THE STORY: The stars were on the sideline. There was no Trey McBride, no Budda Baker, no names that will ultimately going to make the Cardinals go this season.

That doesn't change the Cardinals' goal in the preseason for coach Mike LaFleur, seeking the  optimal operation that was absent Saturday night at State Farm Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys.

The result, in this case a 34-13 loss, doesn't count, but as LaFleur says often, it doesn't mean the game does not matter. Giving up 24 first-half points can't happen. An inability to convert a first-and-goal, or a third-and-inches-from-the-goalline, can't happen.

Not for the Cardinals to get the results the right way when they do count.

Some mistakes were unavoidable. Gardner Minshew II threw the Cardinals' first interception of the preseason, but only because wide receiver Simi Fehoko slipped coming out of his break, allowing for an uncontested pick.

Other issues were harder with which to deal. A pair of penalties by tight end Rivaldo Fairweather on one drive, both nullifying touchdowns. Two more false starts. And on defense, allowing a 53-yard TD pass and a broken-play  70-yard catch-and-run are always difficult to overcome.

But the reality was also that the game was also designed to make sure the players the Cardinals will be leaning on the most in the regular season were held out of harm's way, their work coming next week in a joint practice with the Packers.

Minshew performed well given the circumstances, leading a TD drive to open the second half and finishing 19-of-23 for 177 yards and that one forgivable turnover.

More to come on azcardinals.com.