It's finally time for Patriots football, and it appears they heard the cries of all New England fans who couldn't wait for the return of the NFL season because this game went on for what felt like forever.
Although it was a tough one to sit through at times, there were still some standout moments for all the right reasons, and plenty of reasons to be excited about what's to come, while also hoping some of the lingering issues are addressed before Week 1.
Fortunately, there's still plenty of time to get things right and for all the good to get even better, and we'll get an even better glimpse of just where the Patriots are at this stage in the offseason when they welcome the Eagles for joint practices next week.
But until then, here are 11 instant reactions to the Patriots' preseason tie against the Colts.
Instant takeaways from the Patriots preseason opener
1. Preseason games should never be 3.5 hours long.
2. Tommy DeVito looked like a much more capable backup quarterback in the first half than he has previously, and that could make the Patriots more comfortable going into the 2026 season with him as the QB2. There were rumblings that they might need a more seasoned veteran, but DeVito showed he could be the reliable option they need if Drake Maye goes down.
3. Gabe Jacas had a great debut, recording five combined tackles, with two on special teams, and was a disruptor on nearly every snap he was on the field for. It was quite impressive, given he missed most of the offseason, and it's beyond clear why the Patriots wanted to draft him earlier this year.
4. The field goal unit was a mess for much of the game, with kicker Andy Borregales missing three field goals on the night, leaving nine points on the field. There were concerns about whether he was the right kicker for the job last year, and that was now resurfaced after his struggles tonight.
5. Wide receiver Kyle Williams scored the lone touchdown for the Patriots on a 12-yard pass from DeVito in the first half. He made another catch for 25 yards, showing off his speed, which puts him back on the radar as a potential weapon for Maye. He just needs to show up in that way at practice.
6. The backup defense was on fire for most of the game, recording two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. It was due to contributions from a variety of players, like K.J. Britt, Dell Pettus, and Bradyn Swinson, proving the Patriots have more reliable depth on defense than most have given them credit for.
7. The running back competition for who will ultimately be the first backup behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson heated up on Thursday night, with the clear frontrunners remaining to be Jam Miller and Lan Larison after Terrell Jennings was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Miller came out the victor in this game, but it's still a close race.
8. There is a concerning lack of depth on the offensive line, especially after seeing backup center Ben Brown go down with an injury in the first half. He immediately went to the medical tent and eventually to the locker room, which only makes the injury seem more serious. Not long after Andrew Rupcich went down with what appeared to be a knee injury, so there is a clear need for more help ahead of the regular season.
9. The secondary showed a lot of promise with the starters not on the field. Rookie Karon Prunty forced a punt with a nice breakup, while Kindle Vildor hauled in an interception early in the game.
10. Mack Hollins had an up-and-down evening with DeVito, missing some easy catches early on and making a nice grab for an 18-yard catch later on. Because he will be one of Maye's favorite deep-field targets, we need more reliability from him the rest of the preseason.
11. The struggles we've seen at practice by the defense in covering tight ends continued against the Colts, and at this point, it feels like a problem the Patriots can't escape. They have been weak against tight ends since Bill Belichick was still the head coach, so they'll need to figure that out soon, or they will continue to be dominated by some great players this fall.
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