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Times like these, I'm glad to be a football fan. Not because the draft is tomorrow. Not because the season is only a few months away. Not even because cheerleader tryouts are starting, and I get an inside peek at the contestants...

Monsters of Gridway: Top Ten NFL Rivalries

by Ron Johnson (Senior Writer)

31

1,861 reads

Rankings/List

April 25, 2008


Times like these, I'm glad to be a football fan. Not because the draft is tomorrow. Not because the season is only a few months away. Not even because cheerleader tryouts are starting, and I get an inside peek at the contestants.

It's because football fans never stop trash talking each other. Plain and simple.

After much deliberation, I think I have finally found a way to make everyone happy. For the record, this doesn't include the rivalries of yesteryear. This includes the rivalries that still fume in the pits of one's stomach. It includes those rivalries that make one cringe at the very mutter of the opposition's name.

No my friends, this includes the rivalries that caused the most buzz during this competition. So with that being said, here is the Top 10 Best Rivalries of the NFL. 

#10 Cleveland Browns-Baltimore Ravens

 #9 Jacksonville Jaguars-Carolina Panthers

#8 Cincinnati Bengals-Cleveland Browns

#7 New England Patriots-Indianapolis Colts

#6 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams-San Francisco 49ers

Now that the bottom 10 are in, let's take a look at the Top 5, and why they're there.

#5 Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears

This rivalry is self explanatory. It may not have as much hype as the college football rivalries, but it still has enough wick to light a candle under any Packers/Bears fan. Since 1921, Green Bay has had to lock horns with the Monsters of Midway, and every time has either been a classic or a blowout. Still people boast with pride of how great their team is to this day. 

Originally known as the Staleys, the Chicago franchised took the first meeting 20-0 from Green Bay on November 27, 1921. Since that time, the two teams have battled for more than just bragging rights. The eventual champion of the league usually emerged from these two titans of terror.

In 1925, the Bears fell to Green Bay for the first time 14-10 on September 27, 1925 in their fourth meeting of the regular season. Seven years later, the Packers fell short of their fourth straight championship when NFL did not count ties.

Fast forward three decades with some change, and the Bears-Packers rivalry still has the fire that it had since their initial meeting. This is why they are the #5 ranked best rivalry.

#4 St. Louis Rams-Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks played the Rams only once while in the AFC, and even that game left people breathless. After the 37-34 shootout in Seattle, many wondered if these two titans would meet up once more. Their prayers and thoughts were answered one year later.

On May 22, 2001, the Seahawks returned to the NFC when they filled the last spot in the NFC West. Little did anyone know, this would start something major in that division. Every single time these two teams meet, playoff implications are right around the corner. Since the turn of the century, and the Patriots' dominance over the NFL, the Rams and 'Hawks have been to the Super Bowl. 

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31 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Andrew Kneeland about 1 year ago

    Duke/UNC?

    I cringe whenever I see someone wearing a UNC shirt.

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  2. Nadene Dodge about 1 year ago

    Could you have picked a better picture for this article? I know for a fact that there are better pictures than this one that is better for the Broncos. And for the record there is only one reason for this rivalry and that is due to the Raiders have an attitude problem As a Bronco fan I can certainly tell you that there is nothing on this end is causing this attitude. OKAY maybe just a little bit. And that is only because the Raider are trying to hard to win and they really suck. This is not just an observation of mine but a proven fact by their track record. Sorry Raiders fans but you really need to face up to that you are right there with the San Francisco 49'rs. Basically you have no hope what so ever!

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    • Raider Card Addict about 1 year ago

      Sit down, Nadene, your medication is on it's way.
      I find it funny, when you think Oakland has no hope, whatsoever, when we have more wins than you, more Super Bowl victories, more Hall of Famers, and a better head-to-head record than you.
      About the only thing you have, is a career passing leader, with Elway, and for all that yardage, he lost 3 super bowls, and was lucky enough to have Terrell Davis bail him out in the end.
      I've grown up with this rivalry, being in the Dakotas, you have your die-hard bronco fans, and your die-hard Raider fans. The major difference? It seems the denver supporters are about 10 times less devoted to their club. Maybe it's because, so many times to the playoffs, they got knocked out in the first round.
      Last item, and don't forget to mention it....what's the second most popular NFL club in Denver?
      Oakland Raiders....right under the nose.

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  3. JJ Stankevitz about 1 year ago

    Thanks for not overrating the Packers/Bears rivalry like the rest of the country, Ron. Great article and I can't wait to see your next rivalry article!

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    • Devlan Sheahan about 1 year ago

      Well the rivalry isn't what it used to be...but it's such a classic rivalry it's hard to not consider it one of the best ones.

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  4. Clement Fauquet about 1 year ago

    As a foreigner i've just learned a lot ! So, I give you my pick of the day !!

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  5. Raider D Richardson about 1 year ago

    No Viking's-Packer's?

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    • Devlan Sheahan about 1 year ago

      For me, a Packer fan, I'd rather see the Vikes lose than the Bears any day...Still Packers-Bears is simply classic, but I don't think there is the animosity that there used to be...a little respect, but mostly we just think they're kinda stupid, and they think the same of us. They're both great clubs with awesome amounts of history and tradition.

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  6. Ben Gunby about 1 year ago

    Wow, just wow.

    Carolina and Jacksonville? Based on? Oh, because they came in the league together? So? They have played all of FOUR times in their history? Yet they have one of the top ten rivalries in football? Please. How the heck can you expect this to be taken seriously when you list this in your top ten? These two can't even be considered rivals, let alone among the best in the NFL.

    The Rams and Seahawks HAVE met in the playoffs.

    The hottest new rivalry in the league now is probably the Jets and Patriots. That, along with Pittsburgh and Cleveland belong on this list before that stupid Carolina/Jacksonville bit.

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  7. Tim Seeman about 1 year ago

    All the teams from the AFC East and AFC West have been to the Super Bowl too, not just the NFC East. The AFC North might have been too. The only team I'm not sure of is Cleveland.

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  8. Devlan Sheahan about 1 year ago

    Nice pick on the NFC East that division is viscous...

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  9. Nathan Soules about 1 year ago

    "Whether it's Dallas-Philly, Washington-NY Giants, Dallas-NY Giants, Philly-Washington, and every other division combination you can think of, the NFC East has supplied all of us with enough old school football with new school feeling to keep us guessing." - Sounds like a West Coaster :-P No mention of Redskins & Cowboys in the top all time list? There's plenty of history, as these teams have played each other since 1960, after the Cowboys founder held "Hail to the Redskins" ransom so he start his team. And more recently, amazing things have happened when they've met in the regular season. In '05 the 'skins did nothing all game until the final four minutes, when, down 13, Brunell hooked up with Moss twice to win it. And then there was the wild finish in '06 in FedEx. TO had his 4 Touchdowns last season, but I'd like to forget about that, and the 'skins winning in FedEx by 21 (rest in peace Sean Taylor) help me do just hat. There's a lot more then can be described in a comment, so read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys-Redskins_rivalry. I'm not saying this has to be #1, but it hast to be on your top 10 list...if not, at least on your NFC East match up list.

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    • Ron Johnson about 1 year ago

      I put the whole NFC East because of the rivalries in that division. All that good fury on the field? Perfect. So what exactly is your beef? The Cowboys-Redskins are in it. Just as a whole division.

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  10. davis spears about 1 year ago

    Finally tampa n green bay play this year. But nothing is like the old black n blue division games.

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  11. davis spears about 1 year ago

    Finally tampa n green bay play this year. But nothing is like the old black n blue division games.

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  12. Sebastian about 1 year ago

    Jaguars-Panthers and Rams-Seahawks seem to be here as gimmicks. And no mention of Browns-Steelers? Broncos-Chiefs?

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  13. davis spears about 1 year ago

    what about spain vs italy n the 80's. good stuff ? hu? thank god for all american football rivalries.

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  14. Scott Fender about 1 year ago

    49ers Cowboys? it is a bit of yesteryear but I have the day scheduled and the shit talking already going for when we play the Cowboys finally this year... it has died a bit but there is plenty of hatred still

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  15. davis spears about 1 year ago

    I want to see browns/broncos. tampa/lions. buff/giants. before i go out.

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  1. davis spears about 1 year ago

    49ers/cowboys are a old one . but thats what makes it good

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  2. Divya Parmar about 1 year ago

    I would like to see 49ers/Cowboys or Steelers/Raiders. Two historic rivalries.

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  3. Josh Millan about 1 year ago

    How about Chargers-Raiders? You can't go to one of their games without seeing someone get stabbed.

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    • Jordan Lee about 1 year ago

      i agree with Josh. The Chargers-Raiders rivalry is more intense than the broncos-raiders one. also there is no way that this is the #1 nfl rivalry, a battle between 2 teams that wont even compete for their division this year.

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  4. Michael Schlossberg about 1 year ago

    i really hope you're kidding to say broncos raiders are 1 and that seattle and st. louis are 4
    If you're thinking old school there has to be Giants- Packers or Giants- Bears because these teams met numerous times in NFL title games

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  5. Steve Frith about 1 year ago

    LOL! I'll be honest in saying that I did not see the "New England Patriots - the other 31 NFL teams" coming! That was great, and pretty true if you ask me. As a Pats fan, I would've like to have seen NE vs NYG this season. I think that would've officially kicked off a Giants/Pats Rivalry. Just my opinion of course.

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  6. Eric Fisher about 1 year ago

    how about Bills-Dolphins? I think those are pretty intense.

    Also, I have to agree, I dont get the logic behind Jacksonville and Carolina. Browns/Steelers or Vikes/Packers should have been there before that one.

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  7. John Fennelly about 1 year ago

    This is all very subjective.....but a good read nonetheless

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  8. Daniel Goodwin about 1 year ago

    Well you have the Cleveland Browns on their 2 times,I think you could of put the Miami Dolphins vs the Buffalo Bills,or perhaps even put the San Francisco 49ers vs the Dallas Cowboys those 4 teams had some very good battles in the 90's against one another.

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  9. L.J. Burgess about 1 year ago

    Ravens vs. Steelers vs. Browns ... a vicious circle ... and now that Marv is in Cincy , 'tis nasty eh?

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