Learn about the five biggest rivalries in American football
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| Braden: Top 5 Biggest Rivalries in American Football |
| Ann: In this lesson, you’ll learn about the top 5 biggest rivalries in football. Now, It's important to remember that overtime, rivalries can change. Therefore, some rivalries that 10 years ago were very strong, are extinct today. |
| Braden: So we're going to look at the 5 rivalries that have lasted the longest. In other words, we’re going to look at how much 10 different teams don’t like each other. |
| Ann: So we're going to explore a bit of the history and explain a bit of the hostility and why these teams are rivals. |
| Braden: The fifth biggest rivalry in American football is the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. |
| Ann: This is a division rivalry which means that these two teams are very close to each other. This usually makes the rivalry more intense and, in this case, that's exactly what happens. |
| Braden: The biggest factor here with the rivalry isn't so much the teams or their scoring nature. |
| Ann: It's the fans. |
| Braden: That’s right. Maybe it's because the cities are so close, maybe because the cities also compete in other areas, but if you ask a Falcons fan, they will tell you their biggest rival is the Saints. |
| Ann: The fourth biggest football rivalry is also the longest running rivalry, between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. As of 2011, out of 184 games played, Green Bay won 94 times and Chicago won 84 times. |
| Braden: But there were 6 ties in there as well. That means during the over-90-year rivalry, the Packers have only won 4 more games than the Bears. That is a tight rivalry. Some people might consider this the greatest rivalry of all time. |
| Ann: The reason we put it at number four is because, the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers doesn't feel as intense as some of the newer rivalries. |
| Braden: Especially not recently. |
| Ann: The third biggest rivalry in American football is the New York Giants versus the Philadelphia Eagles. |
| Braden: This is also a very old rivalry, dating back to the 1930s. |
| Ann: This rivalry isn't so much decided by who's the better team but by how the teams, and the fans, feel about each other. |
| Braden: That’s right. For the most part the New York Giants are a better team. The New York Giants won the Super Bowl 4 times and the Philadelphia Eagles have never won the Super Bowl. |
| Ann: Most recently, the New York Giants won their 4th Superbowl in 2012 and, according to many, will win it again in 2013. The Eagles are not happy about that. |
| Braden: Our second biggest rivalry in American football is the Indianapolis Colts versus the New England Patriots. |
| Ann: According to most specialists, the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots has always been "the game to watch." Since around 2003, these two teams have traded off either going to the Super Bowl or winning the Super Bowl. |
| Braden: That’s right. However, last year was a bit of a fluke. In 2011, the Indianapolis Colts were arguably the worst team in the NFL. |
| Ann: The game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots are usually "nailbiter's" but not in 2011. In 2012, we hope things will get better. |
| Braden: The number one biggest rivalry in American football right now is the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Baltimore Ravens. |
| Ann: According to most experts, this rivalry is currently the most intense in the NFL. Much of the intensity is because the two cities compete in other areas, just like the Saints and the Falcons. |
| Braden: That’s right. On the history side of things, this is a new rivalry. The Ravens played their first game in 1996. These two teams are well matched, the games are always close, the defense is always amazing, the scores are low, and there are usually injuries. |
| Ann: The players and the fans both despise and respect their rivals. |
| Braden: And that just make it really fun to watch. That just about does it for today. Thanks for listening! |
| Ann: Have a great day! |
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