NFL Attitude: The 5 Best Rivalries in the Game Today

The Red Sox and the Yankees. The Lakers and the Celtics. Michigan and Ohio State. Duke and Carolina.

Rivalries are one of the best things about sports. They provide the most drama and emotion of any game. Tempers are tested and emotions are never kept in check. The fights are remembered not only on tape, but are etched in our minds forever.

The NFL is no different in that they actually provide some of the best rivalries, because football is such a violent sport. The NFL has a deep history, so there are a lot of rivalries to choose from. Looking at the competitive balance of teams entering the 2011 season, these are the five best rivalries in my opinion.

5. Redskins and Cowboys

The Cowboys and Redskins have hated each other since the series began in 1960 and the rivalry has grown into one of the best in all of sports. The two franchises have combined to win eight Super Bowls and each has always given the other trouble.

Despite being a joke the past handful of years, the Redskins are always fired up and ready to play the Cowboys. The records don't really matter when these two meet, it's all about the bragging rights in the end.

4. Giants and Eagles

Chuck Bednarik's vicious hit on Frank Gifford in 1960 and "The Miracle at the Meadowlands" (Herman Edwards' return of a Joe Pisarcik fumble for a key win in 1978) are just two of the memorable plays from this nasty rivalry.

The Eagles ended up on top in both those games, but the Giants have gotten in plenty of licks over the years. The NFC East is one of if not the toughest division in football, and they show why every time they square off.

Don’t think for a second that the Giants are over the DeSean Jackson punt return that beat them last year at the end of the game.

3. Colts and Patriots

The Patriots and Colts may not have the oldest rivalry, but the meeting of these two teams has been one of the best during the past decade.

This has become the NFL's most anticipated matchup of the year. The Brady versus Manning saga continues, and it always proves to be one of the best games of the season. Both of these teams have tremendous respect for the other, but winning this game is almost as good as winning a Super Bowl.

2. Ravens and Steelers

No list would be complete without this one. The Ravens and Steelers feature one of the most hard-hitting, head-snapping and thrilling rivalries in the NFL today. This isn't for the faint of heart, stomach, mind or body. This is physical football at its best.

The defensive slamming and bone-crushing blows are always present in these games. When you have Ray Lewis and Ed Reed vs. Hines Ward and Big Ben on the field at the same time, something great is always expected.

Playing each other three times a season has become the norm.

1. Bears and Packers

The NFL's oldest rivalry has maintained a level of hatred since 1921, when the Chicago Staleys (now the Bears) hammered the Packers 20-0. Over 50 Hall of Famers have played in this rivalry, in which the Bears hold a slim edge.

These two have met more times than any other football teams since they started facing off in 1921. The Bears have had the lead in the past, winning more than half the games, but in the last decade or so, the Packers have been closing the gap.

Obviously the Packers come into this season as the defending Super Bowl champions, while the Bears look to reach the same level that they were at last year. That Super Bowl run should only add fuel to this already intense fire.