Page 1 of 2
Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:39 pm
by JuggernautJ
I was wondering what the best rivalries (in your opinion) might be for each decade of NFL history.
The one that got me thinking about this was the Steelers/Cowboys games of the 1970's.
Then I tried the 1960's and came up with Packers/Cowboys but realized that wasn't till late in the decade.
Anyway, some obvious ones here (Pats/Colts in the 2000's? Niners/Cowboys in the 1990's?) but thought it an interesting topic to generate some conversation on our atypically quiet board...
Maybe we could come up with the best rivalry in each conference (post 1970) and then the best inter-conference rivalry...
And yes, I am more than OK with half-decades and early history rivalries.
Whatever format makes the question most interesting to you...
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:51 pm
by Oszuscik
1970's
Best AFC Rivalry: Has to be Raiders vs. Steelers. Those teams and those games are iconic.
Best NFC Rivalry: Maybe Cowboys vs. Vikings? One of those two were almost always the NFC representative in the Super Bowl, and they met 4 times in the playoffs.
Best NFC/AFC Rivalry: Cowboys vs. Steelers. These were pretty much THE teams of the decade.
As far as rivalries go I have to imagine the 1970's had the best match-ups.
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 3:47 pm
by JuggernautJ
I was also wondering about the 1950's...
I think the popular consensus would be Lions/Browns but there were also the Browns/Giants and Giants/Colts rivalries...
Tough Choices...
Maybe something like...
Eastern Conference: Giants vs Browns
Western Conference: Lions vs... idk... Colts or Niners? Or Rams?
Inter-Conference: Lions vs Browns
What should be the second team in the Western Conference?
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:52 am
by JohnH19
The best NFC rivalry in the 70s was clearly Cowboys-Redskins. Nothing comes close. Every game was a must-see event. Football at its very best.
The best NFC rivalry since the 90s is Vikings-Packers. Sorry, Bears fans.
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:26 am
by Citizen
1960s: Packers-Colts
1970s: Steelers-Raiders
1980s: Cowboys-Redskins (first half)/49ers-Rams (second half)
1990s: Cowboys-49ers
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:02 pm
by ChrisBabcock
The first half of the 2010s has to be either Ravens/Steelers or Seahawks/49ers.
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:49 pm
by sheajets
80's in the AFC I'd vote for Jets/Dolphins
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:36 pm
by 7DnBrnc53
sheajets wrote:80's in the AFC I'd vote for Jets/Dolphins
Maybe until the last few years of the decade, when Broncos-Browns surpassed it, which shows that those things can run in three to four year cycles.
Case in point: Steelers-Raiders was the best rivalry until 1978. Then, Steelers-Oilers took over, and was the best rivalry in the NFL for three years.
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:59 am
by DavidSollender
For the 80s, Giants vs. Niners was prominent also.
Re: Best Rivalries by Decade
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:53 am
by Bryan
JuggernautJ wrote:I was also wondering about the 1950's...
I think the popular consensus would be Lions/Browns but there were also the Browns/Giants and Giants/Colts rivalries...
Tough Choices...
Maybe something like...
Eastern Conference: Giants vs Browns
Western Conference: Lions vs... idk... Colts or Niners? Or Rams?
Inter-Conference: Lions vs Browns
What should be the second team in the Western Conference?
I don't know if it was "best" rivalry of the 50's, but the matchup that consistently produced the wildest games was the Rams-Niners. They always had dramatic contests.