Not much is going right for the Dallas Cowboys right now. They’re slipping fast in the NFC East, while the Philadelphia Eagles sit at 7-2 and control the division. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are 3-5-1 and look disjointed most weeks. Now, franchise legend Troy Aikman believes the team can’t afford to wait any longer.

During an appearance on NFL Live, Aikman went straight to the point. He looked at the offensive struggles and explained the real issue without softening anything.

“It’s indicative of just how much they rely on the offense when you look at the last couple of games. And if they don’t play at their best, they’re going to have a hard time winning and it’s why they lost the last two.”

The offense is carrying too much, and the load is breaking them. Dak Prescott is right at the center of it. He has thrown one touchdown and three interceptions over the last two outings. This comes despite having CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. The result is simple. More mistakes and fewer points.

Afterward, Aikman dug even deeper into the real issue.

“They’ve turned the ball over, and you could make a case that maybe they should run the ball a little more. What they’ve gotten out of Javonte Williams has been really impressive. Of course, they’ve got two big weapons on the outside, and you want to take advantage of that. But they’ve got to play better.”

He believes the defense will need time, so Dak and the offense must carry the weight for now. And yes, the defense has been leaky all season, and the numbers show it.

They sit at 31 in defensive DVOA and defensive EPA, which tells the whole story.

Still, Aikman thinks one thing is nonnegotiable. The Cowboys must win the next game.

Tony Aikman warns the Cowboys about their upcoming schedule

The Las Vegas Raiders are not in great shape either. They sit at 2-7 and continue to struggle. Yet this matchup carries real weight because Las Vegas can still spoil Dallas’ playoff hopes.

And with the Eagles, the Chiefs, and the Lions waiting next, the Cowboys cannot afford another slip.

So, Troy Aikman warned that the road ahead is no joke.

“They’ve got a gauntlet of games once they get past this game on Monday night against Las Vegas. You hate to say it, but that’s when the tough part of their schedule hits them. They have to get better.”

However, Aikman also understood the emotional hit the Cowboys took. They are still processing the loss of Marshawn Kneeland, and the locker room has been heavy all week.

“Of course, they’re dealing with a lot right now, emotionally, with the loss of Marshawn Kneeland, and we’ll see how they respond on Monday night. But they’ve got a lot of work ahead of them.”

He hopes that pain turns into urgency.

However, last week showed what happens when Dallas loses focus. The Cardinals crushed them and mocked the defense after every score. So if America’s Team wants any chance of keeping postseason dreams alive, they must take down the Raiders on Monday night.