Week 1 often challenges offenses, especially those under a new coordinator. Opposing defenses spend months studying tendencies, personnel groupings, and play-calling habits to anticipate what is coming. For the Baltimore Ravens, however, that process may be more difficult than usual. No one has seen this Declan Doyle scheme. No one really knows what's coming.
The first-time play caller spent the offseason reshaping his offense, creating a unit that remains largely unknown outside the walls of the Under Armour Performance Center. While the Indianapolis Colts have undoubtedly studied Baltimore's personnel and the offensive systems Doyle has worked in, they've probably still seen plenty they haven't.
That uncertainty could provide a meaningful advantage
when the Ravens open the season Sunday. Coach Doyle hinted as much during a recent chat with the Baltimore media.
Declan Doyle hints that there is more to reveal
Much of the offseason discussion surrounding Baltimore's offense has centered on change. Lamar Jackson is operating in a new system. The Ravens have incorporated more under-center concepts.
Players have repeatedly described an offense built around physicality, detail, and explosiveness. Yet despite months of speculation about what the unit might look like, Doyle believes opponents are still working with limited information.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, the Ravens offensive coordinator acknowledged that new coaching staffs often benefit from some unpredictability.
"I think anytime that you're a new staff or you're a new play-caller, you have the advantage of the element of surprise a little bit. There may be a little bit of tape out there on us from the preseason, and yet we feel like we have quite a bit that we haven't shown. So, you can go back, and I think anytime you put an offense together and you build it kind of from scratch, there are parts of everything that you bring to it. There are parts of different elements of our staff that are new to this offense."
That comment may be one of the more revealing statements a Ravens coach has made throughout the preseason. Baltimore showed flashes of its offensive identity during training camp and preseason action, but those appearances offered only a limited glimpse of what Doyle and his staff have been building.
Doyle's comments suggest there are still concepts, wrinkles, and ideas that have yet to make their public debut.
Doyle also pushed back on the notion that the offense can be defined by any previous stop on his coaching résumé. While opponents may study elements of schemes he ran in Chicago, Denver, or elsewhere, he described this version as unique.
"This offense is the 2026 Baltimore Ravens — that's what it is. It's not any one thing from the past, but yes, certainly, having less tape is always a good thing."
That may be exactly what makes preparing for Baltimore so challenging. The Ravens still have to execute when the ball is kicked off Sunday, but entering Week 1 with an offense that remains somewhat of a mystery is a luxury few teams possess. Doyle believes Baltimore has that advantage, and that may mean the Colts will spend much of the afternoon trying to determine exactly what has been hiding behind the curtain.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Declan Doyle says Ravens have plenty on offense they haven't shown
