The Dallas Cowboys were in mid-season form in the exhibition opener against the Denver Broncos, and that form was from the rough stretch of the team’s 2021 season. It was the first exhibition game of the season. which renders the results meaningless, but it wasn’t pretty. Poor offensive line play led to the offensive having trouble moving the ball and there was a wide assortment of penalties, way too many penalties.
These were the same types of mistakes that led to the Cowboys getting bounced in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Head coach Mike McCarthy held out a number of his starters, which was a wise decision if the team’s success depends on it staying healthy. It was just a preseason game, but it didn’t look like a team capable of competing for a playoff spot if the Cowboys don’t keep their best guys on the field.
Dallas got beaten soundly, 17-7, by the Broncos in the preseason opener. Here are the winners and losers from a rough outing in Denver to kick off the exhibition slate.