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6 of the Biggest Team Rivalries in NFL History

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… And the hate lives on.

That is basically how you should characterize the greatest NFL rivalries.

Below are the most prominent NFL team rivalries of all time.

1) Oakland Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers

The heated rivalry between the Raiders and the Steelers made it one of the most physically intense rivalries in the history of the NFL.

It started during a playoff game between the two wherein the Steelers won against the Raiders thanks to what is now known as the Immaculate Reception courtesy of Franco Harris.

They met at the playoffs five times and Super Bowl five times as well.

2) Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers

The Cowboys-49ers rivalry reached its most intense from the 1970s through the 1990s. 

The teams met in the conference championship finals for three consecutive seasons (1992 to 1994).

The Cowboys lead their all-time series with 18-17-1.

3) New York Giants vs San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers-Giants rivalry is a decades-long rivalry that started in the 1980s. These teams were the only things constant in the Super Bowls between 1981 and 1990. 

In their first two meetings, the 49ers defeated the Giants, 38-24 and 21-10, which happened in 1981 and 1984, respectively. The 49ers won both the Super Bowls match against the Giants. 

However, in their next playoff meetings, the Giants prevailed. The same happened during the 1985 Wild Card round where the Giants defeated the 49ers, 17-3. In the 1986 divisional round, they also beat the 49ers, 49-3. 

Their next meeting happened in 1990, which is dubbed as one of the most physical games in NFL history.

History repeated itself in 1993 but this time in favour of the 49ers, defeating the Giants, 44-3.

The rivalry intensified once more during the 2002 playoffs in what has been considered a controversially chaotic match due to a field goal block attempt by the giants.

4) Kansas City Chiefs vs Oakland Raiders

This is one of the most bitter rivalries of all time. The two seemed to follow one another from the American Football League (AFL) in 1960 to the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. 

The Raiders had a great career from the 1970s to the 1980s. However, the Chiefs tasted its bittersweet revenge against the Raiders in the 1990s during a match it won, 18-3.

What fueled the long-standing rivalry were the passionate fans who would show up during the games for roaring cheers from them.

5) Pittsburgh Steelers vs Dallas Cowboys

The Steelers and the Cowboys are Super Bowl phenomenon, playing three Super Bowls against one another. Steelers lead the series 2-1. 

This is an intense non-conference rivalry that involved Joe Greene, Emmitt Smith, Franco Harris, Chuck Noll, and Lynn Swann.

6) Dallas Cowboys vs Green Bay Packers

The Cowboys-Packers rivalry is one well-loved rivalry, albeit the hate intensity from both the players and the fans.

Intensity and momentum build up because they do not meet with one another every year. Instead, they met once every three years because of scheduling requirements of the NFL.

The Packers lead the overall series with 20-17.

In the postseason, the Cowboys and the Packers have met for eight times. Each team has four wins.

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Today, which NFL team has the fiercest rivalry? Let us know your thoughts.

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