The Ravens will open the season at 1 p.m. Sunday against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium. Here are game predictions from The Baltimore Banner’s sports staff.

Kyle Goon, columnist

With playmakers such as Lamar Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr., the Ravens were already difficult to prepare for. But a Texans defense that struggled last season will also be largely seeing all-new concepts from Baltimore. On the other side, it’s a rough debut for Ohio State product C.J. Stroud. Though the Ravens’ cornerback ranks are thin, expect playmakers at linebacker and safety to keep the rookie guessing.

Ravens 30, Texans 10

Jonas Shaffer, reporter

On paper, the Ravens have the advantage on offense and defense. But if their work-in-progress pass rush can’t find a way to bother Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, and if their renovated passing game takes time to find its way against a talented Houston defense, this game could stay tight. There’s also the matter of Week 2. With a road trip to division favorite Cincinnati looming, how much will coordinators Todd Monken and Mike Macdonald put on tape?

Ravens 23, Texans 16

Kris Rhim, reporter

Lamar Jackson approaches season-opening games like an experienced video gamer playing on the easiest difficulty level. His stats in Week 1 as a starter: 1,047 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception. The Texans, who have been something of a punching bag for the rest of the league the past few seasons, don’t appear to be a significant threat to Jackson’s Week 1 dominance.

Houston has potential. The team has a new, defense-minded coach in DeMeco Ryans and two first-round picks in quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. The cliché is that there is always a chance, but the Texans are a rebuilding team that simply doesn’t have enough talent on either side to beat a Ravens team playing at home and looking to contend for a title.

Ravens 27, Texans 12

Aron Yohannes, reporter

The Ravens have high expectations heading into the season, and it’s hard to see them drastically fall because of this rebuilding Texans team. Even if the new offense under Todd Monken isn’t sharp, they have too much firepower to get embarrassed by a rookie quarterback at home.

Ravens 28, Texans 13

Chris Korman, editor

We’re as guilty as any media outlet of obsessively focusing on how promising this Ravens offense could be — and it very well could be. It’s just that these things take quite a bit of time, and there’s nothing that replicates real game speed. So I expect there to be flashes of brilliance — one jaw-dropping run after the catch from Zay Flowers, a Lamar Jackson deep throw with touch — surrounded by the sort of just-miss moments that should be expected when a team makes drastic changes in scheme and personnel. At the same time, I expect the defense to be perhaps more rambunctious than people expect.

Ravens 23, Texans 9

Monique Jones, editor

The debut of the Ravens’ offense under offensive coordinator Todd Monken and newly paid quarterback Lamar Jackson doesn’t disappoint against an unproven Texans defense that is in the midst of its own rebuild.

Ravens 31, Texans 14

Brandon Weigel, editor

The Ravens are riding high to start the season with their franchise quarterback under contract, maybe the team’s best-ever wide receiver room on the roster and a new aerial attack from coordinator Todd Monken to bring it all together. Expectations are sky high.

But there remain questions. How will a cornerback room already lacking depth fare without Marlon Humphrey to start the year? Can David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh take the next step and give the Ravens a feared pass rush? How will the offense take to Monken’s playbook? Luckily, the Ravens can kick the can on these concerns with a Week 1 matchup against one of the worst teams in the league. I’m picturing a first half that’s somewhat close as the offense works the kinks out. Then the Ravens will step on the gas and easily surpass the 10-point spread.

Ravens 27, Texans 10