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The Colts visit Foxborough ahead of Thursday night’s preseason game for a joint practice with the Patriots. Joint practices are a great opportunity to evaluate your team against someone else after a long two week stretch of training camp.

We will be watching plenty of things during today’s practices, especially these five things.

1. Patriots D-Line vs. Colts O-Line: The battle in the trenches between New England’s defensive line and Indianapolis’ offensive line promises to be one of the most physical matchups of the joint practice. Anchored by Christian Barmore and Milton Williams on the inside and versatile edge rushers along the perimeter, the Patriots’ defensive front will face a premier test against a seasoned Colts offensive line featuring All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and tackle Bernhard Raimann. New England will look to utilize aggressive stunt packages and quick off-the-ball penetration to collapse the pocket, while the Colts’ heavy-handed offensive line will aim to set a firm anchor and establish control in pass protection early during 11-on-11 team periods.

2. Patriots Front Seven vs. Colts Running Game: Testing gap discipline and tackling in joint sessions is always a high-intensity affair, and stopping Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis ground attack will demand complete cohesion from the Patriots’ front seven. New England’s linebacking corps and defensive ends must set strong edges and fill downhill lanes to prevent the Colts’ zone-and-power running schemes from popping big plays into the secondary. This matchup serves as an ideal barometer for the Patriots’ run defense, forcing interior linemen to absorb double teams so linebackers can flow freely to the football and shut down second-level running lanes.

3. Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, and the Patriots Passing Game vs. the Colts Secondary: All eyes will be on Drake Maye as he operates the Patriots’ passing attack against a long, athletic Indianapolis secondary led by Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward. Developing quick timing and chemistry with star wideout A.J. Brown in competitive 7-on-7 and full-team drills will be paramount, especially when testing the Colts’ zone coverages and single-high safety looks. Maye’s ability to navigate tight windows downfield, combined with Brown’s physical route-running and contested-catch prowess, will provide a rigorous trial for the Colts’ defensive backs, who will look to counter with physical press coverage at the line of scrimmage.

4. Patriots Offensive Line vs. the Colts Defensive Line: New England’s reconfigured offensive line faces a major litmus test against a formidable Indianapolis defensive line spearheaded by DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Protecting the pocket against Buckner’s interior pass rush and creating push against Stewart’s run-stuffing frame will require flawless communication across the Patriots’ starting interior line. How well New England handles the Colts’ relentless defensive line rotation and edge pressure will go a long way in dictating whether the offense can stay ahead of the chains during situational and red-zone periods.

5. Patriots Backups and Longshots to Make the Team: Joint practices provide crucial live evaluation reps for players on the roster bubble, where standing out against outside competition can spell the difference between making the 53-man roster or getting cut. Second- and third-string offensive linemen, developmental pass rushers, and undrafted skill players will see expanded snaps during late-practice team periods and special teams drills. For wide receivers fighting for depth chart positioning and young defensive backs trying to prove their worth in coverage, executing consistently against Indianapolis’ reserves will be essential to making a strong final impression on the coaching staff ahead of the preseason game.