As far as the offense is concerned, I think having the Cowboys' starters on the sidelines took a toll, on their preparation for the regular season. It might have been informative as far as Trey Lance is concerned, but the overall result appeared to be a serious blow to their effectiveness.
The FO's refusal to add much-needed help to several positions did them no favors, either. Being in denial of the need for adding talent was absurd. Derrick Henry could have helped the offense tremendously, as Jerry claimed he "couldn't afford him," while everyone knew it wasn't so. Getting DTs well past their years of effectiveness didn't help matters, either.