The preseason meeting ended in a 13-13 tie, and the top-line takeaway is simple: Patriots vs. Colts preseason produced a stout defensive performance that masked worrying finishing issues. New England’s defense forced four takeaways, but untimely penalties and missed kicks — including a potential 49-yard game-winner — prevented the Patriots from turning turnovers into a win at Gillette Stadium.
Across the box score the defense repeatedly created opportunities, yet five penalties for 35 yards and a 2-of-5 night from the kicking unit kept the final result tied and left questions for the coaching staff as the preseason continues.
The good: Defensive takeaways and timely stops (Patriots vs. Colts preseason)
The Patriots’ defense produced four takeaways and several momentum-changing plays, a bright sign from the depth group in the opener.
- Kindle Vildor intercepted a bobbled pass to end a Colts possession.
- John Saunders Jr. returned an interception roughly 26 yards to set up New England scoring.
- New England also recovered a goal-line fumble and forced an additional turnover on downs in critical moments, repeatedly flipping field position in their favor.
Those turnovers altered the game repeatedly and limited the Colts to 13 points overall. Coach Mike Vrabel praised the unit’s approach after the game: “The turnovers are great, and I love us attacking the football and taking advantage of that.” See more from his remarks in the Mike Vrabel Press Conference 6 9 coverage and review of the Pats Pulpit recap for additional detail.
The bad: Untimely penalties that erased chunk plays
Statistically the Patriots were flagged only five times for 35 yards, but the timing of those penalties repeatedly erased momentum and wiped out several plays that would have flipped field position.
Notable examples from the game report include:
- An apparent 25-yard Patriots reception was wiped out by an ineligible man downfield penalty on Caleb Lomu.
- An effective screen that gained about 16 yards was negated after an illegal-blocking penalty credited to Efton Chism; see our piece on patriots chism for context on his recent play and role.
- Other timing/positioning and holding penalties erased a long reception and turned a positive rushing gain into a penalty-marked loss, highlighting execution issues at critical moments.
Those negated plays underscore a recurring preseason concern: execution matters as much as scheme, and penalties at key moments can erase the benefit provided by the defense.
Special teams: Borregales’ misses and the late-game swing
Andy Borregales went 2-of-5 on field-goal attempts, including a miss on a potential 49-yard game-winner late in the fourth quarter. In a game where the defense created turnover opportunities, the kicking unit’s misses had an outsized impact on the final outcome.
On the topic, Vrabel was pointed: “[w]e expect him to make them,” which frames the kicking conversation as an area for evaluation rather than a settled roster decision.
By the numbers
What it means for fans and roster battles
Keep conclusions cautious: this was a preseason opener and the tape should be weighed with that context. The defense’s takeaway production will boost the stock of depth defenders who made plays, but this game alone doesn’t settle starter pecking orders.
On offense, sustaining drives remains a work in progress. Tommy DeVito and Kyle Williams connected on a couple of impactful completions, but erased plays and short-yardage issues limited the offense’s ability to convert turnovers into points. Running-game execution and third-down efficiency are areas to watch in the weeks ahead, particularly for depth and rotational roles.
Special teams are the clearest open evaluation point: Borregales’ misses mean the kicking competition should remain a storyline through the preseason. Any projection about roster decisions here should be treated as speculative; coaching staff evaluations will rely on more reps and data before final calls are made.
Source attribution and key quotes
This recap is grounded in the Pats Pulpit game coverage. Key lines and play descriptions are taken from that original report, including Coach Vrabel’s assessment: “The turnovers are great, and I love us attacking the football and taking advantage of that.” The Pats Pulpit piece also records Vrabel saying of the kicking situation that “[w]e expect him to make them.”
For readers wanting the source material and a fuller play-by-play, see the original Pats Pulpit article: Patriots vs. Colts: The good, the bad, the s—t that gets you beat.
Opinion note: evaluations of player stock and roster implications in this article reflect the author’s take and cautious projection language; they are not official team statements. Fans should expect positional battles — particularly at kicker and depth offensive roles — to play out over the remaining preseason slate.
