Rivalries in the NFL

[Virginia Steeler]

let me rephrase a little for livinginthepast....

I do think the Steelers and Browns are big rivials - for each team's fans and the players...My overall point is you can't just take the best two teams and call them rivals. A rivalry has history. The Colts and Pats have had some great games over the past 3 years. Then again, so have the Pats and Steelers and even the Pats and Broncos.

You said "I only really care about rivalry's where something is at stake - and that is probably the case with most fans who find themselves as a neutral regarding the two teams involved." - that was my entire point. - Even if the Colts and Pats had not played in the regular season last year we all would have watched the AFCCG with the same anticipation - not b/c of the so called rivalry, but b/c it is a good game between two great teams.

[tony hipchest]

roethlisBURGHer said it best. the steelers/raiders of the 70's was a great rivalries and possibly the best non division rivalry ever just like the cowboys/steelers is a great out of conference rivalry.

and the colts/patriots were in the same division and have some heated history. i remember the days of the late 80's early 90's when their was ALWAYS a fierce battle between them along with the jets to see who could go 1-15 and win the 1st pick of the draft. it was trully compwtitive to see who could suck the worst.

[Livinginthe past]

Originally Posted by Virginia Steeler

let me rephrase a little for livinginthepast....

I do think the Steelers and Browns are big rivials - for each team's fans and the players...My overall point is you can't just take the best two teams and call them rivals. A rivalry has history. The Colts and Pats have had some great games over the past 3 years. Then again, so have the Pats and Steelers and even the Pats and Broncos.

It not just that they have been the two best teams, its the fact that they do have history (although alot of the interesting stuff is compacted into the last 5 years or so) of some big battles - whenever they played it was either in the playoffs or a regular season game that would decide where the inevitable potseason game was going to be played.

For whatever reason, there is alot of antagonism between Patriots and Colts fans and also the Patriots F.O. and Bill Polian.

Beating the Colts means more than beating any other team because it nearly always means something (and its now at the stage where it would still be very sweet even if one of us wasn't playoff bound)

As for Bronco's/Patriots - i'd like there to be a rivalry but the truth is they pretty much own us.

Originally Posted by Virginia Steeler

You said "I only really care about rivalry's where something is at stake - and that is probably the case with most fans who find themselves as a neutral regarding the two teams involved." - that was my entire point. - Even if the Colts and Pats had not played in the regular season last year we all would have watched the AFCCG with the same anticipation - not b/c of the so called rivalry, but b/c it is a good game between two great teams.

I guess this relates back to what I was saying above, and all the stuff that goes on between the fanbases and between the F.O's in the media.

I remember the Steeler/Patriots AFCCG's being super charged with competitive spirit but there was very little bad blood between the teams or even the fans.

The Steelers also dont have a guy on the competition commitee who decides what rules get 're-emphasized' - rules that, coincidentally, favor high powered offenses.

[rbryan]

The Patsies and the colts both were doormats for years until just recently. Hardly the definition of a great rivalry.

BTW the last two SB winners were the Colts and the Steelers not the the Colts and Pats.

[Edman]

Colts/Pats is the equivalent of Steelers/Raiders during the 70's. Two Strong Teams from two different divisions. One Team won a lot of championships, while frustrating the other on occasion to get there. The frustrated team is referred to as the snakebit bridesmaid to the "dynasty" team, but finally won a championship('06 Colts, '76 Raiders). Notice the Similarity?

[LarryNJ]

The Pats and Colts don't even make the top 5 and certianly isn't the greatest in the NFL.

Redskins/Cowboys - For the last 40+ years it has been ugly. They have won 8 super bowls between them and they have had similar owners with big egos.

or

Bears-Packers over 70 years and good percentage of players in Canton.


Michigan - Ohio State oppsss that's not the NFL :)

[Tankus_Maximus]

Originally Posted by fansince'76

I miss the relatively short-lived Steelers/Jags rivalry. When the Steelers and Jags were still in the AFC Central, they had some really entertaining and close-fought games against each other.

That was/is a great rivalry!! Every game had hits that sounded like mini-car-wrecks!!

And to add fuel to the fire, it seemed like the Jags were always picking up ex-Steelers!!

Sneaky Coughlin.

[Tankus_Maximus]

Originally Posted by Livinginthe past

It not just that they have been the two best teams, its the fact that they do have history (although alot of the interesting stuff is compacted into the last 5 years or so) of some big battles - whenever they played it was either in the playoffs or a regular season game that would decide where the inevitable potseason game was going to be played.

For whatever reason, there is alot of antagonism between Patriots and Colts fans and also the Patriots F.O. and Bill Polian.

Beating the Colts means more than beating any other team because it nearly always means something (and its now at the stage where it would still be very sweet even if one of us wasn't playoff bound)
As for Bronco's/Patriots - i'd like there to be a rivalry but the truth is they pretty much own us.



I guess this relates back to what I was saying above, and all the stuff that goes on between the fanbases and between the F.O's in the media.

I remember the Steeler/Patriots AFCCG's being super charged with competitive spirit but there was very little bad blood between the teams or even the fans.

The Steelers also dont have a guy on the competition commitee who decides what rules get 're-emphasized' - rules that, coincidentally, favor high powered offenses.

This is so very true....it's the equivalent of knocking the living snot out of the "Big Man on Campus". You know the guy, the guy with all the new & cool toys, who's always got the hottest chick on his arm, and driving a car that he shouldn't possibly be driving while in high school, that's Peyton. And there's nothing more satisfying than seeing his enlarged fore-head get driven into the ground by a blitzing linebacker.

[Livinginthe past]

Originally Posted by Tankus_Maximus

This is so very true....it's the equivalent of knocking the living snot out of the "Big Man on Campus". You know the guy, the guy with all the new & cool toys, who's always got the hottest chick on his arm, and driving a car that he shouldn't possibly be driving while in high school, that's Peyton. And there's nothing more satisfying than seeing his enlarged fore-head get driven into the ground by a blitzing linebacker.

Ha. That made me laugh.

True. Very true.

[MasterOfPuppets]

Originally Posted by Edman

Colts/Pats is the equivalent of Steelers/Raiders during the 70's. Two Strong Teams from two different divisions. One Team won a lot of championships, while frustrating the other on occasion to get there. The frustrated team is referred to as the snakebit bridesmaid to the "dynasty" team, but finally won a championship('06 Colts, '76 Raiders). Notice the Similarity?

what he said.....^^^^