The 2026 Commanders vs Ravens Preseason finale kicks off Friday at M&T Bank Stadium, and Washington fans get to enjoy their favorite annual tradition: reminding Baltimore that “preseason doesn’t matter” stopped being true for exactly one night in 2023.
The Matchup
Every August, someone insists preseason football is meaningless. Baltimore’s own head coach, John Harbaugh, seemed to agree with that logic for years, right up until Washington ended his team’s NFL-record 24-game preseason winning streak in 2023 — at which point “meaningless” suddenly needed a lot of qualifying. “Tell me that was meaningless out there what you just saw,” Harbaugh said afterward.
Washington took the streak seriously enough to enjoy it properly. Guard Sam Cosmi, still on the roster today, had mocked Baltimore’s record beforehand as “a stupid record” waiting to fall. Receiver Jahan Dotson called the 29-28 win “the biggest preseason W in history” once it did.
Unfortunately, Baltimore has since responded with a degree of dominance in this series, including a 30-3 blowout last year. Still, Washington fans don’t need the head-to-head math to bring this streak ender up every single year.
With roster cuts looming two days after kickoff, tonight’s game genuinely does carry real evaluation stakes for players on the bubble.
Gameday Info
Matchup: Washington Commanders (1-1) at Baltimore Ravens (2-0)
Date/Time: Friday, August 28, 2026 — 6:00 PM ET
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
How To Watch
- National: NFL Network
- Baltimore market: WBAL-TV
- Washington market: WUSA9
2026 Record
Washington is 1-1 after beating Miami 20-7 and falling to Detroit 17-13. Baltimore is a perfect 2-0 straight-up and against the spread, with both wins coming by double digits under new head coach Jesse Minter.
Head-to-Head History
Washington and Baltimore have met eight times all-time, almost entirely in the preseason given the two teams sit in different conferences. Baltimore leads the all-time series 5-3.
Recent Meetings:
| Date | Result |
|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2025 | Ravens 30, Commanders 3 |
| Aug 21, 2023 | Commanders 29, Ravens 28 |
| Aug 27, 2022 | Ravens 17, Commanders 15 |
Injury Report
Commanders
- Ben Sinnott (TE) — oblique injury, unlikely to play
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB) — dealing with a minor injury
- Rachaad White (RB) — dealing with a minor injury
Ravens
- Danny Pinter (OL) — knee injury, likely out for the remainder of the 2026 season
Betting Odds
As of this writing:
Ravens -3.5
(line opened at -2.5),
Over/Under 33.5.
Preseason lines move fast and vary by sportsbook — treat this as a snapshot, not gospel.