The New England Patriots opened their 2026 preseason with a 13-13 tie against the visiting Indianapolis Colts, exposing early kicking struggles, injuries, and a tight running back competition.
The New England Patriots played the opening game of their 2026 preseason against the visiting Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night. While the contest ended in a relatively uneventful 13-13 tie, the matchup provided a revealing look at roster battles, depth concerns, and early-season adjustments for the first game of the season.
Kicking Woes and Offensive Line Injuries
Andy Borregales entered his sophomore campaign following a solid and clutch rookie year, but his preseason opener brought significant turbulence. Although he hit two field goals from 40 and 52 yards, Borregales missed from quite badly from 55, as well as from 56 and from 49 at the end of the game to win.
Head coach Mike Vrabel expressed calm despite the performance, though the second-year kicker also missed attempts during joint practices.
Beyond the kicking game, the offensive line took noticeable hits. In the first quarter, top interior backup offensive lineman Ben Brown exited with an injury and went from the blue tent to the locker room. Later in the contest, Andrew Rupcich also got banged up. While Rupcich remained on the sideline and later received the all-clear, losing two players at a position with minimal depth creates immediate concern.
Running Back Battle and Quarterback Performance
Behind top options Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, the competition for the third running back spot shifted significantly when incumbent Terrell Jennings was placed on season-ending injured reserve. The team also added veteran running backs JaMycal Hasty and Hassan Haskins while waiving undrafted rookie Myles Montgomery, narrowing the race.
The backup job has effectively distilled into a contest between seventh-rounder Jam Miller and second-year running back Lan Larison. Larison got the bulk of the work with 40 snaps, while Miller led the team with 14 carries for 55 rushing yards, highlighted by a 15-yard run where he bounced outside to pick up tough yardage.
At quarterback, second-string starter Tommy DeVito played the entire first half. While he delivered flashes—including a long pass to Cam Dorner wiped out by penalty and touchdown and curl route passes to Kyle Williams—his downfield accuracy fluctuated. Most notably, he underthrew a deep pass just before halftime when Williams beat Colts cornerback Johnathan Edwards on a go route.
Edge Pressure and Roster Positioning
Amidst the injuries and offensive penalties—the team finished with five accepted infractions for 35 yards—several bright spots emerged on defense. The edge rushing corps saw encouraging performances from Jesse Luketa and Bradyn Swinson, both of whom generated heavy pressure against Colts quarterbacks. One of Swinson’s disruptions directly triggered an interception by John Saunders Jr., while Luketa’s pressure set up a sack for Joshua Farmer.
Depth tackles also held their ground despite the line injuries. Marcus Bryant and Dametrious Crownover both registered solid outings, with Bryant securing a clear edge for a roster spot behind the team’s primary tackles.
