PHX Reporter

A number of Cardinals players were absent from the preseason game, as starters were not in uniform for the opening kickoff. Jonathan Gannon ensured his team participated in warmups to prepare them as much as possible. The regular season lineup remains uncertain due to many key players not participating in these games, a trend expected to continue in the upcoming preseason finale in Denver.

Gannon emphasized the importance of going through the process. "I think some guys are starting to define their roles," he stated, explaining why non-starters received extensive playtime. Despite offensive struggles during these games, questions linger about how the team will perform with Kyler Murray at quarterback and other key players like Conner, Harrison, Wilson, McBride, and Dortch in action.

Rookie tackle Christian Jones had a challenging night with four holding penalties, three of which were consecutive and accepted. Gannon noted improvement after halftime: "I thought (Jones) reset at halftime and did a good job in the second half. I was enthused with what he did in the second half. I was proud of him."

The Cardinals incurred 11 penalties overall, including a crucial false start that led to a clock runoff with five seconds remaining.

Victor Dimukeje narrowly missed out on three sacks as the quarterback twice escaped his grasp. L.J. Collier made an impact with a sack despite limited playtime. Cam Thomas recorded two sacks and reflected positively on his performance: "I definitely got more opportunities to put on display what I've got," he said. "I believe I did a pretty good job maximizing those opportunities."

The game also featured a unique "dynamic kickoff" scenario where Matt Prater's short kickoff resulted in the receiving team gaining possession at their 40-yard line.

Xavier Thomas continued to show impressive speed and power off the edge, securing a sack when an opposing left tackle stumbled and fell.

Caitlyn Epes/Arizona Cardinals

Rabbit Taylor-Demerson celebrates his interception.

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