Patriots lose Ben Brown during first half of preseason opener vs. Colts

The New England Patriots opened their preseason schedule with a 10-7 halftime advantage over the Indianapolis Colts, but the night carried an obvious downside for the Patriots’ offensive line. Ben Brown, described as the team’s top backup for interior line depth, left the contest after suffering an injury during the first half.

Brown’s exit matters because preseason games are often the clearest opportunity for teams to evaluate reliability beyond the starting unit. Interior line play is especially sensitive to timing and cohesion, and depth offensive linemen tend to get their most important reps in a game like this, when the starters are typically in rotation rather than full-time.

According to the report, Brown departed the game after being injured, and his absence forced the Patriots to shuffle their interior options from that point forward. The exact nature of the injury was not specified in the available report, so any assessment at this stage is limited to the immediate roster impact and the uncertainty it creates for next-week planning.

While New England’s halftime lead showed the offense was able to sustain drives early enough to produce points, losing an interior lineman during the opening stages of a preseason opener can affect how confidently a team settles into later-game matchups. Even when the quarterback play and play-calling are solid, offensive-line instability can change protection plans and the comfort level for pass protection assignments.

For Indianapolis, the Colts also made it through the first half without a final-segment scoring deficit, tightening the contest to a one-score game at the break. Preseason outcomes do not carry the same weight as regular-season standings, but the way games tighten can still highlight where teams are vulnerable, including whether a backup group can hold up when an injury forces another adjustment.

What to watch next for the Patriots is straightforward: confirmation of Brown’s status and whether the team can keep its interior depth stable for subsequent preseason practices and games. If Brown is able to return quickly, the Patriots will have maintained continuity for their backup evaluation. If not, New England may have to lean more heavily on other interior linemen to fill the same role Brown was playing.

For the rest of the roster, the early injury also increases the value of every snap that follows. Backup linemen, guards and centers in particular, tend to use preseason stretches to build trust with coaches and quarterbacks, and a sudden vacancy can move the pecking order faster than a planned rotation would.