The hope for this Alabama football team before this season was a return of “murder-ball.” Until that happens, someone should probably give Nick Saban a stress ball to squeeze on the sidelines during games.

Alabama’s 26-20 victory against Texas A&M on Saturday at Kyle Field was the kind of game that builds character and causes ulcers all at the same time. Give me more, please. I can’t help myself. I’m beginning to like this team like a relationship that could combust in flames at any moment.

You know how these things end. With clothes flying out of the apartment window and probably her keeping that puppy that was adopted out of impulse. All of your friends say cut it off at once. But you can’t. It’s too good.

Whatever you do, don’t fall in love.

Too late!

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Alabama is a messy Facebook breakup post waiting to happen, but it’s fun and it’s exhilarating. Could Arkansas upset Alabama next week? Yes. Could Alabama win the SEC West and then spoil Georgia’s bid at three-peat history. Also, yes.

Alabama clearly is improving. That much we know. But what exactly does that mean when there were a grand total 14 penalties in Week 6 of a season and [double checks the math] an average of 0.9 rushing yards per play? Who really knows? Who really cares? The puppy’s name is Cleopatra Jones and you have absolutely zero regrets.

People will doubt this team, and that’s fine. Let me. I was a doubter a couple weeks ago, too. The irresistible quality of attraction for Alabama this season is that we’re seeing something develop from unlikely into perhaps and it’s intoxicating. Why am I starting to love this team? It’s because for the first time in a long time, Alabama had something to actually prove in a game on the road against a good team and the Crimson Tide won with passion and desire when it probably should have lost.

What does desire look like? It looks like Alabama freshman safety Caleb Downs making that brilliant interception moments after Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe turned the ball over to Texas A&M. Downs, you might remember but probably tried to forget, was the defender for Alabama who was absolutely de-cleated against South Florida while trying to stop a run.

What does passion look like? It looks like Chris Braswell blocking a field goal attempt by Texas A&M a few plays after Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton fumbled away a critical possession in the fourth quarter.

Milroe had the best game of his career and Burton was excellent, too. When they needed help, though, Alabama’s defense and special teams delivered in the biggest ways possible. For the second time in three weeks, one of Saban’s former assistants will be kicking himself for missing a once-in-a-career opportunity of burying Alabama’s dynasty once and for all.

As long as Alabama is still technically in the playoff picture, the dynasty lives. Alabama’s resúmé took a big hit with the loss to Texas at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The SEC West might be down this season, but one-loss Alabama is at the top of the standings all the same. Does Texas’ loss to Oklahoma hurt Alabama’s chances? People will ask that question in the weeks ahead. Let them. Who cares? If Alabama wins out, then Alabama is in the College Football Playoff. If Alabama loses another game, then it’s all over. It’s that simple.

I wouldn’t say that Saban necessarily enjoys this team just yet, but he certainly seemed bemused after this one. We’re all watching together the painstaking growth of a bad team to one that’s, well, a little better week to week. As ugly as it looked at times, this was by far Alabama’s best victory of the season. Saban was so happy he started his postgame news conference off with a smile and a joke.

“What do you want to talk about?” Saban said after the game. “The good news or the bad news? We’ve got a little bit of both.”

Is there bad news, though? It’s all a matter of perspective. Alabama is an imperfect team with a chance to improve even more in Week 7 of the season.

The good news for Alabama, of course, is that hope remains, and the defense looks inspired. There isn’t a single person in the entire state of Alabama who will enjoy this description, but this season’s version of Crimson Tide chaos kinda looks like an old Gus Malzahn Auburn team in a good year. The offensive line is a mystery machine, the quarterback is outrageously unpredictable, and the running game sometimes takes entire games off.

Yep, sounds familiar.

Malzahn was on the hot seat every other week. Saban has nothing to worry about there. As for Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, we all know that crazy Facebook post is coming.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama”, a book about togetherness, wild times and rum. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.