Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb had this to say in response to Troy Aikman’s criticism around receivers
During the Cowboys’ bye week, Hall of Fame quarterback and Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman made some indicting comments about the struggles the team is facing with a clear emphasis on how the lack of effort from the receiving corps has played a big role in losses.
“I think the routes are terrible,” Aikman said on The Ticket radio show. “I think they run terrible routes, and I’ve thought that beyond this year. I think CeeDee [Lamb] has got to improve in his route running. As a quarterback, if you’re not certain where guys are going to be consistently, it’s hard to play the position.”
“That’s what I see. I see guys lazy coming off the line of scrimmage. Sometimes they run, usually if they do, it’s because they’re anticipating they’re going to get the football on that play, but if they’re not, they don’t. And it all ties together. I’m not impressed with that part of it.”
On Thursday, Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott had their first opportunity to respond to Aikman’s criticism.
“We just gotta be better overall,” Lamb said with an abrupt tone. “That’s all. Next question.”
Prescott was more talkative on the topic and further analyzed that the team has to be better.
“There’s criticism, that’s his job,” Prescott said. “He gets paid to analyze things, to comment on things. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I think myself, CeeDee, everybody on this team have to do better…Whether he got personal or whether he went too far, once again, the guy gets paid to do that and to do a job. The last thing I’m going to do is allow it to create division within this building.”
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said earlier in the week that “Troy knows football” and that his assessment of the Cowboys receivers is “credible, very professional, very fair.” Head coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday that Aikman’s comments “don’t carry any weight” and that he didn’t agree with his evaluation.
“There is definitely need for improvement in every position,” McCarthy said. “Not just one position that he commented on.”
