INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen found plenty to like from his backups Saturday night.
Quarterback Jason Bean and running backs Tyler Goodson and Zavier Scott each rushed for scores. Quarterbacks Sam Ehlinger and Kedon Slovis showed they belong in the conversation to be the No. 3 quarterback.
Steichen couldn't have scripted it much better as the Colts held off the mistake-prone Arizona Cardinals 21-13.
“I think we went for what, 166 on the ground, with all those guys that were battling, scratching and clawing, which was good to see,” Steichen said. “This game was an opportunity for our assistant coaches, too. A lot of guys called the game throughout on both sides of the ball and it was fun to listen to everyone call it.”
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon also opted to sit most of his starters including rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. after holding two joint practices with the Colts earlier this week. Harrison still has not appeared in a game at Lucas Oil Stadium, the same one his Hall of Fame father once called his home field.
But the Colts didn't mind.
Bean took advantage of his most extensive playing time in two weeks by going 7 of 9 with 94 yards, one interception and a 1-yard TD run on fourth down to open the fourth quarter. Goodson started and ran six times for 35 yards and the first score of the game as he battles Zavier Scott for the No. 3 running back job. Scott had 11 carries for 55 yards.
Sam Ehlinger started for the Colts and was 4 of 7 for 38 yards while Slovis closed it out by going 8 of 11 for 79 yards.
“We'll see,” Steichen said when asked if he'd start the season with three quarterbacks. “I think it's going to come down at the end of the roster and how we're looking at it."
Clayton Tune started at quarterback for the Cardinals and was 8 of 10 with 79 yards and a 12-yard TD run late in the first half while Desmond Ridder finished the game 6 of 10 for 71 yards. Trey Benson carried nine times for 43 yards, but Arizona had nearly as many penalties (11) as first downs (13).
“It's hard to get a rhythm when you have the ball and you're going backward,” Gannon said. “We weren't ready to play today mentally and that's on me.”
It marked the first time these two franchises met in a preseason game since August 1967 when they called Baltimore and St. Louis home and were relying on quarterbacks John Unitas and Jim Hart.
Indy took a 7-0 lead on Goodson's 8-yard TD run late in the first quarter. Arizona answered with a 40-yard field goal early in the second quarter and capitalized on an interception when Tune scored on a 12-yard run in the final minute of the first half for a 10-7 lead.
Bean rebounded by opening the second half with a 75-yard drive, capped by Scott's 6-yard scoring run, before punching it in himself to give Indy a 21-13 lead.
Holding calls
It was a tough night for Cardinals offensive lineman Christian Jones, a fifth-round draft pick out of Texas. The rookie was called for holding on three consecutive plays and four times in a string of 13 Arizona plays in the second quarter. Indy declined the fourth penalty to force fourth down.
“Every officiating crew is different,” Gannon said, noting Jones “reset” at halftime. “If that's the way they're going to call it, we have to be smarter.”
Caitlin Clark appearance
Less than 24 hours after posting her 10th double-double of the season and leading the WNBA's Indiana Fever to a third consecutive victory over the Phoenix Mercury, star player Caitlin Clark was in the crowd.
The former Iowa star got a first-hand glimpse of another former Hawkeye, Goodson, getting significant action. Clark plays again Sunday when Seattle visits Gainbridge Fieldhouse, just a few blocks away from Lucas Oil Stadium.
Special delivery
Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez did not play Saturday night because his wife, Cynthia, delivered the couple's second child, a daughter.
Spencer Shrader, a rookie kicker from Notre Dame, replaced Sanchez as both the punter and holder on extra points and field goals. His first punt went 63 yards.
Injuries
Cardinals: Offensive lineman Jon Gaines II left with a finger injury in the first half.
Colts: Cornerback JuJu Brents (nose), tight end Jelani Woods (toe) and backup offensive lineman Josh Sills (ankle) all left in the first half and did not return. Backup offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini also injured a toe late in the game.
Up next
Cardinals: Close out the preseason Aug. 25 at Denver.
Colts: Visit Cincinnati on Thursday, two days after a joint practice against the Bengals.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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