The Indianapolis Colts secured a 21-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, with Jason Bean, Tyler Goodson, and Zavier Scott each contributing a rushing touchdown. Both teams played their backups extensively during the game, after coaches Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon decided to rest most of their starters following joint practices earlier in the week. Bean completed 7 of 9 passes for 94 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down in the fourth quarter. Goodson and Scott also had impressive performances in the running game.
The Cardinals’ Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder saw action at quarterback, with Tune throwing for 79 yards and a touchdown, and Ridder adding 71 passing yards. Despite Trey Benson’s solid rushing performance for Arizona, the team struggled with penalties, accumulating 11 compared to 13 first downs. The game marked the first preseason meeting between the two franchises since 1967 when they were based in Baltimore and St. Louis.
The Colts took an early 7-0 lead, which was answered by a field goal from the Cardinals. Arizona then took the lead before halftime with a touchdown by Tune. However, Indy reclaimed the lead in the second half with a series of scoring drives, ultimately securing the win.
On the Cardinals side, offensive lineman Christian Jones faced difficulties with several holding penalties throughout the game. Meanwhile, Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez missed the game due to the birth of his second child, with rookie kicker Spencer Shrader stepping in admirably.
In terms of injuries, both teams had players leave the game early. Jon Gaines II of the Cardinals suffered a finger injury, while the Colts saw JuJu Brents, Jelani Woods, Josh Sills, and Tanor Bortolini dealing with various injuries.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will wrap up their preseason on August 25 against Denver, while the Colts will face Cincinnati on Thursday following a joint practice with the Bengals.