Being a hot team vs a great team

[Bobhaze]

It’s been a lot of fun to see the Cowboys reel off 3 straight wins with two being against last year’s SB participants. The Cowboys are at least in the playoff hunt though certainly needing a long win streak and some help. Good times indeed.

But I see a lot of talk by some of our fans about being “the best team in the league” right now. I disagree. I think it’s more that we are the “hottest” team in the league right now. Big difference. The “best” teams in the league are consistent. Even the best teams in the league have slumps or a few games where they aren’t clicking.

Bottom line for me is the best teams have the overall record to show it, the consistency over time, and grit to overcome adversity. We have come a long way to get better. And we are certainly “hot” right now. The Cowboys being the best team? That’s a big stretch. Certainly not yet.

Here are the differences between a hot team and a great team
HOT TEAMS:

• Tend to have a surprising surge by beating teams they weren’t expected to and usually include an unlikely winning streak.
• Have emerging players that show development and improvement or new players opponents are not used to seeing.
• Play at a very high level that is hard to sustain.
• What makes it hard to sustain over time is other teams make adjustments to your team’s surge and new players.

GREAT TEAMS

• Great teams are consistent. Very few swings of extremes.
• Even great teams have slumps. But they find ways to recover.
• Great teams are able handle adversity over time by rising up to stop the slump at key moments in a season.
• Great teams are measured by their record, not a few games.

Bottom line: As the Big Tuna famously said years ago, “You are what your record says you are.” The Cowboys are currently 6-5-1. They have been “hot” winning the last 3. But they still have not been consistent.

Can this team become “great” this year? It is possible. But in my honest opinion I have doubts that this team is capable of being great. I have bigger hopes for 2026. Obviously this year isn’t over. Can the hottest team become one of the greats? We have 5 games to find out.

 

[Tabascocat]

They are for sure hot and I bet no one wants to play them right now. Best team? Nope but go beat Detroit to make a case

 

[Chasing6]

The last three wins we have averaged giving up 22 points a game. I will happily take my chances with Dak at 22 or less points a game.

 

[EndGame]

It's pretty rare that a team gets a mid-season infusion of talent like has happened this year in Dallas. Are they a great team now? I don't think they are, but based on what we've seen in the last three games, I'd say they're a very good one. "Very good" will get you into the playoffs in this year's NFL. Unfortunately, Dallas got to the "very good" level so late in the season, the hole might be too big to climb out of.

 

[Daktozekecoop]

The Cowboys have had the best offense by far all year. They had many injuries on defense that are now healed and have added new players on defense. And now have a defense flying to the ball on every play and giving up just over 21 points a game after giving up 28 a game. They now have a top 10 defense. They are a great team.

 

[Wildcat711]

I agree.. we are far from being a "great team"..

But if we can get into the playoffs as a hot team.. it may take us somewhere.

 

[Tangle_Foot]

So I'm cheering for a hot team, hoping they'll become great

Go Cowboys

 

[Rockport]

It’s been a lot of fun to see the Cowboys reel off 3 straight wins with two being against last year’s SB participants. The Cowboys are at least in the playoff hunt though certainly needing a long win streak and some help. Good times indeed.

But I see a lot of talk by some of our fans about being “the best team in the league” right now. I disagree. I think it’s more that we are the “hottest” team in the league right now. Big difference. The “best” teams in the league are consistent. Even the best teams in the league have slumps or a few games where they aren’t clicking.

Bottom line for me is the best teams have the overall record to show it, the consistency over time, and grit to overcome adversity. We have come a long way to get better. And we are certainly “hot” right now. The Cowboys being the best team? That’s a big stretch. Certainly not yet.

Here are the differences between a hot team and a great team
HOT TEAMS:

• Tend to have a surprising surge by beating teams they weren’t expected to and usually include an unlikely winning streak.
• Have emerging players that show development and improvement or new players opponents are not used to seeing.
• Play at a very high level that is hard to sustain.
• What makes it hard to sustain over time is other teams make adjustments to your team’s surge and new players.

GREAT TEAMS

• Great teams are consistent. Very few swings of extremes.
• Even great teams have slumps. But they find ways to recover.
• Great teams are able handle adversity over time by rising up to stop the slump at key moments in a season.
• Great teams are measured by their record, not a few games.

Bottom line: As the Big Tuna famously said years ago, “You are what your record says you are.” The Cowboys are currently 6-5-1. They have been “hot” winning the last 3. But they still have not been consistent.

Can this team become “great” this year? It is possible. But in my honest opinion I have doubts that this team is capable of being great. I have bigger hopes for 2026. Obviously this year isn’t over. Can the hottest team become one of the greats? We have 5 games to find out.

I think there was only one person who said this was the best team in the NFL. Bob, this is a prime example of how 1 person says something and then it gets twisted into something much larger.

 

[Chasing6]

There is not 1 dominant team this year. We don't need to be a great team. We just need get into the dance.

Their is not 1 team that I fear playing with our current roster.

 

[Kwyn]

Agreed Bob. Team is playing above their heads right now and that’s a testimony to the players who never gave up, the new and returning players who jumped right in and the coaching staff that kept up the intensity and focus week in and week out.

The main takeaway I’ll have from this year, should we not make the playoffs, is that we seem to finally have a team that is playing together for a coach they care willing to play for.

It’s been awhile since we’ve had both.

Let’s hope Jerry realizes that this is it for him. He has to shove all his chips into the middle.

 

[xwalker]

It’s been a lot of fun to see the Cowboys reel off 3 straight wins with two being against last year’s SB participants. The Cowboys are at least in the playoff hunt though certainly needing a long win streak and some help. Good times indeed.

But I see a lot of talk by some of our fans about being “the best team in the league” right now. I disagree. I think it’s more that we are the “hottest” team in the league right now. Big difference. The “best” teams in the league are consistent. Even the best teams in the league have slumps or a few games where they aren’t clicking.

Bottom line for me is the best teams have the overall record to show it, the consistency over time, and grit to overcome adversity. We have come a long way to get better. And we are certainly “hot” right now. The Cowboys being the best team? That’s a big stretch. Certainly not yet.

Here are the differences between a hot team and a great team
HOT TEAMS:

• Tend to have a surprising surge by beating teams they weren’t expected to and usually include an unlikely winning streak.
• Have emerging players that show development and improvement or new players opponents are not used to seeing.
• Play at a very high level that is hard to sustain.
• What makes it hard to sustain over time is other teams make adjustments to your team’s surge and new players.

GREAT TEAMS

• Great teams are consistent. Very few swings of extremes.
• Even great teams have slumps. But they find ways to recover.
• Great teams are able handle adversity over time by rising up to stop the slump at key moments in a season.
• Great teams are measured by their record, not a few games.

Bottom line: As the Big Tuna famously said years ago, “You are what your record says you are.” The Cowboys are currently 6-5-1. They have been “hot” winning the last 3. But they still have not been consistent.

Can this team become “great” this year? It is possible. But in my honest opinion I have doubts that this team is capable of being great. I have bigger hopes for 2026. Obviously this year isn’t over. Can the hottest team become one of the greats? We have 5 games to find out.

The Super Bowl Winner is not always the best team.
- Injuries and other untimely problems can prevent the best team from making it all the way to the SB and winning it.

Were the Giants teams that won Super Bowls with Eli at QB really the best team those seasons?

Were the Eagles really the best team last year?
- If you ranked QBs based purely on passing ability, Hurts wouldn't be in the top 1000 all time.

 

[GMO415]

Today's NFL has tape on everyone, especially those great players. Just because the player is on a new team, doesn't change a thing. You plan to play against the player regardless.

 

[darealvelle]

The Cowboys have had the best offense by far all year. They had many injuries on defense that are now healed and have added new players on defense. And now have a defense flying to the ball on every play and giving up just over 21 points a game after giving up 28 a game. They now have a top 10 defense. They are a great team.

I agree

 

[Scottishcowboy]

It’s been a lot of fun to see the Cowboys reel off 3 straight wins with two being against last year’s SB participants. The Cowboys are at least in the playoff hunt though certainly needing a long win streak and some help. Good times indeed.

But I see a lot of talk by some of our fans about being “the best team in the league” right now. I disagree. I think it’s more that we are the “hottest” team in the league right now. Big difference. The “best” teams in the league are consistent. Even the best teams in the league have slumps or a few games where they aren’t clicking.

Bottom line for me is the best teams have the overall record to show it, the consistency over time, and grit to overcome adversity. We have come a long way to get better. And we are certainly “hot” right now. The Cowboys being the best team? That’s a big stretch. Certainly not yet.

Here are the differences between a hot team and a great team
HOT TEAMS:

• Tend to have a surprising surge by beating teams they weren’t expected to and usually include an unlikely winning streak.
• Have emerging players that show development and improvement or new players opponents are not used to seeing.
• Play at a very high level that is hard to sustain.
• What makes it hard to sustain over time is other teams make adjustments to your team’s surge and new players.

GREAT TEAMS

• Great teams are consistent. Very few swings of extremes.
• Even great teams have slumps. But they find ways to recover.
• Great teams are able handle adversity over time by rising up to stop the slump at key moments in a season.
• Great teams are measured by their record, not a few games.

Bottom line: As the Big Tuna famously said years ago, “You are what your record says you are.” The Cowboys are currently 6-5-1. They have been “hot” winning the last 3. But they still have not been consistent.

Can this team become “great” this year? It is possible. But in my honest opinion I have doubts that this team is capable of being great. I have bigger hopes for 2026. Obviously this year isn’t over. Can the hottest team become one of the greats? We have 5 games to find out.

Good post Bob.

I don't think there's any great teams this year (as others have said too) and I really don't think any of our fans think we are great..........at least I think they don't !!!

Thing is the trades and then injury returns have literally transformed our D so its like having a new team transplanted half way through the season.

This may the the only time Tuna's often used line isn't actually true!

I look at the team right now and think yes we are 'hot' but not streaky hot, we are well on the road to this being our "normal" week in week out performance. If only we could get to play the season again starting now!

 

[daveferr33]

All you can hope for in this league is to be improving and win as many games in the process.

It was evident early in the season they were getting better.

It was evident early on that Dak was playing with confidence and as a top 5 QB, if not Elite.

And despite the hiccup against the Cardinals, they have lost to:

8-4 eagles
9-3 bears
7-6 panthers
10-2 broncos

I think a lot of that "inconsistency" was playing those quality teams, while missing key players.

So maybe they are the hot team. Or maybe they are a team on their way to being great and that is presently manifesting into being a hot team.

 

[Chasing6]

All you can hope for in this league is to be improving and win as many games in the process.

It was evident early in the season they were getting better.

It was evident early on that Dak was playing with confidence and as a top 5 QB, if not Elite.

And despite the hiccup against the Cardinals, they have lost to:

8-4 eagles
9-3 bears
7-6 panthers
10-2 broncos

I think a lot of that "inconsistency" was playing those quality teams, while missing key players.

So maybe they are the hot team. Or maybe they are a team on their way to being great and that is presently manifesting into being a hot team.

If the defense can keep the score in the low 20's we have a chance, with Dak not having to unrealistically play perfect the entire game.

 

[rambo2]

It’s been a lot of fun to see the Cowboys reel off 3 straight wins with two being against last year’s SB participants. The Cowboys are at least in the playoff hunt though certainly needing a long win streak and some help. Good times indeed.

But I see a lot of talk by some of our fans about being “the best team in the league” right now. I disagree. I think it’s more that we are the “hottest” team in the league right now. Big difference. The “best” teams in the league are consistent. Even the best teams in the league have slumps or a few games where they aren’t clicking.

Bottom line for me is the best teams have the overall record to show it, the consistency over time, and grit to overcome adversity. We have come a long way to get better. And we are certainly “hot” right now. The Cowboys being the best team? That’s a big stretch. Certainly not yet.

Here are the differences between a hot team and a great team
HOT TEAMS:

• Tend to have a surprising surge by beating teams they weren’t expected to and usually include an unlikely winning streak.
• Have emerging players that show development and improvement or new players opponents are not used to seeing.
• Play at a very high level that is hard to sustain.
• What makes it hard to sustain over time is other teams make adjustments to your team’s surge and new players.

GREAT TEAMS

• Great teams are consistent. Very few swings of extremes.
• Even great teams have slumps. But they find ways to recover.
• Great teams are able handle adversity over time by rising up to stop the slump at key moments in a season.
• Great teams are measured by their record, not a few games.

Bottom line: As the Big Tuna famously said years ago, “You are what your record says you are.” The Cowboys are currently 6-5-1. They have been “hot” winning the last 3. But they still have not been consistent.

Can this team become “great” this year? It is possible. But in my honest opinion I have doubts that this team is capable of being great. I have bigger hopes for 2026. Obviously this year isn’t over. Can the hottest team become one of the greats? We have 5 games to find out.

The Cowboys are 3 and 0 with their current team.

 

[Aven8]

With our luck we’ll scratch and claw our way into the playoffs and end up having to play GB……..

 

[Jipper]

You know what's hot?

Our cheerleaders

They are also great

 

[GMO415]

With our luck we’ll scratch and claw our way into the playoffs and end up having to play GB……..

Bring it.