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Patriots welcome Colts back to Gillette for AFC clash

Formerly an annual foe, Indianapolis returns to Foxborough for just the second time since the game that spawned Deflategate in 2015.

As Patriots coaches, both Matt Patricia and Bill Belichick have been through a number of battles with the Colts over the years. Jim Davis/Globe Staff

By Dave D'Onofrio

1 minute to read

Back in the heyday of the rivalry centered around quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, a Patriots-Colts matchup became a fixture of the NFL’s early November calendar. Placating its broadcast partners during one of TV’s so-called “sweeps” periods, where ratings come into particular focus, the league slated the meeting between two of its marquee stars for that month eight times in the nine-season stretch from 2005-2012. The only exception came in 2011, when the game fell on Dec. 4.

With Brady now a Buccaneer, and Manning himself now a broadcaster, this November’s matchup won’t be as sexy or full of star appeal – even if Bill Belichick remains part of the equation. But coming at the midpoint of the campaign, this game still has a chance to carry plenty of importance and intrigue for two clubs who figure to be fighting for positioning in a crowded field of playoff hopefuls.

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Last year, New England was one of the final teams to get into the AFC postseason, while Indianapolis was the first team out – despite the Colts defeating the Pats when the sides squared off in mid-December. That was the first time the two teams had met since 2018, when the Patriots capped off a run in which they went 8-0 against the Colts over the 2010s decade. Since then, Indianapolis has been trying to find its way back to relevance after 20 years of quarterbacking stability from Manning and Andrew Luck.

Kickoff at Gillette Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m., with tickets available only via the secondary market.

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