Mother Nature timed it perfectly, really. The clock hit 6 p.m., when the Cardinals and Colts were starting the second of their two joint practices in Westfield, Indiana, and at the exact same time, the heavens unloaded. There were a couple of times over the 80-minute practice that the rain let up a bit, but there was a downpour more than half the time, drastically changing the feel from the practice the day before.

There were some highlights I was able to see -- the first 11-on-11 was all about the Cardinals defense, since that's where the tent was we were standing under, far away from the Cards' offense against the Colts' defense. But at the end, for the first time, each team's full roster focused on one field (the rain no longer heavy) for a final two-minute drill.

Unfortunately, like Wednesday's work, the end of the practice wasn't as good as the earlier work. The Colts' first unit opened with the ball with 1:12 on the clock about 75 yards from the end zone. After a couple of completions, Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V broke up an Anthony Richardson bomb, but on the next play Sean Murphy-Bunting was called for pass interference inside the 10. Richardson then scrambled untouched for a touchdown (my guess is that the Cardinals would have had a spy had it been a real game.)

The Cardinals' first-team offense didn't fare as well. Marvin Harrison Jr. did draw an obvious pass interference to help the drive a bit, but Kyler Murray overthrew Greg Dortch. Passes to Trey McBride and James Conner didn't get a first down, and the Cardinals were called for holding on fourth-and-going-for-it.

"We still have a lot of work to do," wide receiver Greg Dortch said. "This is just a steppingstone for where we want to go."

A second drive started with a false start, a dump pass to running back Emari Demercado, a pass that went through McBride's hands and then a Kyler throw away. Given one inside the 10 play, Murray and wide receiver Michael Wilson weren't on the same page and the end zone throw skittered harmlessly untouched.

Cardinals center Hjalte Froholdt and Colts defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis had a few words after that, and it wouldn't be surprised if there was some frustration.

"There were some ups and some downs, but we got a lot out of it," Froholdt said. "It's easy to get frustrated in some of these practices. The momentum swings back and forth but it's always things we can easily correct. I have all the trust and belief in our offense."

-- In the down-depth-chart work after that, Desmond Ridder threw an interception after overthrowing Chris Moore on his first play. Clayton Tune had a couple of completions but ran out of time far short of the goal line. On defense, former Colt Darren Hall had a pass breakup to end his sequence.

"It felt a little personal, a little emotional driven," Hall said, adding that some extra intensity "comes with the joint practice vibe."

Hall has had a good camp, and may be a surprise wild card when it comes to the secondary of the 53.

-- The Ridder interception was by cornerback Darrell Baker Jr., who came into the league with the Cardinals in 2022. He ran around with the ball before tossing it at the Cardinals sideline, where it appeared to have glanced off GM Monti Ossenfort. (Baker was long gone before Ossenfort arrived in Arizona).

-- The irony of the Cardinals and Colts working in a rainy practice is that it's literally impossible to have rain during a game between the two teams, since they both play in domes.

"It's good to face some adversity with some weather conditions," Froholdt said, and all anyone needs to remember is the game in Pittsburgh to know it's good to prep.

-- It's repetitive (and Gannon was quick to note that despite Harrison's viral ankle-breaker route against Colts defender Kenny Moore on Wednesday was in a drill favoring the offense) but man MHJ runs such superb routes. He had another on Jaylon Jones during one-on-one work that, yes it favored the offense, but looked crisp as can be.

-- The early defensive work was pretty good for the Cardinals starting unit, but it was clear the heavy rain played a factor when Michael Pittman had a drop and Anthony Richardson couldn't handle a snap. Garrett Williams and Murphy-Bunting had pass breakups too.

-- It was special teams that once again provided much of the heat and near-fights. Again it was DeeJay Dallas colliding on a play and tangling with Colts linebacker Segun Olubi, the two locked up on the ground before cooler heads quickly prevailed. The next play, rookie Elijah Jones had some words with the Colts on a play near their sideline.

"It got a little feisty but you expect that on Day 2 of a joint practice," linebacker Krys Barnes said. "I think we handled it pretty well. Thankfully they probably ended it right before it got out of hand, but I think we got the work we needed."

-- Kyzir White and Bilal Nichols almost got into it with a Colt or two earlier in the practice, but it wasn't anything. And when White later collided with Richardson on a QB keeper, he quickly made a motion to Colts coach Shane Steichen that it was unintentional, and Steichen responded with a forgiving gesture.

-- Addressing the media before practice, coach Jonathan Gannon said the Wednesday work had both "good and bad."

"You're not gameplanning like a game," Gannon said. "(Offensive coordinator) Drew (Petzing) said it best in the offensive meeting. If we were to gameplan that, maybe it would've looked a little different but we have to have SOP, standard operating procedures, and we have to be able to handle and think on the run, because that's what a game can be."

-- The Cardinals will have their normal day-before-game walkthrough on Friday before their Saturday night game against the Colts to close out the week. Gannon has not said who is playing; Steichen announced his starters wouldn't play, including top two QBs Richardson and Joe Flacco.