The Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots will square off in Week 1 of the NFL preseason tonight. Kickoff is set for in 7:30 p.m. ET from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The game will broadcast live on NFL+.
The Colts are 2.5-point favorites over the Patriots on the spread (Colts -2.5), with the over/under set at 37.5 total points. Indianapolis is listed as a -158 moneyline favorite to win outright, while New England is priced at +134 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Colts vs Patriots predictions and NFL picks for Thursday, August, 13.
Colts vs Patriots Prediction
- Colts vs Patriots pick: Colts -2.5 (-120)
My Patriots vs. Colts best bet is on Indianapolis to cover the spread (-2.5), with the best price currently available at FanDuel. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Colts vs Patriots Odds for NFL Preseason Week 1
| Colts Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -120 | 37.5 -115o / -105u | -158 |
| Patriots Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -102 | 37.5 -115o / -105u | +134 |
Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots NFL Preview
Colts Betting Preview: Backup QB Battle Brewing
The Colts are going to sit most of their starters for their preseason opener, most notably quarterback Daniel Jones, who is making his return from a torn Achilles. Alec Pierce also continues to try to recover from offseason foot surgery.
At a press conference this week, head coach Shane Steichen said that "a slew of starters" would be sitting in this game. But that doesn't mean there isn't any intrigue from the Colts' perspective.
We've got a key position battle worth monitoring, with Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard competing for No. 2 on the quarterback depth chart.
Richardson is motivated to prove that he deserves a chance at more playing time, while Leonard is trying to prove himself in his second season.
It's also worth monitoring seventh-round rookie running back Seth McGowan, who has been one of the standouts of camp. We could see the first-year running back feature prominently in this matchup.
Patriots Betting Preview: Tommy DeVito Time
The Patriots are similarly going to sit a significant number of starters for their first preseason game, including Drake Maye and A.J. Brown.
At a press conference this week, head coach Mike Vrabel said he "wouldn't anticipate seeing Maye on Thursday" regarding his availability for this matchup vs. the Colts.
You're going to see Tommy DeVito get some reps for the Patriots in this game. Given that he's adjusting to a new system since it's his first year with the team, it makes sense for the Pats to ride with DeVito for a couple of series.
Reports out of camp indicate that DeVito had a strong joint practice earlier this week. He'll be joined by wideouts Kyle Williams and Efton Chism as his main weapons.
But the one who is reportedly going to see a lion's share of QB reps is seventh-round rookie Behren Morton. Since he didn't get much action in the joint practice, Patriots beat writers have speculated that they'll want to see him in this preseason game.
Colts vs Patriots Pick, Betting Analysis
I'm going with the Colts -2.5 over the Patriots. This is a bet on the Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard combo. At least there's starting experience for both of these quarterbacks.
Richardson has a chip on his shoulder to prove he's not a bust, while Leonard showed flashes last season, especially against the Texans in Week 18, when he threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns.
While the Patriots have some experience with Tommy DeVito under center, the expectation is that Behren Morton will play most of this game. As a seventh-round rookie, he's a complete wild card. That gives the edge to the Colts in this one, so we'll lay the points here.
Colts vs Patriots Best Bet
- Colts -2.5 (-120)
