In the preseason, winning and losing isn’t the main point. Teams like playing to win, but it involves guys who might or might not end up playing in the NFL, so it is more about the process.

The Cardinals lost 31-10 on Friday night in their preseason opener to the Oakland Raiders. What did we learn?

The team stayed healthy

Considering how the Cardinals have lost a starter for the season each of the last five preseasons/training camps, this is good. Coach Bruce Arians said there are “a couple of bumps and bruises, but no missed time.”

One player could miss time and that is reserve tackle John Wetzel. He suffered a hip flexor and “has a sore back, too” from when he got run up on his back.

The starters played well

In what ultimately is what matters in real games, the Cardinals started the game well. “I thought our good players played well,” Arians said after the game. He believed his starters won. The defense forced a punt in their one possession on the field and the offense scored a field goal, moving the ball well.

Related Cardinals starters effective in limited work in preseason opener

Quarterback trouble after Carson Palmer

Drew Stanton was inaccurate. Matt Barkley was “good, bad and ugly.” After starter Carson Palmer left the game, Stanton, Barkley and Jake Coker combined to complete 12/35 passes for 179 yards and two interceptions. Stanton made throws he shouldn’t have. Barkley forgot to send players in motion on three occasions, ruining those plays.

The running game was good

David Johnson looked good, rushing three times for 41 yards. Chris Johnson was solid. Andre Ellington looked electric. Even Kerwynn Williams looked good, too. They rushed for 172 yards in all.

Individuals looked good, but not the team collectively

That was the case after the starters left. Arians had high praise for Troy Niklas, D.J. Humphries and named Marqui Christian, Harlan Miller and Cariel Brooks as guys who stood out individually.