SI's top 10 best NFL rivalries heading into the 2009 season

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Vinnie Iyer - Sporting News: 10 best rivalries heading into the 2009 season - NFL- nbcsports.com

Pats and Colts ranked at #2 - I would put them at #1 for the reason that at least these two teams have a pretty even win loss between the two teams when they play each other,while his #1 Pittsburgh and Baltimore rivalry has been downright one sided the past few years in favor of Pittsburgh.

When you think about it though you can't have a better long going rivalry over the past century than Da Bears and the Packers

 

[efin98]

Vinnie Iyer - Sporting News: 10 best rivalries heading into the 2009 season - NFL- nbcsports.com

Pats and Colts ranked at #2 - I would put them at #1 for the reason that at least these two teams have a pretty even win loss between the two teams when they play each other,while his #1 Pittsburgh and Baltimore rivalry has been downright one sided the past few years in favor of Pittsburgh.

Their head to head record is even in the last four years, tied four wins and four losses each. They are also division rivals, something the Patriots and Colts aren't.

 

[DynastyDriven]

2. Colts vs. Patriots

4. Jets vs. Patriots

7. Patriots vs. Dolphins

The league just can't get enough of the Pats

 

[glm]

Haha no Pats VS Bills.

 

[jmt57]

When I read Iyer's full column from the Sporting News, these first two paragraphs jumped out at me:

"What makes a great NFL rivalry? Familiarity, intensity, passion and good old-fashioned hatred are all key elements. The payoff, however, comes in the two teams involved combining to play consistently great football.

Tradition plays a big part, but over the years new rivalries evolve while old ones dissolve. Classics such as Bears-Packers and Cowboys-Redskins now have a different feel. Others, such as Chiefs-Raiders, 49ers-Rams and Bengals-Browns, recently have lacked luster because neither team has performed at a high level."


The Ravens have had double-digit losses in two of the last four years and have had as many losing seasons as ten-win seasons since 2002. Last year the teams had two very intense, extremely physical games; but until the Ravens can show they are capable of winning consistently, then the Steelers-Ravens should not qualify as the best NFL rivalry headed in to the 2009 season.

That title is reserved for the two teams that the NFL annually schedules around week 9 when Nielsen's fall ratings sweeps are being tabulated: the Colts versus the Patriots. Even though the two teams are not in the same division there is little doubt in my mind that this is currently the biggest rivalry in the NFL. Take in to account Vinnie Iyer's definitions for a rivalry, and I don't know how he can rank the Steelers - Ravens first.

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

Their head to head record is even in the last four years, tied four wins and four losses each. They are also division rivals, something the Patriots and Colts aren't.

I just had good fight with some Ravnes fans on our Steelers site because I don't recognize Baltimore as a "rival".

The Baltimore Ravens have Never beaten the Steelers in a Playoff Game or a game that mattered. Rivalry games are made in the Playoffs, where one team beats the other team and it flip flops the next year so. Classics I think of are the Colts Pats, Cowboys Niners in the 90s, Raiders Steelers in the 70s, Those games had "upsets" and were real Rivalry Games. The Ravens have Never Beaten the Steelers when it Really Mattered, and I base my definition of Rivalry on that fact.

College it happens all the time with "Rivals" The team that is supposed to win, loses in the Rivalry Game, USC to UCLA 2 years ago, WVU lost to PITT and lost a chance to play in the National Title game, Michigan would beat OSU back int he 90s when OSU was Undefeated and ready to go to the Title Game. Those are Rivalries. The Underdog has to win at least Once when it really matters.

Also, coaching changes can cause a Rivalry to be born, Mangini on the Jets caused a lot of hatred for the Pats Jets games, almost a Rivalry but Mangini didn't last long enough for it to really become a big deal.Raiders Broncos, with Al Davis vs Shanahan was Classic Stuff.

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

When I read Iyer's full column from the Sporting News, these first two paragraphs jumped out at me:

"What makes a great NFL rivalry? Familiarity, intensity, passion and good old-fashioned hatred are all key elements. The payoff, however, comes in the two teams involved combining to play consistently great football.

Tradition plays a big part, but over the years new rivalries evolve while old ones dissolve. Classics such as Bears-Packers and Cowboys-Redskins now have a different feel. Others, such as Chiefs-Raiders, 49ers-Rams and Bengals-Browns, recently have lacked luster because neither team has performed at a high level."


The Ravens have had double-digit losses in two of the last four years and have had as many losing seasons as ten-win seasons since 2002. Last year the teams had two very intense, extremely physical games; but until the Ravens can show they are capable of winning consistently, then the Steelers-Ravens should not qualify as the best NFL rivalry headed in to the 2009 season.

That title is reserved for the two teams that the NFL annually schedules around week 9 when Nielsen's fall ratings sweeps are being tabulated: the Colts versus the Patriots. Even though the two teams are not in the same division there is little doubt in my mind that this is currently the biggest rivalry in the NFL. Take in to account Vinnie Iyer's definitions for a rivalry, and I don't know how he can rank the Steelers - Ravens first.

As a Steelers Fan...I agree with you. I don't consider the Ravens a Rival because they have yet to Earn the Right to be called a Rival. They are just big mouth punks that get hyped up to play the Steelers because they have a serious inferiority complex to us.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Their head to head record is even in the last four years, tied four wins and four losses each. They are also division rivals, something the Patriots and Colts aren't.

Didn't Pittsburgh beat the Ravens 3 times last season? - One in the playoffs

I have not checked but didn't think it was 4-4 in the past 8 games - Still even if it was, Pittsburgh has showed dominance lately

 

[jmt57]

Their head to head record is even in the last four years, tied four wins and four losses each. They are also division rivals, something the Patriots and Colts aren't.

Granted the Ravens and Steelers are division rivals, but after closer inspection it's been a bit one-sided:

2008: Steelers sweep, and then win a third time in the playoffs
2007: Steelers win 38-7 and then lose a meaningless week 17 game while resting their starters for the playoffs
2006: Ravens sweep in the aftermath of Roethlisberger's helmetless face-plant.
2005: split
2004: split
2003: Steelers win opener 34-15; Ravens win meaningless season finale
2002: Steelers sweep
2001: split in the regular season, then Steelers win in the playoffs
2000: split
1999: split
1998: Steelers sweep
1997: Steelers sweep

If my math is right that's 17-9 in favor of Pittsburgh, with two of the Ravens wins coming in meaningless week 17 games.

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

Didn't Pittsburgh beat the Ravens 3 times last season? - One in the playoffs

I have not checked but didn't think it was 4-4 in the past 8 games - Still even if it was, Pittsburgh has showed dominance lately

Steelers won 3 in 08, including the Playoff game
Split on 07 (steelers rested starters for last game of season prior to playoffs)
Ravens swept in 06
Split in 05
Split in 04
Split in 03
Steelers Swept in 02
Steelers Won 2 out of 3 in 01 including Playoff Game.
Split in 00
Split in 99
Steelers Swept in 98
Steelers Swept in 97
Split in 96

A team from Balitmore has Never beaten the Steelers in the Playoffs.

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

Granted the Ravens and Steelers are division rivals, but after closer inspection it's been a bit one-sided:

2008: Steelers sweep, and then win a third time in the playoffs
2007: Steelers win 38-7 and then lose a meaningless week 17 game while resting their starters for the playoffs
2006: Ravens sweep in the aftermath of Roethlisberger's helmetless face-plant.
2005: split
2004: split
2003: Steelers win opener 34-15; Ravens win meaningless season finale
2002: Steelers sweep
2001: split in the regular season, then Steelers win in the playoffs
2000: split
1999: split
1998: Steelers sweep
1997: Steelers sweep

If my math is right that's 17-9 in favor of Pittsburgh, with two of the Ravens wins coming in meaningless week 17 games.

LMAO!

Great Research!!!

 

[jmt57]

2. Colts vs. Patriots

4. Jets vs. Patriots

7. Patriots vs. Dolphins

The league just can't get enough of the Pats

Yeah, he may as well have said "Pats vs. AFC East" the way he gave #6 to Packers vs. NFC North or #3 to "NFC East vs. NFC East."

Actually a lot of Dolphin and Jet fans consider Dolphins-Jets to be a bigger rivalry than their team playing the Pats - maybe because they have a better chance at winning that game this past decade. I would have put that on the list before Falcons - Panthers. The NFC South teams have been slow to develop rivalries because they all came from different divisions before the last realignment. Eventually they'll get there but none of them qualify as being a top ten rivalry yet.

 

[godef]

Haha no Pats VS Bills.

<snigger> Yeah well, we've beaten them how many times i a row? Eleven? That ain't no rivlary.

 

[glm]

<snigger> Yeah well, we've beaten them how many times i a row? Eleven? That ain't no rivlary.

More like a scrimmage in practice.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Seriously, who cares about the Ravens-Steelers? Pats-Steelers or Pats-Colts are the games everyone wants to see.

 

[efin98]

Seriously, who cares about the Ravens-Steelers? Pats-Steelers or Pats-Colts are the games everyone wants to see.

Ravens fans and people who don't want to put the Patriots at the top of the list of rivalries...

 

[jmt57]

Seriously, who cares about the Ravens-Steelers? Pats-Steelers or Pats-Colts are the games everyone wants to see.

I completely agree; even when you take the homer glasses off, it's hard to disagree with Pats-Colts, Pats-Steelers, or Pats-Chargers.

I know some will talk about Redskins-Cowboys or Packers-Bears, but we're not talking about who has the oldest rivalry; the question was 'who has the best current rivalry?

I work in an area that is made up mostly of transplants, in a company that does business globally. Bottom line is that the employees and our nationwide business partners and customers comprise a diverse and fairly equally represented NFL fan base. Trust me, there is far more talk from them about a Colts-Pats game, even by those who are fans of neither team, than any other regular season game every year.

Those other teams have large fan bases, which results in annually good ratings, but how many people who are not Cowboy or Redskins fans would complain if that game was not on TV? Now ask yourself how many viewers who are not fans of the Colts or Pats would complain if that game was not on TV?

Pats-Colts is the number one game of every regular season, and it is the biggest NFL rivalry of the decade.