I was curious, what teams do you consider to be your big rivals?
It might sound dumb but it’s not simple.
I would think being a Boston based club you would naturally dispise the Jets, and this is before we mention the Parcells era, followed by Belichick, than Mangini.
However the Jets while not always a doormat, have been a very mediocre team with two division titles in 30 years.
While you competed against them in 2004 and in the playoffs last season you have their number and they simply have never been an annual threat.
The Dolphins were a big threat and were a very popular team in the 1970s along with you competing with them for the division in the 90s and early part of the Belichick era.
Nonetheless they haven’t been a big threat to you lately.
Then the Bills, also a division opponent who had a heyday in the 90s, but it doesn’t seem the cities have bad blood nor teams since you really haven’t been head on together.
I know the Manning rivalry is big now, BUT Indy is not a division team, is a basketball city, and really not even the East Coast. I would think this is more of a short term rivalry than bitter long term.
Same goes with the Steelers who have been winner during this era but again are not a division team and like the Colts I think it is a periodic rival.
I’d like to know
1) What teams do you consider your rivals?
-In what order?
2) Who have been your rivals historically?
3) Is the Boston-NY a big deal in football as it is for baseball and basketball or is it more subdued than long term sustained?
4) Are the Colts and Steelers big rivals or just short term as long as they stay good?
5) I spoke to a Pats fan last year who said he felt those two were there biggest rivals, which I found odd because I always hate my division teams (Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins) far more than another team even if they are a contender.
-We, the Giants, had a big rivalry with the Bears and 49ers in the 80s but since we haven’t been battling in the playoffs it was never sustained.
-I wonder if with the Pats, is it like the Giants were the NY-PHI or in your case NE-NYJ is always first, followed by the Dolphins, and then outside division contenders or if given your history is more recent and the Jets/Dolphins/Bills lack that historically of the NFC East if the Colts and Steelers are bigger?
Thanks!
It might sound dumb but it’s not simple.
I would think being a Boston based club you would naturally dispise the Jets, and this is before we mention the Parcells era, followed by Belichick, than Mangini.
However the Jets while not always a doormat, have been a very mediocre team with two division titles in 30 years.
While you competed against them in 2004 and in the playoffs last season you have their number and they simply have never been an annual threat.
The Dolphins were a big threat and were a very popular team in the 1970s along with you competing with them for the division in the 90s and early part of the Belichick era.
Nonetheless they haven’t been a big threat to you lately.
Then the Bills, also a division opponent who had a heyday in the 90s, but it doesn’t seem the cities have bad blood nor teams since you really haven’t been head on together.
I know the Manning rivalry is big now, BUT Indy is not a division team, is a basketball city, and really not even the East Coast. I would think this is more of a short term rivalry than bitter long term.
Same goes with the Steelers who have been winner during this era but again are not a division team and like the Colts I think it is a periodic rival.
I’d like to know
1) What teams do you consider your rivals?
-In what order?
2) Who have been your rivals historically?
3) Is the Boston-NY a big deal in football as it is for baseball and basketball or is it more subdued than long term sustained?
4) Are the Colts and Steelers big rivals or just short term as long as they stay good?
5) I spoke to a Pats fan last year who said he felt those two were there biggest rivals, which I found odd because I always hate my division teams (Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins) far more than another team even if they are a contender.
-We, the Giants, had a big rivalry with the Bears and 49ers in the 80s but since we haven’t been battling in the playoffs it was never sustained.
-I wonder if with the Pats, is it like the Giants were the NY-PHI or in your case NE-NYJ is always first, followed by the Dolphins, and then outside division contenders or if given your history is more recent and the Jets/Dolphins/Bills lack that historically of the NFC East if the Colts and Steelers are bigger?
Thanks!