Patriots News: Pats-colts Takeaways, Rookie Report, Vets Pop On D

Preseason Game 1 is in the books. The Patriots’ first team action was overall enjoyable to watch. High energy, a little frustrating, a little sloppy, and ending in a tie wasn’t ideal but nonetheless fitting. My brain wanted to make an initial assessment of the team but by the end of the game I was still undecided if what I just watched was good or bad. And that’s the point I think. The way the system is set up, there is no team report card for preseason games. Individual players will each get one, though.

Andrew Callahan made a point about 2026 being a rookie-heavy roster again. It’s great how the Pats are building primarily through the draft but it’s a slow process. These young guys will be “wobbly” for a bit and it may bite the team occasionally against veteran opponents who lean on their experience to feast on newbies. For now, I’m going to let the preseason play out and see how it goes. This is a very likable roster, but we we’ll have to wait and see.

TEAM TALK

• Post Game Notes: Patriots make 2026 preseason debut against the Colts. Defense forces four turnovers, All nine 2026 NFL Draft picks saw action; More.
• Evan Lazar’s Game Observations: 8 takeaways from the first preseason game vs. the Colts. Player of the Game: WR Kyle Williams flashes potential, Breaking down Gabe Jacas’s debut, More.
• Post Game Quotes:Patriots and Colts.
• Post Game Pressers:Mike Vrabel – Tommy DeVito, Caleb Lomu, Gabe Jacas, Jam Miller, Behren Morton, Dell Pettus, Andy Borregales, Efton Chism III, Kindle Vildor.
• Highlights: Patriots top plays vs. Colts from preseason game 1. (1.30 min. video)
• Patriots Postgame Show:Full breakdown of the preseason opener against the Colts. (100 min. video)
  

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Callahan sees the Patriots primed to lean on their rookies again in 2026. “The Pats are wobbly again. Not like they were in February, a bloodied boxer broken by their opponent, but more like a newborn taking its first steps.”
• Mark Daniels shares 7 takeaways from the preseason opener vs. the Colts: Rookies debut, Receivers compete, State of the running backs, Cornerback competition; More.
• Ethan Hurwitz posts 11 takeaways from a tough preseason tie: Tommy DeVito looks the part, CB Kindle Vildor makes first big play, Jam Miller takes care of RB1 duties; More!
• Alex Barth gives us 8 takeaways from the preseason opener: Rough night for Andy Borregales, Stacking up the WR room, O-line takeaways, Ups & downs at linebacker, Penalty problems; More.
• Conor Ryan picks out 7 takeaways from Thursday’s action: Veterans pop on defense, O-line depth takes a hit; More.
• Chris Mason recaps everything you need to know from last night’s tie against Colts. Man of the match: Tommy DeVito, who delivered a quality evening of work, going 13-of-22 for 138 yards and tossing a touchdown pass to Kyle Williams; More.
• Michael Hurley and Phil Perry share their Pats-Colts Game recap: Game ends in tie after Borregales misses three field goals.
• Zac Ventola tells us which Patriots shined and struggled in last night’s action.
• Ethan Hurwitz’ Patriots QB Report: How Tommy DeVito and Behren Morton performed vs. Colts.
• Matt Vautour spotlights rookie QB Behren Morton’s interesting debut.
• Karen Guregian thinks Kayshon Boutte still looks like the odd man out of the Pats’ receivers room.
• Mark Daniels details why Mike Vrabel called out rookie Gabe Jacas on sideline, and how Jacas responded.
• Michael Hurley notes Mike Vrabel downplays Christian Gonzalez’s absence as ‘Physically unavailable.’
• Alex Barth talks about RB Lan Larison making a roster push one year after season-ending surgery.
• Khari Thompson notes kicker Andy Borregales hasn’t had much competition this summer. That might change after three missed kicks Thursday night.

NATIONAL NEWS

• NFL Nation (ESPN) 2026 NFL preseason Week 1: Game takeaways, analysis. Pats-Colts: “Seventh-round RB Jam Miller (Alabama) was the rookie headliner, which was timely as the competition for the team’s No. 3 running back took an unexpected twist when the Patriots placed leading candidate Terrell Jennings on injured reserve before the game.“
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) 2026 NFL Preseason, Week 1: What we learned from Thursday’s games. “If Anthony Richardson — or the Colts — was aiming to stoke some trade interest, nothing was doing on Thursday night as he quarterbacked Indianapolis to seven points on six first-half drives.“
• Karl Rasmussen (SI) 2025 NFL playoff teams: Who got better and who got worse? Pats: Got better.
• Mike Kadlick (SI) Jayden Daniels’ bizarre NIL battle With LSU and 8 other things you may have missed around the NFL this week.
• Ben Solak (ESPN) 2026 NFL training camp awards: Best position battles, more. No Pats.
• Albert Breer (SI) Breer empties his Bills notebook from training camp.