NFL Rivalries- Show me you want to beat that team

It's almost time for football to be back in action, and what better way to kick off the season, then talk about some rivalries in the NFL.  

Around here, the Colts and Patriots are the talk of the town.  Fans will circle this one on their calendars, and I think even football fans circle this one.  You have Peyton Manning and Tom Brady squaring off, two of the best quarterbacks going.  This one really was intense in the beginning of the 2000's.  It seemed the Pats had the Colts number and then the Colts turned it around.  There was that great encounter in the 2006-2007 AFC Championship game, where the Colts were down most of the game, only to come back from 18 points down, and make it to the Super Bowl.  Ended up winning the Super Bowl that year, but people will always remember that game as the one that really meant something.  And that's what I think this rivalry needs again, meaning.  I know as a fan, I want to beat the Patriots.  But I don't feel like there's that animosity to it as much as I would like. I think you need a little fuel to the fire, and a little hate.  There's the word respect thrown all around this rivalry, and that's fine.  But add a little something special to it, and it gets back to where it was.

So going from there, I bring up the Patriots and Jets as an up and coming rivalry because Rex Ryan, coach of the Jets, makes no bones about it, he wants to beat the Patriots.  Maybe the Patriots are just that one team every team wants to beat.  There's not much love lost here between the two teams, and I think the Jets helped their cause last year when they knocked out the Patriots of the playoffs. I will be watching these games when they come around, if only to see the Patriots get knocked around.

Perhaps the long standing rivalry in the NFL is the Packers and Bears.  I've heard how much the fans of these teams get up for this game.  But how much do the actual teams get up for this one?  Do the players think about the history of their teams?  Or are they just going out to win a game?  It's one those division rivalries that are good depending on how good the teams are in my book.


A lot like most division rivalries, the cliched saying is throw out the records.  But look at the Colts in the AFC South, they usually beat up on the teams, and win the division by three or more games.  If the Colts have a rival in the divison, I'd look at the Jaguars.  They pull out close games against the Colts with a field goal to win.  But then some games, the Colts just dominate them, so it's hard to feel there's a real rivalry there.  Titans seem to be another one of those that you don't quite know what to expect, but the Colts have their number.  Texans are always that "sexy" pick to win the division, but haven't finished better than .500 in their existence. 


So division rivalries may be good to watch, but for me there's gotta be something on the line, and some hatred between the teams. I think the NFL, like the NBA, is too much of a love and respect fest. Give me something to feel for the teams, and make me believe you really want to beat that team. There's nothing wrong with that. Just shows you really want to play the game, and win.