason in which he participated from Day 1 of training camp, ramping things up to where the Colts feel comfortable with him at his normal workload. This should be a clear advantage for the Colts.
\-One Colts defensive personnel item for Week 1, they will be without veteran/versatile cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt. He’s suspended for one game. That means the Colts don’t walk into the opener with as much cornerback depth. I view Taylor-Britt as the team’s 4th cornerback, behind a stout trio of Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward Sr. and Justin Walley. When healthy, this is a definite strength of the Colts defense and needs to play like that to help the front have more time in the playmaking department.
\-The Colts are expected to start veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jaylon Carlies at linebacker on Sunday. Davis-Gaither came over from the Cardinals this offseason, but has plenty of history with Lou Anarumo in facing Lamar Jackson. Carlies was a big depth chart climber this offseason, after he was limited to 2 total defensive snaps all of last year. So what does that mean for 2nd round pick CJ Allen? After a preseason rollercoaster of injuries, Allen has been healthy for a couple weeks now. But I’m still curious how much he will be part of the linebacker rotation that Anarumo seems to be open using. Whoever is playing at linebacker against the Ravens on Sunday, eye discipline will be a major key for the Colts.
\-Shane Steichen and Daniel Jones dominated a couple of key Baltimore coaches last season. In facing now Ravens head coach Jessie Minter (then Chargers defensive coordinator), the Colts scored 38 points and had 401 total yards of offense. In last year’s season opener facing now Ravens defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver (then Dolphins defensive coordinator), the Colts had 33 points and didn’t punt. Of course, Minter/Weaver now have different personnel available to them in Baltimore, but they clearly got shredded by the combination of Steichen and Jones last season.
\-One key matchup to watch on Sunday will be premier edge rusher Trey Hendrickson facing off against Colts new right tackle Jalen Travis. In replacing Braden Smith, Travis did start 4 games as a rookie, but he is now the full-time guy on the right edge. He could be seeing Hendrickson opposite him a lot this coming Sunday. Hendrickson has 39 sacks in the last 3 seasons (41 games). By all accounts, the Colts had heavy interest in Hendrickson reuniting with Anarumo this offseason.
\-This Week 1 matchup does bring quite a bit of history between Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson facing Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. The two have squared off 10 different times from those Ravens/Bengals matchups. Jackson has completed 62.9 percent of his passes, throwing for 22 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in those games. The dynamic Jackson hasn’t had massive rushing days in those games, but he’s been pretty darn productive in creating big plays in the passing game vs. staying away from the turnovers. Of course, this is now Jackson in a new Baltimore offense (first time play caller in Declan Doyle) facing an Anarumo defense with different personnel.
\-The Colts are now into their weekly practice routine, with on-field sessions Wednesday-Friday, leading into a Saturday walk-through and Sunday’s 1:00 PM kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium.