I agree with you that Rex didn’t lose the game yesterday. So in that account, he is improved somewhat. He faced the best defense he’ll see all season, and didn’t stink it up.
However, Cedric Benson did stink it up. Just awful.
He was frustrating as hell to watch. There were a few moments that he was very effective, and then others where he was a total dud. He did have a nice 11 yard run. Peterson's numbers were slightly better, but then he coughed up a fumble too. Those fumbles hurt more than anything. It killed drives and kept the D on the field too long.
I can understand Benson's mistakes, being a second year man but Peterson has been around a while. I don't think that Thomas Jones would have fared much better though, he was 14 carries for 42 yards yesterday against the Pats. He just took better care of the ball. ( zero fumbles)