Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman speaks on his disappointment of the Cowboys after first round loss.

The Dallas Cowboys ended the season in common franchise fashion. Dallas was booted in the first round after another year of high hopes behind a skilled offense and explosive defense. Former Cowboys quarterback Troyo Aikman spoke on the Cowboys’ 2023 playoff appearance, alluding to the same hopes and end to the season Dallas endures every year.

“It’s the same old story and I don’t mean that as a criticism,” said Aikman, per Calvin Watkins at The Dallas Morning News. “It’s just when I’m asked about the Cowboys as to why they have struggled, they’ve put together some really great regular seasons and they just have not for whatever reasons [played] their best football when the games matters most. That’s what you have to do. That’s the key to winning in the postseason and then getting into the Super Bowl. What the answer to that is, I’m not sure.”

There’s been a viral stat in the NFL world, stating the Houston Texans have more playoff wins since their inaugural 2022 season than the Cowboys have in that span. The Texans have won five playoff games since 2002, while the Cowboys have won four. Dallas always seems to put on incredible performances throughout the regular season, but it doesn’t translate to games in January.

The Cowboys won a playoff game in the 2022 postseason, but a first-round victory isn’t the standard in Dallas. Hoisting up the Super Bowl trophy is the expectation each and every year for the Cowboys, and they haven’t even gotten close to that scenario in the past two decades.