I figured a little poll could kill some time during the half the of the Colts - Texans game. I’m curious where the Doper fans fall on the biggest rivalries across the league. Each rivalry has a tandem of options, pick a side for each one if you can. I don’t intend for this to be an exhaustive list or truly authoritative on what rivalries are the most heated but these are the one foremost in my mind.
So, who you got?
I have an absurd unreasonable bias against the Colts and Ravens for leaving their original cities. So, it was easy to pick against them.
The tough part about this poll is sometimes I root against a team because of current personnel, even if in general I prefer the team. Like Jay Cutler, for some reason I dislike him and enjoy when he doesn’t do well. So, I almost picked the Packers over the Bears. But, somehow my admiration of the franchise won me over.
The same with the Steelers. I am not a big fan of Ben, so I often root against him. But, I do like the history that the franchise entails. But, I dislike the Ravens even more, so it wasn’t as much of a contest there.
Fun idea.
Bears over Packers (I’m from Chicago).
Vikings over Packers (I’m from Chicago).
Browns over Bengals (historically)
Raiders over Broncos (again, historically–man the Raiders had some bad teams from late 60s to the early 80s. And by “bad” I mean “awesome.”)
What about some non-traditional rivalries, like Oakland-Pittsburgh in the 70s; Pittsburgh-Dallas; San Francisco-Dallas?
Bills over Dolphins - squish the fish
I originally titled the Poll NFL *Divisional *Rivalries then realized that I’d included the Pats-Colts in the list. After some consideration I decided I wanted to keep that rivalry since I was watching the Colts when I thought up the poll and none of the AFC South teams really come close to meriting equal mention with those in this thread or the Colts-Pats battles.
Also, I didn’t want to overwhelm the thread with too many repetitive teams. Over-publicized teams like the Steelers, Colts, Pats, Cowboys and Chargers to name a few could have warranted matchups with as many as 6 teams and that wasn’t how I wanted it to work out.
If the poll has legs I figured a Part 2 would fill in the rivalries that I skipped.
Colts over Pats (I’m an Indianapolis Colts fan)
Bears over Packers (If I’m going to cheer for an NFC team, it’ll be the Bears)
Packers over Vikings (I can’t stand Favre. If he wasn’t there I probably wouldn’t have an opinion)
Jets over Patriots (I’m in favor of everyone over the Patriots)
Giants over Eagles (Eli is like a back up Manning, so I feel some sort of obligation to cheer for him)
Redskins over Cowboys (I can’t stand Jerry Jones. At all)
Saints over Falcons (Brees is a Purdue guy)
Broncos over Raiders (Orton is also from Purdue)
You included Saints-Falcons but left out Buccaneers-Panthers and Jets-Dolphins?
Oddly, my positions have switched on a lot of these recently. Now that Favre’s gone, I like the Packers. Now that Vick’s gone, I like the Falcons. Now that McNabb’s in DC, I prefer the 'Skins to the Cowboys (although I’d be perfectly happy if both teams missed the playoffs, which usually happens anyway).
Packers over anyone, because the franchise is living proof that Socialism can work, and it’s possible to have sports without entitled owners extorting free stadiums from taxpayers.
Pats over anyone, just because of where I happen to live now (leads to collaries like almost anyone over Jets)
Anyone over Colts because they’re all a bunch of complaining whiners who would rather try and change the rules when they lose than admit defeat.
Anyone over the Cowboys (at least post-Tom Landry) because they’re the symbol of Texas me-first arrogance and entitlement.
Pats over anyone (I grew up a few miles from Schaefer/Sullivan/Foxboro/Gilette Stadium). Also, my college alma mater lost to Peyton Manning in the Orange Bowl, so that’s extra reason to hate the Colts.
Plus, the Colts were in the AFC East for so long I practically consider them a division rival.
I also lived in Chicago for 13 years, but rooted against the Bears for the whole time as a result of Superbowl XX (Bears over Pats). But the Packers also beat the Pats in a Superbowl, so it’s hard for me to choose a favorite between those two. I think I favor the Bears a bit more nowadays.
I don’t really have feelings about most of the other rivalries, except I always pick against the Cowboys (I hate the 'Boys) and I picked the Saints because, come on, who can hate the Saints?
I will note, as a Packer fan, season ticket holder, and shareholder, that the Packers were able to get a sales tax passed in Brown County to help fund the renovation of Lambeau Field a few years ago. (Not that the Packers didn’t foot a big chunk of the bill themselves, but…)
I do find it interesting that, on a board that I’d expect might have an above-average population from the Chicago area (given that this is the Dope’s home town), the Packers-Bears rivalry vote is coming in more than 2/3 for the Packers. 
Dolphins-Jets is probably the biggest rivalry in the AFC East, and it’s not in the poll… Neither is Eagles-Cowboys and I can’t think of an bigger hatred in the NFL than what the Eagles have for the Cowboys.
Nah, Pats/Jets is bigger than Jets/Fins, especially after the Parcells/Belichek affair. It’s got that whole Boston/New York rivalry thing going on too.
Lions over all.
Chiefs over Raiders. I probably get more geared up for the Broncos game, but the Raiders game is the main rivalry matchup. Raider Hater Week is still something my brothers and I call each other up for to talk football.
I only voted for the ones I’m passionate about, and skipped the others.
You left off:
Anyone over the Steelers!
Chargers over Raiders
Chiefs over Raiders
Broncos over Raiders
My wife’s gyno over Raiders
Wha? Even in the same division, the hatred between the Cowboys and Redskins far out weighs that. Sure, they hate eachother too, but it’s just not at the same level.
Anyway…
Colts over Patriots: I’m mostly indifferent about the Colts these days, though I used to like them more, I think I’m just saturated with how much I hear about them. But the Patriots, my hatred for them burns with the flame of a thousand suns. That, as a Redskins fan, I hate the Patriots more than the Cowboys, well, that just makes this an easy pick.
Packers over Bears/Vikings: I kinda like the Packers and Vikings, so that one is tough, but these days Favre is pissing me off, so it’s a vote against the Vikings. The Bears, I think I’m utterly and completely indifferent about them, where I only root for or against them based on whether I kinda like or kinda don’t like the other team.
Jets over Patriots: I used to really like the Jets, but their current coach just strikes me as an ass, and the whole cockiness thing just rubs me the wrong way. However, compared to the Patriots, it’s not even close. Damn, I hate the Patriots.
Eagles over Giants: A tough call, since I dislike both teams, but I generally respect Andy Reid, whereas the other Manning rubs me the wrong way, and the Giants always just seem to get away with being mediocre and just win because the other team doesn’t show up or they get lucky. The Giants do get major points for beating the “perfect” Patriots team a few years back, which is why this is a close call, otherwise, nah.
Redskins over Cowboys: Easy call, I’m a Redskins fan.
Saints over Falcons: Tough call. I kind of like both teams, but not enough to really say who I’d kinda like a little more. I was asked tomorrow, I wouldn’t be surprised if I said the opposite.
Raiders over Broncos: I dislike the Broncos, largely because they always seem to be overrated, like last year people were talking about how awesome they were, and it was clear they were marginal and I even called that they wouldn’t make the playoffs while they were still undefeated and was right. On the plus side, the stink of Elway has worn off. The Raiders though, I’m indifferent about pretty much because they haven’t done anything to get noticed by me in a while, so they win out here.
Ravens over Steelers: I kind of like the Steelers, though I am starting to get saturated with hearing about them too, so that could change. However, I like to think of the Ravens as my home AFC team, and I love watching a defensive mind team play, so they’re pretty much my second favorite team.
Bengals over Browns: Meh… I think I kinda dislike both teams, but not sure enough to really say who. Basically like the Falcons vs. Saints for me, except I slightly dislike both teams rather than slightly liking.
The Packers get all the “little engine that could” votes. Can’t say I’m surprised at all by the result. I think that the spread between the Packers-Bears and Packers-Vikings is so similar reflects that too. People are probably Bears fans and hate the Packers and vote against them in both polls, or they are indifferent and like the Packers because of the small town underdog gimmick. The Vikings just sorta get caught in the crossfire.
I voted four times, every vote coming in on the losing side. heh. (Pats over Colts, Jets over Pats, Bears over Packers, Giants over Eagles.)
The marquee rivalries in the NFC East are Cowboys-Redskins and Giants-Eagles, in order.
Jets-Dolphins is the traditional rivalry. The Patriots have made inroads in the past decade, but they aren’t there yet. Where is the signature moment to rival Marino’s fake spike, for example, or the signature game to rival the Miracle at Midnight?
Also look at Jason Taylor, the most Dolphiny Dolphin since Marino. When he hit the open market, he publicly said he’d go to any team but the Jets. (Words he soon had to eat.) I guess Brady hates the Jets that much – love Bridget’s sense of humor in naming his son – but really the Jets-Dolphins rivalry has more fuel than the 15-year non-stop player/coach exchange that is the Patriots-Jets. (Danny Woodhead being just the most recent.)
All of my friends who are Eagles fans hate the Cowboys with the fury of a thousand suns and don’t care much about the Giants or Redskins. I guess I was just skewed by a small sample size.