Baltimore and Pittsburgh: An Unheralded Rivalry

Regardless of level, football is defined by its rivalries.

From the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins to the University of Michigan and Ohio State University, rivalry games can define a region, a time period, and most importantly, a season.

In what might be the most underrated rivalry in professional football today, whenever the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers meet, you can be certain that smack will be talked, the blood will boil, and that by the end of the game both teams will definitely be feeling it.

And best of all? These teams are guaranteed to play twice each season in contests that often decide the fate of the AFC North division.

In last season's AFC Championship game, the nation was finally given a good chance to see what AFC North fans have had the luxury of enjoying for years.

It was football played the only way these two teams know how: Hard-hitting and fun to watch.

From opening kickoff until Troy Polamalu's interception, every minute of this game was gut-wrenching to fans of both teams, and finally spotlighted these two teams in a way that will be remembered.

Why do these two teams hate each other? There are more reasons than anyone can begin to count, but it may well come down to how similar these two football clubs are on and off the field.

On the field, both play smash-mouth, run-first football. They are the definition of "old school" style, and it has worked for them both for years.

Their defenses are nearly always at the top of the league in stats, and play a style that challenges opposing offenses to try and get one past them.

More times than not, those offenses are stopped.

In a division that also includes the Cincinnati Bengals and their potentially high-octane offense lead by Carson Palmer, that's saying something.

Off the field, the cities of Baltimore and Pittsburgh are both blue-collar, and have lived and died by their football teams for years. Let's not forget that before Baltimore was known for the Ravens, they had the Colts.

Football is in the blood of both cities, and it shows by the amount of dedication by fans.

At the end of it all, regardless of how much bad blood exists between two teams on the field, if that passion isn't matched by the fans, it falls flat.

The Ravens and Steelers have an intensity that shows on the field and off, and will for a long time to come.

One day, maybe more people outside of the division will come to realize this unheralded rivalry.

Until then, we'll just continue to count the minutes until these two giants of defense face each other again.