Troy Aikman’s comments “don’t carry weight” with Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.Last week Aikman, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Dallas who calls “Monday Night Football” games for ESPN, told regional radio station 96.7 FM The Ticket that wide receivers running lazy or inconsistent routes are hurting the offense and quarterback Dak Prescott.”I think the routes are terrible. I think they run terrible routes,” Aikman said. “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. “McCarthy said Monday morning as the Cowboys (3-3) return from their bye week that Aikman is wrong.”They don’t carry any weight with me, because I watch all the tape, I get to go to the meetings, I’m at practice, I’m part of the games,” McCarthy said. “So I have a clear understanding of what and where. Troy’s statement in particular — I don’t agree with the word selection. There is definitely need for improvement in every position, not just one position that he commented on.”The Cowboys went into the open week on the schedule licking their wounds due to injuries and a blowout loss at home to the Detroit Lions in Week 6.Questions and criticism about work ethic are off-base, according to McCarthy.”(The team’s) work ethic is high,” McCarthy said, noting GPS readings used to measure effort and intensity are higher this season than the past two seasons.
