NFL's Best Rivalry

ESPN.com today had a poll of what is a better rivalry, the Jets-Patriots or the Steelers-Ravens.  I voted for the Steelers-Ravens and it produced the results of 51-49.  Really?  Has anyone paid attention to football and what good ole fashioned hate is in the NFL. 

The Steelers-Ravens is by far a long shot the best rivalry in the NFL, it’s the closest thing we have to what the Bears-Packers used to be.  With free agency, and coaches being fired rivalries now only exist amongst the fans really.  Especially when you see players go from like the Bears to the Packers, or Bears to Vikings or Eagles to Redskins.  It has really hurt those hatred rivalries.  Would Howie Long want to sign with Denver, Kansas City or San Diego.  Probably not.  Would Butkus or Singletary go to the Packers.  HELL NO. 

But the hatred that has come from the Steelers-Ravens and the smash mouth football, the hard hits, and just hate…it’s the best.  They play 2, maybe if we are lucky 3 times a year.  The AFC North has been won by either of the 2 teams 7 of the past 9 years.  The games they play are important. 

The Patriots and Jets has had buds in the past with the Parcells/Belichek tie in, Curtis Martin, and now Rex Ryan.  But how big have the games actually been?  The Patriots have won the division 8 of the last 10 years.  The Jets, once.  The games are blown up by the east coast media.  But it’s not the best.  I would say that the Patriots-Colts is a better rivalry than the Pats-Jets.  They have played more high profile games and are more marquee. 

So sorry Jets and Pats fans, enjoy the game this weekend.  But you aren’t the marquee game.  The other AFC game this weekend is. 

2010 NFL Playoff Predictions

From my 2010 NFL Predictions, I got 7 of the 12 playoff teams correct, maybe not in the right order but got them at least in the post season.  My Super Bowl Pick then was Colts over Packers.  Not going to go with that this time, though it is the NFL and anything could happen.  But right now I'll go with this.

In the NFC I think the last game that Vick played vs the Vikings showed the league something and the Packers move on.  New Orleans wins in Seattle.  Sets up the Packers going to Atlanta.  As much as I like the Falcons, I think the Packers will be rolling and the week off will hurt the #1 seed.  Packers win.  The Bears then get the Saints back in Soldier again, and with the help of the the elements knock out the defending champion setting up an NFC North NFC Championship game.  Teams split in the regular season, home teams won, and home team wins again.  Bears go to Dallas!

In the AFC, I think the Jets and Ravens will both roll through the first round setting up a great second weekend of rivalry games.  In Foxboro Rex's fettish runs out and the Fighting Brady's put a big spot on the Jets again.  Then in another hard hitting contest the Steelers avoid another Broken nose and move on to the title game.  I think only 1 team can go in to Foxboro and win and that is the Steelers, and I think they control the clock and hit the Pats hard enough to win the AFC.

Super Bowl comes down to Pittsburgh and Chicago and the Steelers win title #7 after Cutler tosses two interceptions, one to Troy Palomalu who returns it to the house, 20-14.

Of course this will probably all be wrong after the first weekend....but that's what makes sports fun!

	Green Bay
	Philadelphia	Green Bay
		Atlanta	Green Bay
				Chicago
		Chicago	Chicago
	New Orleans	New Orleans
	Seattle
					Pittsburgh
	NY Jets
	Indianapolis	NY Jets
		New England	New England
				Pittsburgh
		Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh
	Balitmore	Baltimore
	Kansas City