Aikman offers simple reason for Cowboys’ post-season struggles

Jun 26, 2023
25
3 mins read
Troy Aikman Talks Cowboys Dysfunction, Grading Mike McCarthy a Head Coach for 2021

The last time the Cowboys won anything important, Troy Aikman was behind center.

Since then, it is not like the Cowboys haven’t had the talent to do so, and Aikman agrees.

“The organization has done a fantastic job. I think the coaches have done a great job. The players. All of it. They have won a lot of games,” Aikman told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

He went on to utter exactly what all of us fans have over the last 20 years.

It’s the fact that the Cowboys could play better when it matters the most… In the playoffs.

“The problem for them, and they don’t need me to tell them this, they just have not played their best football when the games have mattered the most,” Aikman said.

Dallas has made the playoffs five of the last nine seasons and have had over double-digit wins in four of those nine years.

Despite all that, they have only won five times in the playoffs since the year I was born, 1996. Resulting in the 28-year title drought.

WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE

That is the golden question.

What can Dallas do to get the monkey off their back? Aikman, like most, doesn’t have a clear-cut answer for that either.

He says the teams he was a part of in the 90s succeeded because they played their best football in the biggest games.

Aikman still believes the team he hoisted three Lombardi Trophies for can win it all.

Cowboys Headlines - Troy Aikman: The Greatest First Overall Pick In NFL History 3

“Hopefully this will be the year they get over the hump. I’m pulling for them,” Aikman said.

This might be one of the most talented rosters the Cowboys have had on both sides of the football in a while.

You add a former Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore, to a Dan Quinn defense with Trevon Diggs, Micah Parsons, and others.

In the same month, they get Brandin Cooks, the walking 1000-yard machine, to add with CeeDee Lamb, who proved he was a true No. 1 wide receiver last year.

Michael Gallup is back to 100% with an entire offseason after his ACL tear.

Before that, Gallup posted a combined 1,950 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019 and 2020.

Say what you want about Dak, but the last time he had a wide receiver room this good in 2021, he threw for 4,449 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Aikman is also a fan of the current signal caller.

“I’ve said it many times, I’m a big fan of Dak and I’d like to see him bring a world championship back to Dallas. It’s been a long time,” he said.

Troy Aikman: "I Think Dak's Leverage Went Up After This Year"

Yes, Aikman, it has been a long time, and like everyone else, I don’t want to keep talking about it, I want to win it.

I want to see them win a title just as much as the next guy.

This is not a Prescott problem as much as folks want to blame him. This league has had FAR worse guys win a Super Bowl.

Prescott hasn’t been behind center since 2000, ya know.

It comes down to being constant, do that for three or four games when you need them the most, and you never know what will happen.

I still believe in this team. It’s never going away. I saw my Cubs win a title after 100 years of heartbreak, and my Denver Nuggets after 40 years.

It can happen.

Shane Taylor

Shane Taylor

Shane Taylor is a sports journalist with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and seven years of professional media experience. He has written 766 articles for InsideTheStar.com, reaching over 928,000 readers. Prior to Inside The Star, Shane worked as a Sports Reporter for Journal Star and a Regional News Reporter for Shaw Media. He currently works in the TRIO Upward Bound department at a junior college.

25 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 26, 2023 4:38 PM

What was his? O-11 as a rookie. Jimmy Johnson took him and groomed and built a team around him.

Luke A Bass
Luke A Bass
Jun 26, 2023 4:53 PM

William T Clark Jr to be fair, though, that team was brutally awful! Troy got beat to a pulp!

William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 26, 2023 5:22 PM

Luke A Bass that has ZERO to do with it. The point is COACHING and what Jimmy Johnson did ran over to Switzer after that, Troy faded.

Luke A Bass
Luke A Bass
Jun 26, 2023 5:26 PM

William T Clark Jr what are you talking about? That has a great deal to do with it! Lol. The same team that was 0-11 with Troy was also being coached by Jimmy. The team didn’t take shape until Jimmy traded Hershel the following season for picks, drafted Emmitt and brought in Norv Turner.

William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 26, 2023 9:27 PM

Luke A Bass nah question is what are you talking about. The team was 2-15, Jimmy was brought in to help the struggling Cowboys. At that point Troy was already playing under Tom Landry. Troy was a number 1 pick mind you.

J Kevin Stone
J Kevin Stone
Jun 26, 2023 9:43 PM

Luke A Bass Much of that success was owed to Minnesota making a Terrible trade deal with a brilliant football coach, JJ. Only for Walker to return to the boys and run the first play back for 6, if I remember correctly. Lol, not much after that, but should’ve began the writing on the wall for the longevity of the RB position.

William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 26, 2023 11:36 PM

Luke A Bass still doesn’t take place of team going 1-15

Luke A Bass
Luke A Bass
Jun 26, 2023 11:38 PM

William T Clark Jr I never said it did. It just proves my point that the team was “brutally awful” like I said.

William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 26, 2023 11:39 PM

Luke A Bass oh is that the only time the team has been bad?

Mts Footpegs
Mts Footpegs
Jun 27, 2023 4:10 PM

William T Clark Jr Troy even said he did not want to come to dallas

Mts Footpegs
Mts Footpegs
Jun 27, 2023 4:11 PM

Luke A Bass actually Jimmy had 3 great assistants .But Hershel trade paved the way for players

William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 27, 2023 6:05 PM

Mts Footpegs oh ok

Mts Footpegs
Mts Footpegs
Jun 28, 2023 12:14 PM

William T Clark Jr and Troy in a documented interview said and I quote ..I DID NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR DALLAS COWBOYS.THATS NOT DOCUMENTED ? Football Guru like you should know this

William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 28, 2023 3:07 PM

Mts Footpegs please share that here. Either way I could care less, because he played for Dallas.

Mts Footpegs
Mts Footpegs
Jun 29, 2023 11:37 AM

William T Clark Jr google it ,You’ll see where it’s said

William T Clark Jr
William T Clark Jr
Jun 29, 2023 12:55 PM

Mts Footpegs dude he wanted Green Bay to win because if they lost he would be drafted by them. He did not want to be drafted by Green Bay.

Mts Footpegs
Mts Footpegs
Jun 29, 2023 2:54 PM

William T Clark Jr listen to that ARTICLE .He says in that Article .I DID NOT WANT TO BE DRAFTED BY THE DALLAS COWBOYS ..You don’t know every thing obviously

Frank
Frank
Jun 26, 2023 12:51 PM

Dak is the captain of the ship and has the ultimate responsibility.

VAM
VAM
Jun 28, 2023 8:39 AM
Reply to  Frank

Therein lies the problem.

tor
tor
Jun 26, 2023 4:20 PM

The Eagles draft of great linemen will be too much for Dallas at the end of the year.

Richard Paolinelli
Jun 26, 2023 5:39 PM
Reply to  tor

Assuming of course that they don’t get their teammates killed racing cars…

Jerry Campbell
Jerry Campbell
Jun 26, 2023 10:05 PM

Fuck Aikman

Arthur Davis
Arthur Davis
Jun 26, 2023 11:52 PM

The offensive line and the linebackers and secondary players are the reason why the Cowboys can’t get over the hump….Besides injuries and a lack of experience along the offensive line the Cowboys just couldn’t compete with better defensive teams…..Elliott couldn’t run because opposing defensive teams were stacking the line to shut down the running game….On sure passing downs the offensive line just couldn’t hold up and Prescott got blitzed a lot….Some people don’t like it when I say that the Cowboys defense is bad because of Leighton Vander Esch and Anthony Brown…..The defensive line didn’t always get to the other teams quarterback, but if you just watched the linebackers and secondary players you can see the problems….Diggs didn’t always make tackles or plays either which hurt the team….If the Cowboys can have a healthy offensive line this year for most of this season, they are going to light up the score board….With Stephon Gilmore addiction the Cowboys secondary has improved tremendously…..I think that Leighton Vander Esch is on his way out of Dallas as well, if continues to miss tackles and shoots the wrong gap like he does most of the time….

Douglas Paul
Douglas Paul
Jun 27, 2023 12:00 PM

Easy the QB the duk isnt good enough, he is a awful choker with a IQ of a Duk!

R Fryar
R Fryar
Jun 28, 2023 1:45 PM

No kidding. Dallas is failing to win in the playoffs – when it counts – so, that’s why they’re not winning in the playoffs. Profound thoughts here.

Cowboys' Mr. Irrelevants have been hit and miss
Previous Story

Cowboys’ Mr. Irrelevants have been hit and miss

Michael Irvin lawsuit update: Jane Doe answers complaint filed by Hall of Famer
Next Story

Michael Irvin lawsuit update: Jane Doe answers complaint filed by Hall of Famer