Are the Ravens our biggest rivals?

[Kid~Brady]

A few years back, the easy answer was the Jets, almost automatically. Since then, we've swept them last season and pretty much dominated them but the Ravens? We've found our team pretty much playing this team each year for the most part and they are ALWAYS close compretitive games.

In 2009, the Ravens trounced us hard and knock us out of the playoffs. We all expected this as this was a team riddled with injuries and had lost Welker the Sunday before in the Texans game. The Ravens were also the closest team to undo our perfect "regular" season in 2007. I remember watching that game and if I remember correctly, basically it came down to a Derrick Mason drop that pretty much ended the game.

Then there was that game in 2010, Deion's first game back with the Patriots that went into overtime with a Patriots victory. Again, another hard fought game to the end.

Keeping this in mind, I've been hearing alot of "this is Baltimore's redemption game" from the AFC playoffs last year. The Ravens were one "dropped" pass (although I personally say "defensed" pass) from making it to the Superbowl. Why? The Patriots.

What are your thoughts on this recent rivalry? There are also teams like the Steelers and Giants that could be added.

 

[PatsGirl2011]

The Steelers more so Ravens,IMO

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Aren't we something like 8-1 vs. them all-time?

the rivals:

Jets
(big gap)
Steelers, maybe Broncos now with Mr. Neckbolts
then Fins & Bills
then Ravens, Giants (lots of respect there though)

The Colts don't even make the list anymore.

 

[signbabybrady]

I think you are confusing rivalry with toughest current challenge.

Sure when a team is real bad the rivalries may lose a little luster but its still there and always will be.

Teams like the Ravens and Steelers and to a lesser extent the Colts have played so much the last decade that rivalries have formed but I dont know that they surpass what we have with the Jets. I say Colts to a lesser extent as they were once in our division so a Rivalary was alreasy seeded.

IMO The Jets while having come back to earth from 2 straight AFC performances they are not bad yet and so the rivalary is still peaked right now.

I think the question to ask is where would your emotions for this game be if the Ravens were 2-14 as compared to a 2-14 Jets? I would think we would be more thrilled to beatdown on the hapless Jets then the hapless Ravens.

 

[Alfred]

The Jets are the biggest rival. The Ravens are a team we must compete with for post season positioning.

 

[sly24]

I think THIS year only, because of what happened in the playoffs last year, yes. This is one team we never seem to be able to win easily against and always end up winning ugly 01 pats style.

 

[Sicilian]

It really depends on your definition of rivalry. It's hard to top a division team like the Jets for that distinction, given how often we have to play them, and the hatred between the two. But if you're going by recent years, and on the criteria of playing really good, hard fought games in big spots, the Ravens are right up there.

I don't agree with those saying the Steelers are further up, because though the hatred aspect is there, in all the big spots this decade, we've beaten them. That doesn't make a rivalry in my eyes.

The Colts was never really a rivalry with the Colts, but more Brady vs. Manning and Belichick vs. Manning. That individual rivalry is still alive and well, since we get to play Denver this year.

 

[pwes]

No it's still the Jets. Considering how much this board talks about them that much should be obvious.

 

[Alfred]

I would say that in order for a team to be classified as your rival, you have to have a built in hatred for that team, a la Sox/Yankees.

 

[signbabybrady]

Aren't we something like 8-1 vs. them all-time?

the rivals:

Jets
(big gap)
Steelers, maybe Broncos now with Mr. Neckbolts
then Fins & Bills
then Ravens, Giants (lots of respect there though)

The Colts don't even make the list anymore.

I know currently the Bills and Dolphins have not brought it the same as in the past but let me ask you this. Has anything that has gone on between the us and the Steelers, Colts, and Ravens caused you any more anxt then Shula did for decades in MIA or like Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly did?

I left out the Giants because clearly they have caused more anxt then anyone ever could and there is the NY rival thing too but the problem there is we just dont play enough.

I left the Broncos off becaue despite not being in our division they are the team that has beat us more then any other team in NFL history. This stat is a few years old and I am not positive if it was winning percentage or actual number of wins. I also think of the torment Elway gave us for decades and IMO this is the only non-Division team on the top 5 list other then the Colts who were once in the division.

My top 5 would go like this
1) Jets - Since Tuna went there this has been as hot a rival as there is and with them still clinging to playoff hopes they are a contending team with history of anomosity.
2) Bills - they are ahead of the Dolphins for 2 reasons, right now the Dolphins suck and based on age Kelly and Smith tortured me more than Shula and Marino
3) Dolphins - Some huge games vs the Dolphins even this decade where the Dolphins havent been the biggest comp. Plus stories of Shula and the few years of torment from Marino and Him are enough.
4) Broncos - The afformentioned record vs us and the Sharpe Call the National Guard comments are enough for me, not to mention handing the Dynasty its first playoff loss.
5) Colts - Former division team and the decade long Brady-Manning duals make this round out the list.

then I would say Giants, Steelers, Ravens in that order. Though I think you get away from rivals when you make the list 8 deep as calling a third of the league your rival kind of waters down the term.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

The Ravens are our biggest rivals in the same sense that in three years the Texans might be our biggest rivals.

1. Jets
2. Colts (will always be due to historic Brady-Manning rivalry, but in danger of falling if we don't play them enough)
3. Dolphins/Bills
4. Whoever happens to be good when we're good (Steelers, Ravens for now- Chargers a few years ago)

 

[signbabybrady]

I would say that in order for a team to be classified as your rival, you have to have a built in hatred for that team, a la Sox/Yankees.

I would charectorize the Raven hatred as more contrived. We have butted heads all decade and in doing such there have been comments and momments that have made us grow to hate some of them. Pollard and Suggs topping the list. So I would say it has kind of created itself this decade which given enough fuel moving forward this could be the foundation for that built in hatred.

 

[Kontradiction]

This year, so far, I would say that the Texans are our biggest rivals. The Ravens defense, sans Terrell Suggs, doesn't look like what it could be without him. The Eagles hung over 400 yards of total offense on them last week and they looked inept in Week 1. The Texans, on the other hand, have been playing lights out football so far, albeit against the Dolphins and the Jags. But they've been doing what good teams are supposed to do, hammering weaker teams. If Schaub stays healthy, they will be our biggest competition and then the Ravens. The Texans can run the ball well, they have weapons in the passing game, they have a good O-Line, and their defense is extremely good.

If it comes down to biggest rivals this year, I don't see any bigger threat than the Texans in the AFC so far this season...

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Sorry...but in my book rivals are more determined by within the division first because those games almost always have huge repercussions to the playoff picture.

So it J-E-T-S Jets jets jets since NY is VERY arguably the second most talented in the division.

And who comes up with the word Rivals in relation to the Texans?...thats a dumb word....its not 'rivals'...its 'top challengers' or 'top threat'

and as far as my opinion goes....In the early going ,the AFCs best teams are...

1) Houston
then

2) Baltimore

and right now a tie for third

3A) New England 3B) San diego

 

[jmt57]

For what it's worth the Globe and Herald both have columns today on the Pats-Ravens rivalry.

Patriots-Ravens rivalry reaches new level - BostonHerald.com

After all, with so much pride at stake and the knowledge that the whole country is watching, the Patriots and Ravens will be out to send a message to the other sideline and the rest of the league. That’s what adds to the intrigue of this growing rivalry.


“It’s kind of like our rival.” Gronkowski said. “They’re a great opponent. It’s always competitive, always close, and it’s always physical.”

The Globe has a nine-page slide show with a photo and a couple of sentences about each game ever played between the two clubs.


Patriots-Ravens rivalry history - Patriots - Boston.com

 

[wistahpatsfan]

This year...right now...I'd say theCardinals are our biggest problem so far.

Cardinals suck!
Cardinals Suck!
........

 

[Zeus]

Over at PFT, Florio picks the Ravens to win Sunday night because "the Ravens have had the Pats' number lately."

Obviously, there's no problem with him picking Baltimore to win. But since the Patriots have won seven of the eight games the teams have ever played, I guess "lately" is the playoff game three season ago.

 

[jmt57]

Over at PFT, Florio picks the Ravens to win Sunday night because "the Ravens have had the Pats' number lately."

Obviously, there's no problem with him picking Baltimore to win. But since the Patriots have won seven of the eight games the teams have played, I guess "lately" is the playoff game three season ago.

Apparently Florio is like the many delusional fans of certain other teams that have convinced themselves that the Ravens won the AFCCG regardless of what the final score was?


It's funny how many seem to feel that way, but don't use the same logic universally - e.g., to the 49ers "beating" the Giants in the NFCCG.

 

[Kontradiction]

Sorry...but in my book rivals are more determined by within the division first because those games almost always have huge repercussions to the playoff picture.

So it J-E-T-S Jets jets jets since NY is VERY arguably the second most talented in the division.

And who comes up with the word Rivals in relation to the Texans?...thats a dumb word....its not 'rivals'...its 'top challengers' or 'top threat'

and as far as my opinion goes....In the early going ,the AFCs best teams are...

1) Houston
then

2) Baltimore

and right now a tie for third

3A) New England 3B) San diego

A rival is someone that is in a position to dispute the dominance of another. New England is the dominant team coming off of a Super Bowl appearance last year. Houston looks to be the top team to be able to dispute that.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

this says it well:

As defined by Webster, a rival is “One of two or more striving to reach or obtain something that only one can possess.”

It doesn’t say anything about competitive balance, animosity or geography.

It says nothing of tradition or level of importance.

Therefore, if an adult chooses to wrestle with a 3-year-old over the last Oreo in the house, that is, by definition, a rivalry.

When applied to sports, however, the term seems to be open to interpretation, and virtually every sports fan has their own interpretation of what it truly means.

For many, a great rivalry must contain some or all of the following ingredients.

• The two teams must be on a par with one another, with the victory tally being relatively close.

• They must have dislike for one another, usually created by close proximity or frequent competition.

• The rivalry must go back several years and be steeped in athletic lore.

• The game must consistently carry a high level of significance.

The definition of a great rivalry » Abilene Reporter-News

For me, I can't say someone like Houston is a rival. They are a worthy competitor, this year, but there's no history there.

The Jets even fail the "must be on a par with one another" litmus test, but I would add another criteria:

• a team you would especially relish beating even if you were winless or if they were winless!