The hype is real, but the results don’t sit well with this NFL team – BOFA Sports

Disappointment reigns when it comes to these overrated clubs

Here we are, at a time when training camps are underway across the NFL. This is truly an occasion where all teams come with the hope of winning the Super Bowl. Of course, games will be played, and the number of players will decrease until one squad remains in February. Until then, the hype train will be at record highs, and there are some fans and media who will continue to try to talk up the existence of a championship season. Often times, the results (of course) fall short of expectations, and these teams fit that category perfectly.

It’s probably not too surprising that the Dallas Cowboys are among the top in terms of results and mismatched hype. If marketing and business are the topic, no team on the planet can beat the Cowboys, with them being valued at over $10 billion (with a “b”, according to various sources). Even though Dallas is at the top of the franchise value world, the real game is played on the field, and the Cowboys are not thriving between the lines. Normal talks have begun. Quarterback Dak Prescott will be looked at as a potential MVP candidate. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb will get pubs as someone who can break the receiving yards record. Defensive lineman/linebacker Micah Parsons (who was in a contract dispute with the team, as were Prescott and Lamb at this time last year) will be built as the best defensive player in the league, not just now, ever. What has happened in previous years is that Prescott, Lamb and Parsons have inflated their statistics against inferior opponents, only to be exposed when the uptick in the division occurs. That’s Dallas as a whole, and if they didn’t have those blue stars on their helmets, the hype wouldn’t be as loud. It’s widely known that the Cowboys haven’t attended an NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season, and there’s been no indication of that changing as long as Jerry Jones remains the team owner in Dallas.

Talking about clubs that couldn’t thrive, we don’t need to forget the Los Angeles Chargers. How many years (in a row) have people waited for the Chargers to take the next step to becoming a championship contender, especially since Justin Herbert became QB? Now, that talk has only grown stronger since Jim Harbaugh took the reins as head coach before last season. Harbaugh made some interesting comments a few days ago, saying everyone on the team needs to get to Herbert’s level. If that is the case, a higher level needs to be sought, as there have been no playoff wins with this “elite” quarterback at the helm. Football is the ultimate team sport, and perhaps what Harbaugh says is true. That said, a lot could be true, and if Herbert is the top QB everyone thinks he is, then he will elevate his teammates to a level where they can challenge the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West crown (and beyond). As a reminder, titles cannot be given to a person. It has to be earned, and while Herbert has shown signs of brilliance throughout his career, it just isn’t worth it enough to match the hype. It’s time for Herbert and Los Angeles to put substance behind his style, and it’s questionable whether or not that will happen in a few months.

While this team may not be at the level of upset that the Cowboys and Chargers have delivered, the Green Bay Packers are starting to get into that territory. It goes back to the final years of the Aaron Rodgers era (now with the Pittsburgh Steelers), and continues with Jordan Love at the helm. Like Prescott and Herbert, Love is in the conversation for MVP, but with the exception of the second half of the 2023 campaign, his performance has been a bit of a disappointment. This was supposed to be the season where everything came together for Love and the Packers. The roster looks like one of the best in the league, and they have a good coach in Matt LaFleur. Now, there are no more excuses, and it’s time for Love to lead the effort to bring another championship back to “Titletown, USA.” It won’t be easy, especially considering Green Bay plays in the NFC North, which is perhaps the toughest division the NFL has to offer.

With these three teams (and there are others), the noise around them is loud, and the hype is just as blinding. After a while, the truth always comes out, and people can only believe words without substance and actions for a long time. No matter how hard many people try, there is no argument for results, and if the Cowboys, Chargers and Packers want to change their respective narratives, it’s time to actually win on the field. Hope springs eternal, and there are many reasons to be optimistic. Based on past history, it would not be surprising if (and perhaps when) these clubs fall short of the hype trend.