Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Thinks Offensive Numbers Dipping Would Be Positive Sign

The Dallas Cowboys made it no secret that the main focus entering the 2026 season was improving on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, Dallas ranked No. 30 overall in total defense, which sparked a complete defensive rebuild.

Dallas hired new defensive coordinator Christian Parker to lead the corner, and since taking the job, he has created plenty of buzz.

The Cowboys signed several defensive free agents who have experience in Parker's scheme, while drafting Ohio State star safety Caleb Downs to give the team a potential superstar to build around.

Parker and the defense will be key for the Cowboys to have a bounce-back season, which was what Hall of Famer Troy Aikman highlighted during an appearance on ESPN's Get Up ahead of the NFL schedule release.

Key To Dallas' Bounce-Back Season

"I do like the hire of Christian Parker. I think sometimes you bring in some young assistant who now is getting his opportunity after having coached under some really good people over the course of his career, he comes in with a good resume," Aikman said.

"All indications are that the players are excited about it. I think what they've done, starting with the draft, to address some of those needs on the defense has been positive."

An interesting aspect of a potential turnaround is how it could impact the high-flying offense. Dallas put up mind-boggling numbers during the 2025 campaign, but that's because the team was playing from behind or was always airing out the ball because it always knew how important it was to get on the scoreboard.

Dallas' defense couldn't stop anyone, so there was a lot of urgency, but with Parker at the helm, all eyes should be on how that impacts the offense.

Aikman added. "What I think Greeny gets lost a little bit, the offense was so prolific last year, and then you've got a healthy Dak Prescott. And unfortunately for them, we saw it with Joe Burrow in the Bengals a couple of years ago, when you have that kind of play at the quarterback position, typically that means good things when the season comes to an end. And yet, for Dallas, they failed to even make the postseason.

"Can that offense continue to play at the level that it did last year? And that's a big if. It was one of Dak Prescott's best years. It was George Pickens' career year. It was Javante Williams' career year. I mean, there was a lot that happened on the offensive side of the ball; the numbers may not look as good. In fact, I think if you're a Cowboys fan, you hope the offensive numbers don't look as good because that would then mean that the defense is better and playing a much bigger role in the success of that team."

While that may not be great for fantasy football fans, it would be great news for the Cowboys if the offense did not need to score on every possession. As long as the team can get a solid effort from the defense, there will be less pressure on Dak Prescott and the offense throughout the year.

And maybe, just maybe, giving the offense the necessary support could give the Cowboys exactly what they need to finally get over the hump.

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