Sports: NFL

[dok]

It's almost like you should have left it out.

Given that the Ravens actually tie for the worst regular season record of any team vs. the Pats, it was an odd thing to bring up. But if we're going to talk about who plays the Pats tough, then let's just note the team that is more games above .500 against the Pats, combining regular season and playoffs, than any other. That would be the Denver Broncos.

Pats/Broncos is certainly not a fierce rivalry - after all, they don't play twice every year. The don't have the same history with the Broncos that the Chiefs or Raiders do. But Pats fans are certainly aware that they have been bedeviled by the Broncos throughout their current run of excellence. Not just the two recent AFC championship wins by Manning-led squads, but notably, the game that ended the Pats' bid for a three-peat in 2006.

The Pats did beat the Broncos in the playoffs once in the last 20 years... but that was Tebow, so I'm not even counting it.

[Dad_Scaper]

I made a stray comment about one of the videos I linked. But fair enough; I did not put any independent work into that parenthetical. Just a passing comment about what I saw. Mea culpa.

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

I don't think there's any current rivalry better than Ravens/Steelers. So many great games, so much bitterness, so many postseason showdowns in the past 15ish years. Most of the familiar faces associated with the fiercest games in that rivalry are gone, now. I don't know how it'll feel when Terrell Suggs and Ben Roethlisberger finally hang up their cleats; that will be the end of an era in the National Football League.

Sunday night was a good game. I hope some of you got to watch. It wasn't up there with the many last-second heartbreakers or divisional battle in the playoffs, but it was another chapter in something special in NFL history. Four times, since the 2001 season, the two teams have clashed in the playoffs (Steelers lead 3-1 in that category). In that span, the Ravens have been in the playoffs nine times, and the Steelers have been in the playoffs twelve. Both consistently relevant; I suspect (without knowing for sure) that no other rivalry can match that 9+ playoff appearances for both teams in that span.

Here's their entry in the Top 10 Bitter NFL Rivalries of All Time, assembled by NFL films.

Spoiler Alert!

movie

It's been decades since most entrants on that list were relevant, or both teams were relevant in the same era. Here's another commentator, on NBC, putting it at the #1 current rivalry. Finally, one more video, prepared by NFL films right before the Ravens beat the Steelers the last of the four times the teams met in the playoffs.

I'm always happy to see Ravens/Patriots games get prime time coverage because I like sharing this rivalry with the rest of you who enjoy football. I tip my hat to @superfrog and the other Steelers fans here, because they aren't the reasons I hate the Steelers. But I get to care about these games, like they do, and I just wanted to take a moment to write about it here.

(edit: tag didn't work. @superfrog )

[Drewman-chu]

Pats never play well at Mile High. That was a pretty good rivalry once Mannning, Welker and Talib arrived on the scene.

[IAmBatman]

You left out the great Cleveland Browns/Detroit Lions rivalry. A constant contest of futility one upmanship.

Anyways, always good to grasp at straws of relevance in a conference where the Patriots have largely made every other team irrelevant for almost two decades. That fact alone is probably while you couldn’t help but mention them. Until the king is fully dethroned, everything else will be in his shadow.

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

You left out the great Cleveland Browns/Detroit Lions rivalry. A constant contest of futility one upmanship.

Anyways, always good to grasp at straws of relevance in a conference where the Patriots have largely made every other team irrelevant for almost two decades. That fact alone is probably while you couldn’t help but mention them. Until the king is fully dethroned, everything else will be in his shadow.

Illustrated just this past week, when Miami was looking so good Sunday morning, and New England was looking so vulnerable. And then came kickoff.

[superfrog]

I saw this, D_S.

Ravens/Steelers is definitely a hot rivalry. I don't follow the whole NFL enough to know whether it's for sure the best current one, but I'd definitely argue its merits to anybody.

[bmon]

The thing about rivalries is that they are fueled by passion. Unless you are devoid of this passion, it is difficult to objectively rate them against other rivalries.

As a Vikings fan, the Packers and Vikes rivalry is as intense as they come. Historically close records, point totals, successes (minus Super Bowl trophies), border battles, crazy finishes and moments. Look no further than our last meeting -- 3 missed field goals in OT, resulting in a tie. Antonio Freeman catch, Moss mooning, Farve's last game was as a Viking, etc. So many great memories and so many awful memories.

Damn, I hate the Packers.

[Tornado]

That has gotta be cool.
The great thing about the Lions/Browns battle for futility is that it is active every week.
Each game presents a new opportunity to lower the bar and lose in a more creative way.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by bmon

Damn, I hate the Packers.

Yep. Try losing for as many years in a row in Lambeau as the Lions did. Or having friggin Rodgers Hail Mary a victory against you and snatch away a rare and well-earned win.

Hate the Packers.

[Tornado]

You can pretty much say "Hate the ..." for any team the Lions play.
They do seem to have the uncanny ability to beat someone they absolutely should not most years.
The Pack is tough as they are the Patriots of their Division. Sort of rooting for the Bears at this point just to see something new.
I have a bit of love for the Vikings as I really appreciate Kirk Cousins even as a U of M fan. Great dude and a solid QB.

The Lions need to up their running game. I need to see more Johnson.
It would be nice to stop the run someday as well but that may be wishful thinking.

[Dad_Scaper]

I think I was pretty clear that in Ravens/Steelers, you are talking about divisional foes who have been competitively relevant for the last 15 years, more or less. All the nastiness of the old Raiders/Whoever, or Packers/Whoever, but also two teams that have been fighting for the division title, and deep into the playoffs, frequently and recently. That was my point. Heck, I shared a video that does a great job describing a bunch of other great historical rivalries. Was Vikes/GB in there? Might have been. I don't remember.

Back in the day, I was an Eagles fan. I know other teams have rivalries; the NFC East (like most, but not all, divisions) is all about it. I get it.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Tornado

The Lions need to up their running game. I need to see more Johnson.
It would be nice to stop the run someday as well but that may be wishful thinking.

Tell that Cooter we need more Johnson!

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

I think I was pretty clear that in Ravens/Steelers, you are talking about divisional foes who have been competitively relevant for the last 15 years, more or less.

And I think I was pretty clear that competitive relevance is completely irrelevant to my football fan experience.

I'm sure it's nice to have rivalries where you're anything more than the little brother that gets beat up on, though.