Aztecs bows were wimpy. They were at most 5' tall and were not mentioned much in the descriptions of battles. The Aztecs favored the use of javelins and the atlatl.
Compare this to the bows used against Cabeza de Vaca and his companions in 1529 up in western Florida:
"Spanish crossbows failed to compete with Amerindian longbows that were six to seven feet long, thick as a man's arm, and very accurate at two hundred yards. Although Spanish armor had been effective against most arrows encountered on three continents, these Aute arrows penetrated six inches of wood, and even Spanish breast- and back plates. Ten Spaniards were killed while foraging. "We found their bodies pierced all the way through, although some wore good Armor.""
(taken from Warpaths by Ian K. Steele)
So what if we wave the counterfactual wand and provide the Aztecs with bows like those used by the Aute? While we are at it, let's give the same type of bow to the 16th century Maya and ignore all the butterflies flying around until about 1517.
Compare this to the bows used against Cabeza de Vaca and his companions in 1529 up in western Florida:
"Spanish crossbows failed to compete with Amerindian longbows that were six to seven feet long, thick as a man's arm, and very accurate at two hundred yards. Although Spanish armor had been effective against most arrows encountered on three continents, these Aute arrows penetrated six inches of wood, and even Spanish breast- and back plates. Ten Spaniards were killed while foraging. "We found their bodies pierced all the way through, although some wore good Armor.""
(taken from Warpaths by Ian K. Steele)
So what if we wave the counterfactual wand and provide the Aztecs with bows like those used by the Aute? While we are at it, let's give the same type of bow to the 16th century Maya and ignore all the butterflies flying around until about 1517.