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Troy Aikman is the key to the team.  It's not that he's the best player on the team-- it's the fact that he's the soul of the team. When he is excited, the Cowboys are exciting. When he is bored, the Cowboys are boring. You can usually take the pulse of the team by looking at Aikman's play, mood, and reactions. Known league-wide as one of the most accurate passers in the history of the game, the future Hall of Fame inductee never consistently leads in Sunday statistics; yet, he does lead the active NFL quarterbacks in the most important category-- Super Bowl win!

Never has Aikman thrown for  300 yards in a game more than twice in a season. Only once has he thrown for 20 or more touchdowns in a single season. While other NFL quarterbacks throw for well over 4000 yards per season,  Aikman has never thrown for more than 3500 yards. So what separates Troy Aikman from the rest? His drive to win! As long as Aikman is quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, they have a chance to win. When the opportunity to win is no longer there-- Aikman will walk off in the sunset as one of the most driven quarterbacks to play the game. Jerry Jones, more than anyone, knows this fact and it is for this reason that he signed Joey Galloway and Jackie Harris. Give Aikman the building blocks, and he will unselfishly do whatever it takes to bring home a Super Bowl title.

Entering his 12th season, Aikman still has great skills. He throws the ball exactly where the receiver can easily catch it-- and it's a pretty ball to watch. His accuracy is unbelievable in the short to medium range passes, and he should feel more comfortable now that Chan Gailey and his offense is stinking it up in Miami. With the old timing offensive system back, he looks to be content for the first time since the departure of Jimmy Johnson. Jack Reilly is the new offensive coordinator, and he has promised an attack similar to that of Mike Martz in St. Louis. Throw the ball downfield, and put pressure on the defense. This should please Aikman who was vocal during the Chan Gailey era that too much of practice time was devoted to running plays.

If Aikman has a weakness, it involves being a leader. It's a double-edged sword because he draws great criticism from those who take exception with his obvious frustration when teammates make mistakes such as lining-up in the incorrect spot, running the wrong route, or committing a mental mistake such as a false start. Dan Marino was often criticized in the same way, but his actions were accepted because he was so emotional. I don't think it's his intention, but Aikman comes across as pouting as the mistakes mount. I would also like to see him save time-outs. Too often last season, the Dallas Cowboys would enter a critical stage of the game without a time-out because it was burned earlier in the game due to a mistake. Aikman must also put forth a more organized effort into the two-minute drill where he sometimes displays poor clock management.

With new weapons in the passing game, Aikman looks to have everything he needs to become the quarterback he was before Barry Switzer and Chan Gailey ruined him. Never before has Aikman had the speed at both wide receiver positions like he now has with Joey Galloway and Raghib "Rocket" Ismail. Still, don't look for Aikman to be throwing fifty-yard bombs too often. On long bombs, he always seems to give that pump fake as if he is winding-up. Then, the pass drifts toward the sideline into no-mans land. His job will be to get the ball to players on the move, so they can utilize their speed. Hitting the receivers in-stride will be the name of the game, and none do that better than Troy Aikman. Without question, it appear that Aikman should achieve one of the best statistical years of his career in this offense. For a change, the passing attack should take pressure off of Emmitt Smith!

Entering his 15th season, Cunningham turned down opportunities with Tampa Bay and Detroit. Why? Playing time with those teams looked to be more of a possibility, but the real reason he chose Dallas was the fact the he is entering his 15th season. The desire to be "The Man" looks to be gone. As a backup to Aikman, he can carry the clipboard for another four years and ride off into the sunset-- earning millions along the way. If that theory doesn't suit you, how about the "Coconut Theory"? This theory notes that the current starting quarterbacks for the Bucs and Lions are young. Troy Aikman is older, and older players are more likely to suffer injuries. Moreover, Aikman is a concussion or two away from retirement. A couple of blows to Aikman's coconut, would give Cunningham the starting job by default. Then, the mega-millions would be within reach as his contract is filled with playing-time incentives. It's obvious that living in the gambling paradise of Las Vegas, Nevada suits Cunningham. He's truly is rolling the dice!

Major Losses: Jason Garrett (New York Giants)

Garrett remains the capable backup due to his intelligence, fine play, and the salary cap. Unfortunately, he brings those attributes to the division-rival New York after signing a free agent deal with the Giants this off-season. Garrett does what the backup quarterback is supposed to do-- be ready at any moment, play within himself, and not lose the game. He rarely makes a mistake and his teammates have supreme confidence in his ability to get the job done. The fans in New York should be thankful to posses a backup of his quality!

Rookie Impact: Clint Stoerner - Arkansas

Considered pretty much just a body entering training camp, Stoerner has moved into the lead in the battle for the third-string quarterback job. Battling veteran Paul Justin, Stoerner played more like the veteran and Justin looked to play the role of a rookie with mistakes, big mistakes, on every possession during the pre-season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also a factor is salary. Stoerner would receive a $193,000 salary in 2000 while Justin would receive a check for $500,000 if he make the team. That said, Justin must play significantly better that Clint Stoerner during the preseason, and that hasn't happened. This battle is a perfect example to show where the NFL Players Association is shortsighted in their salary battles with the NFL owner in that veterans are guaranteed a minimum salary based on years of NFL experience. It's a fact that Paul Justin has struggled, but the Cowboys would surely prefer to go into the season with the veteran Justin making a $193,000 salary with Stoerner on the practice squad. It's also a fact that Justin would rather be in the NFL making $193,000 instead of being unemployed. But, with the current NFL economics, the ability to save over $300,000 against the salary cap is a serious factor in determining eventually who will win the job as the third-string backup at quarterback. It could very well be the deciding factor!