• Kent Somers, Dan Bickley discuss Cardinals' win

    Kent Somers, Dan Bickley discuss Cardinals’ win

  • Cardinals game vs. Colts preview with Kent Somers and Dan Bickley

    Cardinals game vs. Colts preview with Kent Somers and Dan Bickley

  • Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

    Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

  • Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

    CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

  • azcentral sports' Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

    azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

  • Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

    Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

  • David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

    David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

  • Bruce Arians discusses loss to Lions

    Bruce Arians discusses loss to Lions

  • Bickley and Somers on Cardinals' season-opening loss

    Bickley and Somers on Cardinals’ season-opening loss

  • Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson's injury

    Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson’s injury

  • Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

    Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

  • Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

    Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

  • Shot Clock: Chiefs-Patriots lessons for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Chiefs-Patriots lessons for Cardinals

  • Arizona Cardinals report: Thursday's practice

    Arizona Cardinals report: Thursday’s practice

  • Shot Clock: Cards a slim pick, what are the keys?

    Shot Clock: Cards a slim pick, what are the keys?

  • Cardinals report: How will Bucannon's absence affect team?

    Cardinals report: How will Bucannon’s absence affect team?

  • Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

    Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

  • Reaction to Cardinals' move at punter

    Reaction to Cardinals’ move at punter

  • Somers wraps up the Cardinals' preseason finale

    Somers wraps up the Cardinals’ preseason finale

  • Cardinals vs Broncos preview

    Cardinals vs Broncos preview

  • Somers and McManaman wrap up Cardinals' Tuesday practice

    Somers and McManaman wrap up Cardinals’ Tuesday practice

  • Shot Clock: CJ2K stays?; Drown out LA fans

    Shot Clock: CJ2K stays?; Drown out LA fans

  • Sights and sounds from 9th Annual Fitz's Supper Club

    Sights and sounds from 9th Annual Fitz’s Supper Club

  • Arizona Cardinals break camp

    Arizona Cardinals break camp

  • McLellan and McManaman wrap up Cardinals practice

    McLellan and McManaman wrap up Cardinals practice

  • Somers on Cardinals vs. Falcons

    Somers on Cardinals vs. Falcons

  • Cardinals treating final preseason game seriously

    Cardinals treating final preseason game seriously

  • Kent and Bob talk Cardinals game planning and remaining preseason games

    Kent and Bob talk Cardinals game planning and remaining preseason games

  • Bickley and Moore: Cardinals looked 'sluggish'

    Bickley and Moore: Cardinals looked ‘sluggish’

  • Shot Clock: Cards' Palmer, 'D' gotta get better

    Shot Clock: Cards’ Palmer, ‘D’ gotta get better

  • Kent and Bob break down Cards' preseason loss to Bears

    Kent and Bob break down Cards’ preseason loss to Bears

  • Somers, McManaman on the Cardinals' 'boring' camp

    Somers, McManaman on the Cardinals’ ‘boring’ camp

  • Somers, McManaman on Arians' anger, receiving issues

    Somers, McManaman on Arians’ anger, receiving issues

  • Shot Clock: Cards WRs stink; anthem issue solved

    Shot Clock: Cards WRs stink; anthem issue solved

  • Insider: Was Arians' criticism truth or motivational chatter?

    Insider: Was Arians’ criticism truth or motivational chatter?

  • Shot Clock: Stanton stands out for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Stanton stands out for Cardinals

  • Shot Clock: Cardinals protecting QB Palmer?

    Shot Clock: Cardinals protecting QB Palmer?

  • Greg Moore and Bruce Arians talk charities

    Greg Moore and Bruce Arians talk charities

  • Gabbert's big chance, special team auditions

    Gabbert’s big chance, special team auditions

  • Shot Clock: Arians changes tone with Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Arians changes tone with Cardinals

  • Greg Moore and Bob McManaman break down the Red-White practice

    Greg Moore and Bob McManaman break down the Red-White practice

  • Somers, McManaman on Gruden possibility, CB battle

    Somers, McManaman on Gruden possibility, CB battle

  • Shot Clock: Early hiccups for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Early hiccups for Cardinals

  • Moore, McManaman wrap up opening day at Cardinals training camp

    Moore, McManaman wrap up opening day at Cardinals training camp

  • David Johnson's work load; D-Backs' head games

    David Johnson’s work load; D-Backs’ head games

  • Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

    Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

  • Somers sits down with Cardinals rookie Budda Baker

    Somers sits down with Cardinals rookie Budda Baker

  • Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

    Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

  • Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

    Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

  • Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

    Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

  • Report card on Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert

    Report card on Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert

  • David Johnson No. 1 on NFL Players Association list

    David Johnson No. 1 on NFL Players Association list

  • Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers

    Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers

  • Keim, Arians striking gold in draft's third round

    Keim, Arians striking gold in draft’s third round

  • Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule

    Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule

  • Larry Fitzgerald holding 7th annual charity softball tournament

    Larry Fitzgerald holding 7th annual charity softball tournament

  • Larry Fitzgerald 1-on-1 with Kent Somers

    Larry Fitzgerald 1-on-1 with Kent Somers

INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts scored a touchdown on their first possession against the Cardinals on Sunday, gaining 53 yards and converting on all four third-down situations. They were nearly shut down after that, however, scoring just two field goals and gaining 213 yards.

What was the difference for the Cardinals?

“Our attitude,” said defensive end Frostee Rucker. “We were out there searching for things to come to us instead of just going to get them. In the second half, we just hunkered down and took the plays and made them count.”

Outside linebacker Chandler Jones had four tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in the second half. Safety Tyrann Mathieu intercepted a pass in overtime. Safety Budda Baker made a good tackle on third down. Cornerback Justin Bethel broke up a pass on third down.

“It’s the NFL,” Mathieu said. “A lot of the time we need to weather the storm. Different phases that a team is going to have to compensate for other phases of the team. So just try to weather the storm defensively.”

It was offensive

The Cardinals offense worked only occasionally on Sunday, and there is much work to be done before the next game, Monday night against the Cowboys.

Five starters missed Sunday’s game because of injuries: running back David Johnson (wrist), tight end Jermaine Gresham (ribs), left tackle D.J. Humphries (knee), left guard Mike Iupati (triceps) and receiver John Brown (quadriceps).

With so many changes, quarterback Carson Palmer wasn’t surprised there were rough moments on Sunday.

“We were short on a couple of personnel groups,” he said. “We had to change some stuff at the last minute when we realized Jermaine wasn’t going to play, and we weren’t sure about Troy (Niklas).”

Niklas, who suffered a hip injury last week, played. So did tight end Ifeanyi Momah. But often the two tight ends in the game were Niklas and Will Holden, a rookie tackle. That group gave the Cardinals more blocking power.

“He (Holden) has probably never done that in his life,” Palmer said. “So there were some just very difficult situations we were in.”

Coach Bruce Arians admitted he wondered on the sideline what it was going to take to start moving the ball.

“It was times that were like, ‘when are we going to get this thing going?’” he said. “And it would be second-and-15 again. We had a couple long runs called back.”

Team effort

Mathieu apparently wasn’t the only one who made a good play on his interception in overtime. Outside linebacker Karlos Dansby said he felt the ball hit his hands before Mathieu stole it. And according to a source close to Rucker, Rucker hit quarterback Jacoby Brissett when he threw it.

Asked how it felt to see Mathieu get the interception, Rucker said, ‘It felt a lot better hitting the quarterback to let it happen.”

A rough outing

The Colts called time out before Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson’s first attempt at a game-winning field goal in regulation went through the uprights.

Dawson’s second attempt went wide right, and the game went into overtime.

Dawson thought a defender ran into him on the play, but no flag was thrown.

“I don’t flop,” Dawson said, “and I don’t remember thinking, ‘go down.’ The referee told me he thought my motion was complete. I said, ‘it obviously wasn’t since I’m on the ground.’ But they’re not going to throw a flag with the game on the line, so you just have to regroup and go for it again.”

Dawson got a second chance a short time later when Mathieu’s interception helped set up the game winner.

This was a big one (game winner), first one with my new team,” said Dawson.

Dawson, who missed only three field goals in each of the last two season, has missed two already this year. He missed from 32 yards last week.

Star Watch: Cardinals stars earn mixed grades against Colts

Report Card: Offense, defense earn passing grades

Update: David Johnson recovering after wrist surgery

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions