NFL's Best Rivalry?

[TonyTone1192]

For several seasons it was safe to say that the Baltimore/Pittsburgh rivalry was the best in the entire league. Now, I'm not too sure about it. To no fault of our own, we've been doing well consistently but the Steelers have had their ups and downs.
IMHO I think that if the Steelers don't return to their ways then the Sea/SanFran rivalry will soon become the best in the league. Two good young QB's, two great running backs and two top 5 defenses.
Now I'm a bit selfish and I don't want to hand that title over just yet. As much as I HATE the Steelers I kind of want to see them relevant again. We all see the browns as the younger brother in our division b/c they typically have losing seasons. The 35-7 win over Pittsburgh 2 seasons ago was a good game but it certainly didn't feel like a pitt/balt game, maybe b/c it was played in week 1 or b/c it wasn't a primetime game.
Now I'm not saying that I want the Steelers to sweep us, not at all!! But I would like for them to beat on other teams so that when we play them our victory will be that much sweeter.

[ravensdan]

I don't see how the ravens v steelers is not still the best rivalry in the game. In a "down" year for the steelers it took an amazing play by jacoby to beat them once and then they won in Baltimore.

[TonyTone1192]

I don't see how the ravens v steelers is not still the best rivalry in the game. In a "down" year for the steelers it took an amazing play by jacoby to beat them once and then they won in Baltimore.

You're looking at it from the perspective of a ravens fan.
our rivalry IMO was the best b/c we had played them in the postseason and the games were always decided by 4 points or less.
I'm not saying that it is not the best but unless they become relevant again then that torch is passed out NFC west

[PurpleCityLights]

The Browns are the retarded brother in this divisional rivalry....

[gabefergy]

The Seattle/SF rivalry is basically 1 year of what the Ravens/Pitt rivalry has been for the past decade.

 

Ravens - Steelers is still the best rivalry in football and it's not really close.

[PurpleCityLights]

Mod note: No, you can't say that on this site. You obviously figured it out so why would you post that same word again and stick a hyphen in it? That term is offensive to MANY people.

[NaveSenrag]

Balt/Pitt is the best rivalry in the NFL because of its longevity. This is a rivalry that has existed since the Ravens were the Browns and endures to this day.

San Fran/Seattle, Balt/NE, Balt/San Fran, and Balt/Denver on the other hand are all temporary rivalries that will only last until one team stops being a constant contender.

Wow can't say "offensive term" on this site lol

You can't use the n-word either. Grow up and join the rest of polite society.

[BallHawker]

Ravens - 49ers

Ever since Whines Hard left and Harrison/Ben started sucking, I don't really hate them too much.. Guess there's always Woodley.. hate that guy. Hairball is actually a little likable.

[NaveSenrag]

Ravens - 49ers

Ever since Whines Hard left and Harrison/Ben started sucking, I don't really hate them too much.. Guess there's always Woodley.. hate that guy. Hairball is actually a little likable.

Yeah. There's a place in my heart for anyone with amazing facial hair.

[ravensdan]

You're looking at it from the perspective of a ravens fan.
our rivalry IMO was the best b/c we had played them in the postseason and the games were always decided by 4 points or less.
I'm not saying that it is not the best but unless they become relevant again then that torch is passed out NFC west

I think you are the one looking at it from a ravens perspective. Until that opening day beat down the steelers owned the ravens. Was it not a rivalry while they were winning two Super Bowls and playing In a third?

Even mentioning the 49ers v Seahawks is laughable. They haven't even been relevant for an entire season yet.

[Gordo52]

There's no question Baltimore & Pittsburgh is the most physical and personal rivalry in the NFL.

I think it's us and the patriots right now to be honest.

San Fran & Seattle has a great one going on. Green Bay & Chicago too.

[izvoodoo]

He's right, the glamour has gone down in the rivalry.  New England is our hot rivalry right now.

[BALTIMOREFLACCO]

Still Ravens Steelers no question.

 

Besides the rout in week 1 in 2011, when was the last time it wasn't a 7 pt or less game? 

[Guest nflfan123]

Raiders and Chiefs

[berad]

A rivalry, to me, is if the passion and rage are still there even if one or both teams are awful...

 

Colts-Pats, that was all media hype about the two golden boys. Where is it now?

 

49ers-Seahawks, new thing on the block, could last awhile. I know both coaches dislike each other. But I wonder where it will be if either team falls into one of the lulls that has been synonymous with their names in the past two decades.

 

Jets-Patriots, again media hype but this around Rex Ryan vs Brady/Belichick. To me, even Dolphins-Jets is more heated.

 

Bears-Packers, good rivalry definitely has the historic ring to it.

 

Ravens-Steelers, best rivalry by far in the NFL. Would be the best game of the year even if both teams were 1-15 heading into it. It's lasted through multiple coaches, QBs, you name it. And I HATE how people pretend it only just started in like '08 or '09 (I think this was stated on an NFL Top 10 countdown). I've hated the Steelers since I started following the Ravens in 2004.

 

Those are the notable ones I can think of.

[hawkprey]

-Ravens and Steelers have combined for 2 of the last 5 Championships and 4 of the last 13. They've met twice in the postseason in the last 5 years.

-Ravens and Patriots are the last two AFC representatives in the Super Bowl, and combine for 5 of the last 13 Championships. They've met 3 times in the postseason in the last 4 years.

 

 

I'm tired of hearing about the Seahawks and 49ers being the best new rivalry. I keep hearing it but I never see it. I see two teams who combine for 0 Super Bowls in the last 19 years and have never met in the playoffs. If a rivalry is "the best in the league" it has to affect the league.

[beanfigger]

I saw on one site, I forget which, where they did a top 5 list of rivalries for RIGHT NOW (meaning I guess this season).  Balt-Pitt was listed at number 3.  Number 2 was Balt-NE/NE-Den/Balt-Den.  A cop out, but they said they didn't want this series to dominate the whole countdown.  SF-Sea was number 1.  This article was written by a Browns fan, as I recall.

[berad]

I saw on one site, I forget which, where they did a top 5 list of rivalries for RIGHT NOW (meaning I guess this season).  Balt-Pitt was listed at number 3.  Number 2 was Balt-NE/NE-Den/Balt-Den.  A cop out, but they said they didn't want this series to dominate the whole countdown.  SF-Sea was number 1.  This article was written by a Browns fan, as I recall.

 

Saw that, too. nfl.com publishing garbage as usual. Hyping the 49ers-Seahawks.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000168454/article/six-best-nfl-rivalries-of-2013

[codizzle]

Raiders and Chiefs

First to four wins in a season takes the cake!!!

Such passion and excitement

[ravensdan]

I would say the number 2 rivalry would be giants v eagles. A lot of close games meaningful games playoff games involved. They have been 2 of the nfc's tougher hard bowed teams. Hopefully Kelly does not have a negative impact on it.

Packers bears for its entire history still has to remain up there as well.

Seattle and San Fran I wouldn't rank in the top 10. There is no history. No meaningful games. I also wouldn't be surprised if fisher and the rams derail this media hype train before it even gets going

[SecretAgentMan]

First to four wins in a season takes the cake!!!

Such passion and excitement

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[JO_75]

The Browns are the stupid brother in this divisional rivalry....

 

Does that make the Bengals the sister who always wants to do what you do and fails at doing so in the division?

[codizzle]

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Aww did u make this in art class today? Did Mrs. Fernstein have to help you again?

[TonyTone1192]

I think you are the one looking at it from a ravens perspective. Until that opening day beat down the steelers owned the ravens. Was it not a rivalry while they were winning two Super Bowls and playing In a third?

Even mentioning the 49ers v Seahawks is laughable. They haven't even been relevant for an entire season yet.

I hear you.. And I haven't crowned it the best yet, i was saying that it has all of the makings of being the best rivalry in football.

[SecretAgentMan]

Aww did u make this in art class today? Did Mrs. Fernstein have to help you again?

No the sub did.... Which why I had to make it.... 

[SecretAgentMan]

Does that make the Bengals the sister who always wants to do what you do and fails at doing so in the division?

No that's the little brother

[PurpleCityLights]

Does that make the Bengals the sister who always wants to do what you do and fails at doing so in the division?

Yup lol.

[mgridda]

It's the league's best rivalry because the personnel departments are both very good at keeping each team competitive, physical and tough. I think there's some disconnect here, though. Some analysts are asking what WILL BE the NFL's best rivalry. Certainly, back in the early and mid-00s, the Colts-Pats rivalry was quite good. I remember back where, before realignment, the Titans were our biggest rivals. Those games between Eddie George and Ray Lewis. But rivalries come and go, especially with the strength of the players on respective teams. It has definitely lost some of the familiar faces, though. Ray, Ed, Hines, James. But their understudies are still around. Make no mistakes: the Steelers MUST remain competitive for the sake of this rivalry. We last met in the playoffs in 2010. In 2011, they lost to the Broncos in the 1st round, and we surged to the AFC Championship, where we lost to the Patriots. This year, they didn't even make the playoffs, and we beat the Patriots in the AFc Championship. 

 

There are rivalries abound. Repeated playoff games against two teams will do that. But more than anything, is the matter of point differential. I can't think of any two franchises that have had closer games the last 5 years than us two. And I don't expect it to change next year. It certainly was two close games this year. And God, that Nov 6 2011 game against the Steelers was just a beauty, wasn't it? 3 of the last 4 games were decided by 3 points or less. 5 of the last 6 regular season games, too. It has always come down to the wire. And don't get me wrong, if that doesn't continue then this rivalry WILL die. It is by no means invincible. But, it doesn't look like that's happening any time soon.

 

Remember the fight between Polamalu and Rice? That'll still be there. Bad blood still exists even without Hines or Harrison.

[mgridda]

Also, anyone remember Joey Porter? James Harrison made us forget all about him. I'm sure Woodley or hell maybe even Jarvis Jones will do the same to Harrison.

 

Bart Scott?

 

Our rivalry can lose players and still remain very competitive. I'm just not sure if Captain Suggs hates the Steelers more than he hates the Patriots.

[Yatagarasu]

I feel the Ravens-Steelers game have been the all-out no holds barred match of all NFL matches. Where else can we see hits and brawls like these.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Vdf7qFlmg

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz3NYUvcWnM

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MppCx8yTzL8