A 13-13 tie against Indianapolis in the preseason opener isn't the statement victory the reigning AFC champions were hunting for. But that's not the real story here. Tommy DeVito got meaningful reps Thursday night, which tells you everything about where Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf actually stand on the quarterback room. DeVito isn't the future. He's insurance—capable, available, and apparently trusted enough to operate when the lights came on inside Gillette.
This matters because preseason depth charts lie, but playing time doesn't. If Drake Maye was absolutely locked in as the starter with no questions remaining from camp, DeVito gets vanilla work in the third quarter against backups. Instead, the Patriots gave him significant snaps early. That's either confidence in his ability to execute the offense or honest hedging about what they've seen from their top options. Vrabel's track record suggests the latter—he doesn't waste reps on feel-good moments.
The tie itself is a non-event. Preseason records mean nothing. But a scoreless tie against a fellow AFC contender signals the offense is still finding rhythm, which is worth monitoring. You don't want to see prolific scoring in August; you want to see crisp execution, efficient drives, and decision-making. A 13-13 result could reflect either setup depending on how the touchdowns and field goals were manufactured. The full breakdown will matter more than the final score.
What we should actually track heading into week two: snap distribution among the QB room, whether the offensive line issues that plagued training camp showed up on tape, and if the secondary—loaded with veteran depth between cornerbacks and safeties—can maintain coverage consistency. The Patriots have real roster talent. Thursday's game was a temperature check, nothing more. Vrabel doesn't build teams for August momentum anyway.