It's a tale as old as time.
The Dallas Cowboys, the NFL's media darlings despite failing to achieve anything in the playoffs for over 30 years, are hyped beyond recognition. A mini-turnaround in recent weeks saw the talking heads all rejoice in collective adulation, proclaiming the Washington Commanders' bitter division rivals as a possible Super Bowl winner if they make the playoffs.
But as ESPN's Stephen A. Smith always says, be patient.
The Cowboys were brimming with confidence entering their Thursday Night Football road game against the Detroit Lions. The home team was slightly favored, but it was considered a pick 'em game by sportsbooks. As it turned out, head coach Dan Campbell's squad exposed Dallas for what it always appears to be.
Commanders fans rejoiced as Cowboys prove to be fraudulent challengers
All hype, and Commanders fans loved every minute of their prime-time capitulation.
Dallas couldn't keep up. The Lions attacked their improving but vulnerable defense with alarming success. Every time the Cowboys got a little bit closer, Detroit responded emphatically, running out winners by two touchdowns and putting up 44 points on a team that was supposed to be going places down the stretch.
And with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb now in the NFL's concussion protocol, it's only made matters worse.
Lo and behold, the Cowboys are at 6-6-1 through 13 games. The way most of the national media had been talking about them, you'd swear they were 10-2 or 11-1 heading into the contest. Jerry Jones likes to keep his franchise in the spotlight by any means necessary, but it always sets fans up for a massive fall.
Unfortunately for them, the same depressing reality has come to light. And Commanders fans cannot help but laugh along the way.
In a season when not much has gone right for the Commanders, the Cowboys are once again proving themselves as fraudulent contenders, offering some solace amid the doom and gloom. And with head coach Dan Quinn slowly getting some established figures back from injury, Washington can give Dallas a more competitive game when the two sides lock horns on Christmas Day at Northwest Stadium.
By then, there might not be much to play for on both sides. The best chance Dallas had of making the knockout rounds was winning the NFC East. If the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders over their next two outings, that pipedream will be over.
Dallas fans have been starved of legitimate success. Watching talk shows in recent days would get anybody carried away. But this team always finds a way to prove that the lights are too bright when it matters most.
Washington fans will hope this trend continues for a long time yet.