Indianapolis, IN
Trey Benson flashes potential in Cardinals' sloppy loss to Colts
INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson didn’t necessarily wow the crowd behind eight carries for 21 yards in his team’s preseason opener loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Seeing about the same number of touches in the Cardinals’ 21-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, Benson flashed his big-play potential and vision.
In just over a quarter of work, Benson averaged 4.8 yards per carry on his way to 43 yards on nine rushing attempts.
And it could have been much more.
Recording his fourth carry of the night, Benson nearly had a house call. After shaking multiple Colts defenders, the third-round pick turned up the field for a 19-yard gain. Had it not been for safety Nick Cross, Benson had a clear path to pay dirt.
It wasn’t only the Colts defenders Benson had to worry about, though.
On Benson’s final carry of the evening, the running back again made Colts defenders miss as he shifted his way 20 yards to Indianapolis’ two-yard line.
Unfortunately for Benson and the offense, his efforts were for naught thanks to a Christian Jones holding penalty. It was a tough series for Jones, who picked up three straight holding calls.
Benson, who entered the game listed as Arizona’s RB2 behind James Conner, won’t see the lost yardage on the stat sheet. He and the coaching staff will, however, see improved tape.
Much to clean up
While Jones was dinged for numerous penalties, he wasn’t the only one caught having mental lapses.
As a team, Arizona committed 11 penalties for 82 yards.
The sloppiness on display simply cannot happen if the Cardinals hope to improve their win-loss record from a year ago.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on the team’s sloppiness throughout Saturday’s loss to the Colts:
“One of our modes of play is our brain and we didn’t use it tonight. … That falls on me and the coaches. We gotta get it cleaned up fast.” pic.twitter.com/Koz8eunD6Z
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 18, 2024
“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory. One of our modes of play is our brain and we didn’t use it tonight,” Gannon said. “That falls strictly on me.
“I thought we were ready to play physically, violence was on display, good effort and finish, but I just told them we’re not going to beat anybody making those kinds of mistakes and you can’t self-destruct and we did on all three phases. That falls on me and the coaches. We gotta get it cleaned up fast.”
Tune takes Round 2
For a second consecutive week, Clayton Tune outperformed Desmond Ridder, further solidifying his case for QB2.
Completing 80% of his throws (8-of-10) for 79 yards, Tune again looked comfortable operating the offense after getting the starting nod on Saturday.
He capped off a strong first half with a 12-yard touchdown run.
“I feel like I’ve put in some good work,” Tune said postgame. “There’s still work to be done. That’s my mindset. Go in, watch the tape, learn from it, come back next week ready to work and build on it.”
“I feel like I’m playing more on time, playing quicker, getting through my reads, seeing the defense and just being decisive,” the QB added.
Ridder on the other hand completed 60% of his passes (6-of-10) for 71 yards, though saw the majority of his yardage (42) come in the final series of the game.
A false start on Dennis Daley ended the drive and the game, leaving Ridder without another chance at finding the end zone.
“He had some good balls in there. I thought he made some plays with his legs,” Gannon said. “Would have liked to see the last play get off, but we couldn’t get it done.”
The Thomas twins
Saturday night was another strong showing from 2024 fifth-rounder Xavier Thomas.
Recording his second sack of the preseason along with two QB hits and a tackle for loss, Thomas had good pressure on Indianapolis signal callers.
It’s sack city up in here 🎉
📺: #AZvsIND on CBS | @atxlete pic.twitter.com/EYDUmZydy4
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 18, 2024
For someone who said their legs were shaking on the first play of the preseason opener against the Saints, Thomas is looking more at home and appears to be trending up the depth chart.
“Today I pretty much knew what to expect and things like that. It’s always good to get more comfortable,” Thomas said postgame.
The rookie wasn’t the only Thomas who stood out on Saturday.
Third-year pro Cameron Thomas was also a factor in the backfield, getting to quarterback Sam Ehlinger for a sack and pressuring fellow signal callers Jason Bean and Valley native Kedon Slovis on multiple occasions.
The Cardinals still have question marks surrounding their pass rush after projected starter BJ Ojulari went down with a reported torn ACL during training camp, ending his season before it began.
Could either Thomas find a more prominent role in the rotation? A strong showing next week in Denver could press the issue.
Aside for the Thomas twins, Victor Dimukeje was another name getting added pressure against the Colts and narrowly missed out on a pair of sacks.
Give me that!
Kei’Trel Clark and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson provided an added boost in Arizona’s secondary on Saturday, each forcing a turnover and flipping the field in the Cardinals’ favor.
Clark put the hammer down on wide receiver Anthony Gould to force a fumble in the waning moments of the first quarter.
The second-year pro flew around the football field for most of the night, a positive development in a cornerbacks room where roles are still up for grabs.
“I thought he looked violent, physical. He had a couple good coverages in there, forced the fumble,” Gannon said. “He looked good in there and he played two spots today, so it was good to see.”
It was Taylor-Demerson, better known as Rabbit, who had the play of the evening.
BEWARE: RABBIT ON THE LOOSE 🐰
📺: #AZvsIND on CBS | @DadrionT pic.twitter.com/yosmhhLDD7
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 18, 2024
With 1:51 left in the first half, Taylor-Demerson snagged a pass near the sideline intended for wide receiver D.J. Montgomery and managed to keep his feet inbounds.
Had it not been for the duo’s takeaways, the score would have looked a lot different in Gannon’s eyes behind the mountain of penalties.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon dives into Rabbit’s interception and how that and Kei’Trel Clark’s forced fumble kept his team in it despite the sloppiness on display: pic.twitter.com/KTkONtIi6H
— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) August 18, 2024
“The takeaways were good. That’s the reason we stayed in the game,” Gannon said. “Without those takeaways, I think we get the brakes beat off of us, truthfully. I gotta watch the tape, but I know the interception was a phenomenal play. I thought he had a couple tackles in there. He looked good.”
IndyCar race results from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
IndyCar Series drivers are on the grid in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course is set to host a day of open wheel racing.
View Indianapolis race results for the IndyCar Series below.
Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward set the front row. 85 laps laps of stock car racing are up next…
Race Report
Green flag, Alex Palou is clear out of turn one. Pato O’Ward is turned! Scott Dixon and others are collected. The caution is out.
Penalty: Felix Rosenqvist will serve a drive thru penalty for contact in turn one.
Green, Palou leads Malukas and Kirkwood into turn one.
Lap 7, Kirkwood dives inside of Malukas into turn one. Kirkwood takes 2nd away.
Lap 21, Alexander Rossi is stalled and the caution is out. Multiple pit strategies are now in play.
Palou heads for the pit lane. Power is handed the lead as Palou restarts 19th.
Green, Power leads Malukas and Lundgaard. Felix Rosenqvist jumps over the top of Kyffin Simpson, caution.
Power pits from the lead with others. Malukas is handed the lead.
Green, Malukas leads Lunagaard into turn one.
Lap 48, Malukas and others head for the pit lane. Lundgaard pits the following lap. Malukas cycles out ahead. Malukas is saving fuel.
Lap 52, Power leads Malukas by 8 seconds.
Lap 63, Alex Palou pits for the final time from 5th.
20 to go, Lundgaard and many of the leaders dive for the pit lane. A lap later, Malukas heads for the pit lane.
Malukas cycles out ahead of Lundgaard. Lundgaard trails by 1.3 seconds.
18 to go, Lundgaard is all over the gearbox of the leader! Malukas blocks the inside into turn one. He misses a shift and Lundgaard pulls on the outside. They fight for space into turn four, Lundgaard to the lead!
8 to go, Lundgaard leads Malukas by 3 seconds. He’s driving away.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Race Results
May 9, 2026
IndyCar Series
Pos | Driver
1. Christian Lundgaard
2. David Malukas
3. Graham Rahal
4. Josef Newgarden
5. Alex Palou
6. Scott Dixon
7. Louis Foster
8. Dennis Hauger
9. Kyle Kirkwood
10. Nolan Siegel
11. Marcus Armstrong
12. Kyffin Simpson
13. Will Power
14. Santino Ferrucci
15. Rinus VeeKay
16. Scott McLaughlin
17. Sting Ray Robb
18. Pato O’Ward
19. Caio Collet
20. Mick Schumacher
21. Romain Grosjean
22. Marcus Ericsson
23. Felix Rosenqvist
24. Christian Rasmussen
25. Alexander Rossi
IndyCar Series
Point Standings
Pending
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Video Highlights
Pending
Links
Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indycar
TODAY
Early clouds give way to gradual clearing, and the afternoon turns much nicer than the damp start might suggest. Highs reach the mid 70s, with a west-southwest breeze around 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. Once we get past the morning gray, this looks like a very usable day for outdoor plans, just a bit breezy at times.
TONIGHT
Clouds increase again overnight, and scattered showers with a few thunderstorms may arrive late, mainly after 3 a.m. Lows settle in the mid 50s, with a light breeze becoming northerly late. Most of the evening stays quiet, but by early Sunday morning a few neighborhoods could hear some rain on the roof.
MOTHER’S DAY
Cooler than Saturday, with a mix of clouds and some breaks of sun along with the chance for an isolated shower. Highs top out in the mid 60s, and a north breeze around 5 to 10 mph adds a slightly cooler feel. It is not a washout, but it is also not as nice as Saturday afternoon, especially south of Indianapolis where a stray shower may hang on longer.
TOMORROW NIGHT
Partly cloudy and cooler, with lows in the mid 40s and a north northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph. The air dries out nicely, and this looks like a quiet, comfortable night across central Indiana.
MONDAY
Bright and seasonably cool with sunshine taking over. Highs reach the mid 60s, with a light north wind around 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. This looks like one of the cleaner forecast days of the stretch, great for errands, practices, or getting outside without weather trouble.
MONDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and chilly again, with lows in the low to mid 40s and light wind fading late. Quiet weather continues, and there are no meaningful travel concerns overnight.
TUESDAY
Another decent start, then clouds begin to increase later with a chance for showers and thunderstorms after mid afternoon. Highs reach the mid 60s, with a light south southwest breeze around 5 to 10 mph. Most of the day still looks usable, but the late afternoon and evening carry the next better rain signal.
TUESDAY NIGHT
Showers and thunderstorms become more likely for part of the night before activity starts to ease later on. Lows hold in the low to mid 50s, with a south-southwest wind around 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. It does not look like a high-end severe setup right now, but it is enough of a signal to keep an eye on late evening plans.
WEDNESDAY
A leftover shower is possible early, then the trend turns drier with more sun returning through the day. Highs recover into the upper 60s, and a northwest breeze around 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph will make it feel a little brisker at times. The day improves as it goes, and by afternoon it should look much better than the early morning may suggest.
7 DAY FORECAST
After a milder Saturday and a small late Saturday night into Sunday shower window, the broader pattern settles down for Sunday night and Monday with quieter, cooler weather in place. The next more meaningful chance for rain arrives Tuesday into Tuesday night as another system approaches, then drier conditions return Wednesday as that system pulls away. Temperatures run in the 70s Saturday, slip back into the 60s Sunday through Tuesday, then edge a little milder again by midweek. Confidence is best in the quiet Sunday night through Monday stretch, while the exact timing of Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night rain could still wobble a bit.
Editor’s note: This interview is part of our ‘Meet the Candidates’ show. Watch past episodes here.
After working in education for about 15 years, Andrea Hunley won her first bid for political office four years ago in an Indiana Senate district covering the core of Indianapolis.
On May 8, Hunley, 42, officially launched her campaign for an office that she says feels closer to home: Indianapolis mayor.
About a year ahead of the May 2027 mayoral primary, Hunley sat down with IndyStar on May 5 to discuss what she hopes to accomplish as mayor, why her candidacy differs from her challengers, and how she thinks about hot-button issues like education, public safety and data centers.
At this point, Hunley will face longtime Indianapolis City-County Councilor Vop Osili and Department of Public Works administrator David Bride. Both candidates will also be invited for sit-down interviews with IndyStar in the coming weeks.
Email Indianapolis City Hall Reporter Jordan Smith at JTSmith@indystar.com. Follow him on X @jordantsmith09 and Bluesky @jordanaccidentally.bsky.social.
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