As usual in the NFL, only the games between division rivals are scheduled on the last date of the regular season. It gives a unique flavor to several defining duels since that is where the main rivalries of the league are housed. An example is the case of the Redskins vs. Cowboys game, one of the great classics that defined the champion of the NFC East Division and to the merit of NFL betting fans.
There is also a rivalry between two great players in this subjective and highly debatable list of the ten great NFL classics. Below are the top 10 Most intense NFL Rivalries.
Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers
No other matchup in the NFL has a history like this. Since 1921 they have met 186 times, and the Bears maintain increasingly precarious paternity with 92 wins, 88 losses, and six draws. However, the last six duels have been victories for the Packers, including the NFC final in the 2010 season. They are the teams with the most titles in the league: 13 for the Packers (4 Super Bowls) and 9 for the Bears (1 Super Bowl).
They first met in 1921 when the Chicago team was still called the Staleys, and the league was in its second season. Since then, as great entertainers in the NFL, a great rivalry has grown because they are also part of the same division, and that's why they face each other twice a season.
Despite the tradition, they have only met twice in the playoffs: in 1941, Chicago won, and in 2010 Green Bay.
The rivalry is such that the Bears owners do not even mention the name "Packers" and only speak of the "archrival."
Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins
They are two of the three largest franchises in the NFL, and that is due to the large number of fans they have and their sporting achievements. The rivalry began in the 1960s, and while both teams have had some slumps in recent years, especially the Redskins, the arrival of Robert Griffin III in Washington promised to revive it.
In an Eastern Division already steeped in history, this duel, along with the Giants vs. Eagles, is one of the most outstanding.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
It's a young classic, but with some reminiscences of the past from when the Ravens franchise was the Cleveland Browns. The team moved to Baltimore - and changed names and colors - in 1996.
Previously in the AFC Central Division and since the 2002 regrouping in the North Division, the Ravens and Steelers have made this game a battle, characterized by the fierceness of their defenses and the constant fight for the divisional title.
They have also met three times in the playoffs, and each time the Steelers won. According to different rankings in the United States, this is today the main rivalry in the NFL.
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Another classic that enjoys a great tradition: they were measured for the first time in 1933, and since then, it has been one of the duels that stand out in any season. Although the Giants added more titles (8), the Eagles also had successes, especially in the late 1940s.
Despite the years, the rivalry does not decline, fueled by other sporting clashes between these two cities, such as the New York Rangers against the Philadelphia Flyers, in the NHL and the New York Mets against the Philadelphia Phillies in baseball.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders
Are Chiefs and Raiders one of the great rivalries in the NFL? Yes, although these days, it's difficult to believe due to the very poor campaigns of recent times because both sides have two of the most passionate and loyal fans in this league. This classic dates back to when they were members of the AFL, and after the merger with the NFL, they continued as divisional rivals.
Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
These are two traditional NFL teams and already have more than 100 duels. There were sparks a few years ago when long-time Packers champion Brett Favre signed as a quarterback with the Vikings.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
These cities are just two hours away by car and are among the most prominent in the United States' "industrial belt," so they also have several things in common. One of them is the passion for the NFL.
It's the matchup with the highest number of games in the entire American Conference (AFC). It continues to enjoy great tradition despite the re-foundation of the Browns after the original franchise moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens.
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
Although the Jets stand out more for their controversies than for their sporting achievements, with the arrival of coach Rex Ryan, they put a lot of effort into this duel.
Since Boston, they have not been silent, particularly coach Bill Belichick (also a former Jets coach), although the main response has been given on the field of play, as in the two victories this season.
Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
There are almost 90 games between both teams. Still, strictly speaking, the rivalry had escalated in recent seasons, when these teams began to gain prominence and became regular rivals for the title of the South Division of the NFC. The best example is that this year a group of Atlanta airport workers threw eggs at the bus that was taking Saints players out of the terminal.
Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning
For years this rivalry was called Patriots vs. Colts, but this season Peyton Manning became a player for the Denver Broncos. Since 2001, both teams and their quarterbacks have four Super Bowl titles and seven AFC titles. In that period, they met three times in the playoffs, including the 2006 AFC Final (Colts win), considered one of the greatest games in NFL history.
