Again, a number of Cardinals didn't play in a preseason game. If you are a starter, you weren't in uniform for opening kickoff.

But again, Jonathan Gannon had all his guys in uniform for warmups, getting them as ready as he could. There is no way to know truly what this team is going to look like in the regular season; too many of their normal players haven't played (and I don't expect that to change in the preseason finale in Denver a week from Sunday.)

He makes his guys go through the process. That does mean something, in my opinion. But as the offense struggles to do a bunch in these preseason games, it's hard not to wonder what it's going to look like with Kyler under center, and Conner behind him, and Harrison, Wilson, McBride and Dortch out in pass patterns. And a starting offensive line as well -- Clayton Tune was swamped under a couple of times.

That's the worry for later, however.

"I think some guys are starting to define their roles," Gannon said. That's the point of letting all the reps go to the guys who still need to define their roles. The starters are itching to show what they have, and that's still three weeks away.

-- It was a rough night for rookie tackle Christian Jones, who was flagged four times for holding. The final one was declined, but the first three were all accepted -- and were on three consecutive plays. The first turned a Trey Benson 20-yard run down to the goal line to dust. Rookies will have tough days, but he'll have things to work on (even if there were borderline calls.)

"I thought (Jones) reset at halftime and did a good job in the second half," Gannon said. "I was enthused with what he did in the second half.

"I was proud of him."

-- The Cardinals had 11 penalties, far more than Gannon would like. It ended on a penalty too, with a false start with five seconds left and the Cards trying to spike the ball to stop the clock forcing a runoff of the precious few seconds remaining.

-- Victor Dimukeje should've had three sacks. Twice times the quarterback escaped his grasp. Not ideal, but Dimukeje is one of those guys who quietly has made a spot for himself.

-- L.J. Collier didn't play long but he had a sack and he makes an impact in his brief preseason appearances every time.

-- Cam Thomas ended up with two sacks -- the last came as the Colts gave themselves up to run clock -- but his overall game was solid. In a room with a lot of guy who have the chance to play or not, it was an important showing.

"I definitely got more opportunities to put on display what I've got," Thomas said. "I believe I did a pretty good job maximized those opportunities."

-- A first in a Cardinals game for the "dynamic kickoff." Prater's kickoff at one point was short of the 20-yard line. When that happens, the play is dead and the receiving team gets the ball at the 40.

-- Xavier Thomas again looks incredibly quick and powerful off the edge when he is rushing the passer. He got a sack (although, to be fair, the left tackle stumbled and fell down on his rear when backing up to block Thomas, who simply hurdled his prone opponent and raced in to make the play.)