Patriots settle for preseason tie after late Colts rally at Gillette Stadium originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots opened their 2026 preseason without a win or a loss.New England played the Indianapolis Colts to a 13-13 tie Thursday night at Gillette Stadium, surrendering the final six points after carrying a 13-7 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Preseason results rarely matter, but the game still offered plenty for head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff to evaluate. Tommy DeVito delivered a solid performance at quarterback, Kyle Williams supplied the Patriots’ biggest offensive highlight and the defense forced four Colts turnovers. A difficult night from kicker Andy Borregales and an ineffective rushing attack kept New England from putting the game away.
Tommy DeVito leads Patriots’ lone touchdown drive
DeVito received the start and completed 13 of 22 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He finished with a 92.6 passer rating and took only one sack. His best throw of the night went to Williams, who caught a 25-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. The score gave New England a 10-7 lead after Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. had put the Colts ahead with a rushing touchdown.
Williams caught two of his three targets for 37 yards. Kobe Prentice led New England with 40 receiving yards, while Lan Larison recorded a team-high six catches for 38 yards. Behren Morton replaced DeVito and completed 7 of 13 passes for 66 yards. Morton avoided committing a turnover but struggled to generate explosive plays as the Patriots went scoreless in the fourth quarter.
New England finished with 275 total yards and averaged only 4.1 yards per play. The Patriots’ rushing production was particularly disappointing. They gained 83 yards on 32 carries, an average of 2.6 yards per attempt. Jam Miller led the group with 55 yards on 14 carries, while Larison managed only one yard on seven attempts.
Patriots defense makes life difficult for Colts quarterbacks
The strongest part of New England’s performance came from a defense that consistently created opportunities. John Saunders Jr. and Kindle Vildor each intercepted a pass. Saunders returned his interception 26 yards, while Vildor added a pass breakup.
The Patriots also recovered two fumbles, giving them four takeaways on the night. Joshua Farmer recorded the team’s only sack, and Bradyn Swinson registered three tackles, one pass defense and a quarterback hit.
Channing Canada led New England with eight total tackles. Khalil Jacobs and Namdi Obiazor added six apiece. Richardson was Indianapolis’ most dangerous offensive player, completing 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards while rushing six times for 53 yards and a touchdown. His otherwise impressive outing was damaged by an interception and lost fumble.
Riley Leonard completed 10 of 21 passes for only 89 yards and an interception.
Indianapolis outgained New England 355-275, but its four turnovers prevented the Colts from taking control.
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Andy Borregales endures rough preseason opener
Borregales accounted for seven of the Patriots’ 13 points, but the final numbers tell only part of the story. The New England kicker converted two of his five field-goal attempts, including a 52-yarder, and made his only extra-point attempt. His three misses proved costly in a game that finished tied.
Indianapolis received a much steadier performance from Spencer Shrader, who connected on both of his attempts and drilled a 61-yard field goal.
Borregales’ inconsistency will be one of the more significant concerns coming out of the opener. While preseason games are designed for evaluation, special-teams reliability can determine roster decisions and regular-season outcomes.
New England also struggled to sustain drives, converting only one touchdown and leaning heavily on Bryce Baringer. The Patriots punter averaged 51.5 yards across six attempts and placed three inside the 20-yard line.
The Patriots showed encouraging signs with four defensive takeaways, a turnover-free performance from their quarterbacks and a touchdown connection between DeVito and Williams.
Still, the poor rushing production and three missed field goals left the door open for Indianapolis. The Colts took advantage, scoring twice in the fourth quarter to send both teams home with a rare preseason tie.