The Cardinals dropped their second preseason game to the Colts 21-13. There were some positive and negative takeaways from the game, with eight performances worth highlighting.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Winner: CB Starling Thomas V. Thomas got tested early in this game and passed each test on the field. He was targeted on three passes on the Cardinals’ second defensive series and held his own. Thomas forced two incompletions and made a tackle short of the sticks on the third. With the Cardinals trying to find someone who can start across from veteran Sean Murphy-Bunting at corner, no player has done more to make his case.
Winner: Safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson. Taylor-Demerson showcased his all-around playmaking ability, showing the ability to diagnose and attack plays quickly. He came up with a key interception late in the second quarter that set up the Cardinals for a go-ahead touchdown going into the half. It wasn’t a perfect game for the rookie safety, as he had a missed tackle on Sam Ehlinger on the Colts’ first touchdown drive, but he’s looking like someone who will develop into a starter in the future and possibly Budda Baker’s replacement at safety.
Winner: QB Clayton Tune. Given an opportunity to start the game, Clayton Tune did more than enough to stay ahead of Desmond Ridder in the backup quarterback battle. Tune struggled with pressure, but also made some impressive throws and solid command of the offense. He showed the ability to be accurate on an out route to the numbers to the field side of the play, one of the toughest throws in the NFL. He also showed some decent scrambling ability, capitalizing on a wide open escape lane on his final dropback for a rushing touchdown.
Loser: QB Desmond Ridder. Tune continued to add pressure on Ridder in the backup quarterback battle. Ridder unfortunately was unable to keep up in the battle and it’s looking more obvious who should be the No. 2 QB on the depth chart. The question now will be if the Cardinals will carry three quarterbacks.
Loser: LT Christian Jones. Jones was flagged for four penalties, three were accepted. As mentioned above, he was called for three straight holds, pushing the Cardinals back on a promising drive and forcing them to settle on a 40-yard field goal by Matt Prater. His second holding foul was ticky-tack on a 20-yard burst by Trey Benson in the second quarter. In a game the Cardinals lost by eight, those penalties likely cost Arizona at least four points on that drive.
Winner: RB Trey Benson. Benson was much more decisive running the football against the Colts, showing both his speed and physicality. He’s the type of back who can really do damage once he’s going north-south, thanks to his impressive straight-line speed and physical frame. Benson is more of a change of pace back compared to Conner, who is built more to hammer teams with physicality early in games. The two could form a nice 1-2 punch at the top of the team’s depth chart.
Winner: Safety Darren Hall. Hall was all over the field defensively, especially in the second half. He led the team with five tackles and showed physical play. He’s been one of the players who has really shined so far in the preseason and could be looking to secure one of the final roster spots in the secondary as a depth safety option.
Loser: OLB Victor Dimukeje. Dimukeje could have had a big night, but could not convert pressures into sacks. He had three would-be sacks slip out of his grasp, a frustrating play for the defense. On a night where Xavier Thomas and Cam Thomas had some impressive plays, it was a big missed opportunity.
Other Notable Performances
- The Cardinals struggled with penalties on the night. Arizona had 11 accepted penalties for 82 yards on the night, and two more that were declined. Perhaps fittingly, the game ended on an offensive penalty with the clock running, as they were flagged for a false start while trying to spike the ball to stop the clock. Head coach Jonathan Gannon took responsibility for the penalties in the postgame presser.
- Deejay Dallas showcased some impressive return skills, with a 17-yard punt return and a big kickoff return that was called back due to holding. The Cardinals will have to make some tough decisions, as Dallas clearly has something to offer this team on special teams as a return man.
- Speaking of the running back position, Michael Carter continues to flash in the preseason. He had back-to-back impressive plays in the third quarter, making a nice chip on the edge on the Cardinals’ first play on their only scoring drive of the second half. He then ripped off a nine-yard gain with a missed tackle. Those opportunities contributed to three points.
- Kei’Trel Clark forced the Cardinals’ other takeaway. On the final play of the first quarter, Clark caught up to Colts receiver Anthony Gould and laid a hard hit to jar the ball free and it was recovered by Dante Stills.
- The Cardinals’ ability to capitalize off turnovers is worth noting, given how much those plays can swing the momentum of the game. Arizona scored 10 points off their two takeaways, allowing them to stay in the game until the end. Gannon said without those takeaways, the Colts would have beaten the brakes off of them.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
