New England Patriots open their 2026 preseason on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium against Indianapolis Colts, renewing one of the NFL’s most storied rivalries.
The Pats have won 53 of their 85 previous NFL matchups, including two of their three AFC Championship Game clashes, but this will be only their third preseason meeting.
New England are looking to fine-tune a few things heading into a season where they will again be the defending AFC champions, while the Colts have been buoyed by star running back Jonathan Taylor's contract extension.
The starters are expected to have the night off in Foxborough, with second and third-stringers getting their chance to impress and perhaps earn spots on the 53-man rosters.
Colts vs. Patriots Betting Picks & Predictions
Patriots ML (+135)
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed this week that Super Bowl LX quarterback Drake Maye will not play in this preseason opener.
The Pro Bowler has been sharp throughout camp, building chemistry with offseason acquisitions A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs and delivering multiple red‑zone touchdowns in Tuesday's joint practice with Indianapolis.
Likewise, Shane Steichen announced that Daniel Jones will not play in the Colts' first two preseason games.
Thursday, therefore, becomes a showcase for backup passers Tommy DeVito and Anthony Richardson Sr, at least for the first half.
They came into the league three years ago, one as an undrafted free agent, the other as the fourth overall pick, but they are now in the same situation.
DeVito knows all about the importance of a good preseason and he produced his best-ever last year for New York Giants, completing 30 of 38 passes with four touchdowns, one interception and no sacks.
He has already caught the eye a few times in training camp, such as when he authored a deep strike to Kyle Williams that fired up fans during Tuesday's session.
Richardson is approaching a career crossroads with his time in Indy almost up and, in his limited preseason experience, he has failed to shine.
It won't be all about these two, however, as New England's young receivers - DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III, and Kyle Williams - have all shown promise too.
Indianapolis' depth will be tested and their second‑unit defense struggled at times in joint practice, particularly against New England's tempo work.
The Patriots are looking a little thin in the secondary, which should give the Colts a chance to score some points too, but New England's offense looks better equipped for a potential preseason shootout.
Over 37.5 points (+110)
Preseason openers tend to be disjointed and the number of points produced can suffer as a result, however, that did not happen when the Pats hosted Washington Commanders at this same stage last year.
New England won 48-18 with returning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels giving each of the three QBs that entered the huddle a chance to show their arm talent.
That approach proved particularly effective late in the game when the third-stringers were on the field.
DeVito put up points whenever he played for the Giants in the 2025 preseason and, with Richardson having a point to prove, this contest could turn into quite a back-and-forth between two exciting offenses.
The Over has landed in two of the Patriots' last three preseason games and eight of the Colts' last nine such contests.
Outcome of 1st Patriots drive - Touchdown (+290)
New England scored on their first six drives of the 2025 preseason, finding the end zone three times and kicking three successful field goals in the first half of that blowout win over the Commanders.
Patriots fans may be expecting something similar on Thursday when they face a Colts defense that ranked in the bottom 10 last year, allowing 412 total points and 349.8 yards per game.
DeVito has been sharp enough to prosper against Indy's secondary and his ability to move around in the pocket could buy an explosive wide receiver group an extra split second to gain separation.
Williams has been one of the breakout performers of New England's camp and he has struck up real chemistry with DeVito.
His speed threatens every coverage shell and he has already produced multiple splash plays in joint practices.
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Colts vs. Patriots odds
IND Colts | -160 |
NE Patriots | +135 |
Spread | IND Colts -2.5 |
Total | O/U 37.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
