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As with all sports leagues, there are a number of significant rivalries in the National Football League (NFL). Rivalries are occasionally created due to a particular event that causes bad blood between teams, players, coaches or owners, but for the most part, they arise simply due to the frequency with which some teams play each other. Some rivalries are almost friendly, with a fair degree of mutual respect for each other's history, while others can be downright nasty.

Background

Geographic rivalries are rare in the NFL, especially when compared to similar rivalries in college football and also when compared to other professional sports. For example, the New York Giants of the National Football Conference have a decent rivalry with their American Football Conference counterpart, the New York Jets; however, the intradivisonal rivals of the Giants (Dallas, Philadelphia, and Washington) are usually more hated by Giants fans. A key reason is that the NFL schedule of 16 regular season games simply does not provide enough games for a team to play every other team every year. In comparison, National Basketball Association teams face every other team at least twice during the regular season, and Major League Baseball and National Hockey League teams face every other league or conference opponent at least 3 times during the regular season. In all 3 of those leagues, teams will face certain opponents many times (as many as 19 times in the regular season for baseball teams), which naturally leads to more opportunities for rivalries to develop. In recent years, the NFL has changed its scheduling formula to ensure that every possible matchup will happen eventually, but many of those matchups will occur only once every 3 to 4 years.

Rivalries can be classified in 3 main groups:

Intradivisional: Games between opponents in the same NFL division. As of 2005, there are 32 teams in 8 divisions of 4 teams each. Each team plays each division opponent twice during the regular season (once at home, once away) for a total of 6 regular season games out of 16 total games. Thus, every NFL team, regardless of its age, could fairly be said to have at least 3 primary rivals.

Interdivisional: Games between opponents in different divisions but within the same conference. Teams do not play a given interdivisional opponent more than once during the regular season. The NFL schedules divisions to play against each other on a rotating basis, so that every team from one division will play every team from another division, for a total of 4 games per team; the division pairings rotate each year. Each team will also play 1 team from each of the remaining 2 divisions within the conference, for a grand total of 12 intraconference games. The matchups for these last 2 games are based on the previous year's standings, so that the 2 first place teams will play each other, the 2 second place teams will play each other, and so on. Conference games are often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, is sometimes used as a tiebreaker for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played.

Interconference: Games between opponents in different conferences. Teams do not play a given interconference opponent more than once during the regular season. The NFL schedules interconference divisions to play each other on a rotating basis similar to the one described above.

The NFL, sportscasters, journalists and fans typically use the terms "division rival" or "divisional rival" instead of "intradivisional rival", and "conference rival" (also "NFC rival" or "AFC rival") instead of "interdivisional rival." The use of a prefix such as "inter-" is reserved solely for games between opponents from different conferences.

The oldest NFL rivalry, dating back to when the league was founded in 1920, consists of its two existing charter members: the Decatur Staleys/Chicago Bears and the Chicago/St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals. The longest consecutive game rivalry (at least one game played in each non-strike season) is between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. It dates back to 1922 and is currently approaching over 170 games, with 48 Hall of Famers and 23 league championships between the two teams.

Intradivisional rivalries: AFC

AFC North

The AFC North is significant in that substantial rivalries exist between nearly every team. In particular, it can be said that the fans of the Cleveland Browns passionately hate everybody else in the division.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns

First met in 1970; suspended after the 1995 season; restored in the 1999 season.
Signature moment: Paul Brown had left the team he founded in Cleveland in the mid-1960s. After the American Football League Bengals joined the NFL, Brown began an intrastate rivalry with the Browns. The rivalry became known as "The Battle of Ohio"; it has also been nicknamed "The I-71 Rivalry," since both teams' home cities are served by Interstate 71.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

First met in 1970.
A relatively recent rivalry, though termed by Sports Illustrated in 2006 to be "The Nastiest Rivalry in the NFL"^[1].
Signature moment: After a long drought of non-winning seasons, the Bengals reached the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. But their first playoff game was against the division-rival Steelers. In the second play of the January 2006 playoff game, Kimo von Oelhoffen (a former Bengal and now former Steeler) ran into quarterback Carson Palmer, causing a tear in Palmer's ACL and MCL, a hit that the officials called "unavoidable". The Steelers would go on to win the game and advance to Super Bowl XL winning their fifth world championship.

Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

First met in 1950; suspended after the 1995 season; restored in the 1999 season.
Signature moment: In the midst of an October 1975 game between the two teams, Steeler defensive tackle Joe Greene was ejected after he repeatedly kicked Browns' offensive lineman Bob McKay in the groin.
Signature moment: In their second meeting of the 1976 season, Steelers' quarterback Terry Bradshaw was sacked by Browns' defensive end Joe (Turkey) Jones. Instead of merely tackling Bradshaw, Jones lifted him up and slammed him head-first into the Cleveland Stadium turf. Bradshaw would miss the next two contests.
Signature moment: In the Browns' first season returning to the league, the team met the archrival Steelers in week 10 of the 1999 NFL season. A last minute field goal kick by Phil Dawson got the Browns their second win of the year with a 16-15 upset victory in Pittsburgh. The victory was especially notable considering the dominating 43-0 victory the Steelers notched in the Browns home opener, their first game back to the NFL after a three-year hiatus. In December 2006, the Browns' official website ranked Dawson's game winning field goal as one of the sixty greatest moments in franchise history.^[2]
Signature moment: This rust belt rivalry moved from the old NFL Eastern Conference to the AFC after the AFL-NFL merger. Prior to the merger, the Browns had made the Steelers their favorite patsy, but Pittsburgh won four Super Bowls in the 1970s while the Browns foundered. The teams met in their first playoff battle in 1994, which the Steelers won at Three Rivers Stadium. The teams met in the playoffs for a second time in 2002 when Pittsburgh overcame a 17-point deficit and scoring 22 points in the 4th quarter to win 36-33.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

First met in 1996
Signature Moment: These two teams met in the 2001 AFC Divisional playoffs. There was a lot of jawing before the game as both teams split their regular season meetings. The Ravens were riding high following a 20-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card round. However, the Steelers defense proved to be too much as they physically dominated the Ravens offense, forcing four turnovers and recording three sacks while holding the Ravens offense to just 150 total yards as the Steelers prevailed 27-10.
Signature Moment: In the 2002 season, Baltimore cornerback James Trapp intercepted a pass and was thrown out of bounds by Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El. This triggered a wild chain of events as skirmishes broke out between both teams as Steelers safety Lee Flowers and wide receiver Hines Ward got into a scuffle with Baltimore cornerback Chris McAlister. Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress jumped into the fight in an effort to protect his fellow teammates but was thrown to the ground where Baltimore cornerback James Trapp stomped on Burress' stomach with both feet and ripped Burress' helmet right off. Consequently, Burress and Trapp got into a fight and both were ejected from the game.
Signature Moment: In the 2004 NFL season, Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter shoved Baltimore tight end Todd Heap to the ground. The Ravens were not even running a play as they spiked the ball immediately as it was snapped. Heap was nursing an injured ankle that he suffered on the previous play and he limped to the line of scrimmage before Porter shoved him. Porter's shove made the injury worse as Heap was unable to return to the game. Many Ravens players were angry at Porter, accusing him of taking a cheap shot on Heap.
Signature Moment: In the 2006 NFL season, the Ravens shut out the Steelers 27-0 in the first meeting, then held them to 7 points in the next meeting, scoring 35 of their own and ending the Steelers playoff hopes.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins

First met in 1967
Signature moment: Bills owner Ralph Wilson originally wanted an AFL team in Miami, but was denied and thus founded the Buffalo Bills as a charter member of the AFL.
Signature moment: The glory days of this rivalry occurred during the late 1980s and early 1990s when Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Marv Levy led the Bills against the Dolphins led by Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Don Shula.
Signature moment: Dolphins linebacker Bryan Cox taunted Bills' fans for years, claiming they had made racially cruel remarks to him.
Signature moment: 1980 marked a major breakthrough for the Bills in this rivalry. They beat the archrival Miami Dolphins for the first time in 11 years in their season opener, en route to winning their first AFC East title. The victory led to the fans at Rich Stadium tearing down the goal posts.

Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots

First met in 1967
Signature moment: During "The Snow Plow Game" in 1982, played in blizzard conditions at the Patriots' home in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a work release prisoner drove a plow onto the field during a timeout late in the game to create a clean area for a field goal kick, leading to the only score in a 3-0 Patriots win. Dolphins coach Don Shula later convinced the NFL Rules Committee to ban such home field advantages.

New York Jets vs. New England Patriots

First met in 1961
Signature moment: Former Patriots (and New York Giants) coach Bill Parcells left New England due to a dispute with owner Robert Kraft over team direction, and the Jets negotiated the right to hire Parcells. Three years later, former Parcells assistant Bill Belichick left the Jets — one day after agreeing to succeed Parcells as head coach — to coach New England.
Signature moment: Much was made in 2006 when Eric Mangini, Belichick's former defensive coordinator in New England, left to become head coach of the Jets in January. It was widely reported that Belichick was not happy with the move and that the relationship between the two had soured greatly. Indeed, much scrutiny was focused on the postgame handshakes between the two in their teams' two regular season games — a 24-17 Patriots victory in week two and a shocking 17-14 Jets road victory in week ten. The teams met again in the Wild Card round of the playoffs with the Patriots coming out victorious, 37-16. When the two coaches met at midfield, they embraced, surrounded by a mob of photographers.

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots

First met in 1960
Signature moment: Prior to the 2003 season, the Patriots released team captain Lawyer Milloy; he then signed with the Bills. The two teams met in Week 1 of the regular season, with the Bills rolling to a 31-0 victory which including a sack by Milloy. In the last week of the regular season the Patriots gained revenge with a 31-0 victory.

New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins

First met in 1966
Signature moment: The Jets and Dolphins met at the Orange Bowl in the 1982 AFC championship game. Playing on a muddy field, the teams battled to a 0-0 tie at halftime before Dolphin linebacker A.J. Duhe took over. Duhe intercepted three passes by New York quarterback Richard Todd in the second half, returning the final pick 35 yards for a touchdown to clinch Miami's 14-0 victory and a berth in Super Bowl XVII.
Signature moment: On November 27, 1994, the Jets battled the Dolphins at The Meadowlands for a share of first place in the AFC East. Miami, who at one point trailed 24-6, came back to make it 24-21. Then, with 22 seconds left in the game, Dan Marino faked a spike and tossed the ball to Mark Ingram, which resulted in a game-winning touchdown for the Dolphins. The "fake spike" propelled Miami to the division title, while the Jets lost all of their remaining games that year.
Signature moment: On October 23, 2000, the Jets hosted the Dolphins at The Meadowlands on Monday Night Football. Miami dominated most of the game, building a 30-7 lead in the fourth quarter and undoubtedly leading many television fans to turn off the game early, but things were just getting started. Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw 2 quick touchdown passes, followed by a John Hall field goal to bring the Jets within 7, and with 3:55 left to play, Testaverde threw a 24-yard strike to Wayne Chrebet to tie the game. Miami would then score a touchdown that seemingly crushed the Jets' hopes, but with just 42 seconds to play, Testaverde found Jumbo Elliott open on a tackle-eligible play for a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game at 37-37. Although Miami got the ball first in the ensuing overtime, the Jets would eventually win on Hall's 40-yard field goal, capping an amazing comeback victory by the Jets and a just reward for the remaining fans that stuck around to the bitter end. In an online poll the following year, as part of MNF's 30th anniversary, fans would vote this the greatest Monday Night game of all time. This comeback became known as "The Monday Night Miracle".

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans

First met in 1995
Signature moment: The Jaguars made the leap from expansion team to title contender in 3 short years, and played the Titans in the 1999 AFC Championship, but Tennessee upset Jacksonville and went to Super Bowl XXXIV instead. It was the third Titans victory over the Jaguars, as the Titans swept both regular season meetings, and Tennessee was the only team to defeat Jacksonville that year. The rivalry was fueled by quote from Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher claiming that the Jaguars' stadium was the Titans home away from home.

AFC West

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

First met in 1960
Signature moment: Former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana finished his career in Kansas City, and led the Chiefs to a memorable comeback at Denver's Mile High Stadium.
Signature moment: After suffering a defeat at the hands of the Chiefs in the regular season, Denver went on to beat Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium in the playoffs, eventually winning Super Bowl XXXII.

Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders

First met in 1960
Signature moment: The Broncos beat the Raiders in 1977 to win their first AFC Championship.
Signature moment: In the 1993 season finale, the Raiders scored an overtime victory against the Broncos to make the playoffs, setting up another game between the two in Los Angeles the following week. Outspoken Raiders' owner Al Davis commented before the playoff game that the Broncos were "scared to death of us"^[3]. Despite the Broncos' protestations to the contrary, the Raiders made their owner's words stand up, winning 42-24.
Signature moment: In 1995, former Raider coach Mike Shanahan, who was at the time in an ongoing contract dispute with Davis, became Denver's head coach, heightening an already contentious AFC West rivalry.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders

First met in 1960
Signature moment: In 1969, the final season prior to the merger between the AFL and NFL, the Raiders defeated the Chiefs twice during the regular season (27-24 at Kansas City and 10-6 at Oakland). The two teams met again in the last AFL championship game at the Oakland Coliseum, with the Chiefs taking a 17-7 victory. Kansas City would go on to win Super Bowl IV the next week against the Minnesota Vikings.
Signature moment: In the first meeting between the teams during the 1970 season, the Chiefs held a 17-14 lead late in the fourth quarter and appeared ready to run out the clock. Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson rolled around right end and gained enough yardage for a first down, and as he fell to the ground, he was speared from behind by Raiders defensive end Ben Davidson. A fight ensued, and Davidson was shoved out of the way by Chiefs wide receiver Otis Taylor. Offsetting penalties were called, and the play was nullified. Kansas City was forced to punt, and the Raiders took advantage, as George Blanda nailed a 48-yard field goal with two seconds left to secure a 17-17 tie. Due to this play, the NFL changed the rules so that Davidson's personal foul would have been enforced at the end of the play, and Taylor's penalty would have been assessed only after the Chiefs had been awarded a first down. The tie proved to be costly for the Chiefs, as Oakland would clinch the first AFC West championship with a 20-6 victory in Oakland in Week 13.
Signature moment: Former Super Bowl MVP Marcus Allen joined the Chiefs after falling out of favor with Oakland's owner, Al Davis.

Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers

First met in 1960
Signature moment: The Raiders are many teams' most hated rival, and the Chargers have been in the same division and state for over 40 years. In their only playoff meeting to date, the Raiders went into San Diego to defeat the Chargers 34-27, in the 1980 AFC Championship Game.
Signature moment: In a 1978 game, the Raiders were behind 20-14 with 10 seconds to go and facing fourth down on the Chargers 14. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler deliberately fumbled forward (he would admit doing so in a post-game interview), and teammates Pete Banaszak and Dave Casper batted the ball forward until Casper fell on the ball in the end zone for the touchdown that tied the game. The Raiders won with the ensuing point-after kick. The play would enter NFL lore as the "Holy Roller", or the "Immaculate Deception" among Chargers fans. The play directly led to changes in NFL rules regarding fumbles on fourth down or within the last two minutes of the game.
Signature moment: In a Monday Night Football doubleheader on September 11, 2006, the Chargers shut out the Raiders, 27-0, for the first time since 1961.

Intradivisional rivalries: NFC

NFC North

The three dominant teams in the NFC North division (the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears) all have long, historic and deeply charged rivalries between them. The rivalry between the Bears and Packers is one of the greatest in football.

Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears

First met in 1922
Signature moment: Pro football's longest and most storied rivalry. Green Bay was often overshadowed by the Monsters of the Midway (led by George Halas) for many years, until Vince Lombardi came to Wisconsin to dominate the 1960s.
Signature moment: On September 7, 1980 the Packers and the Bears were tied at 6-6 in overtime. A 32-yard pass from Lynn Dickey to James Lofton helped set up a game-winning field goal attempt by Packers' kicker Chester Marcol. Bears' defender Alan Page was able to block the field goal, sending the ball straight back to Marcol. Surprised by getting the ball back, Marcol ran around the Bears defenders who were confused by the play. Marcol received a block and was able to run in for the game winning touchdown.^[4]
Signature moment: In Week 12 of the 1986 season Green Bay defensive tackle Charles Martin wore a towel with specific Bears numbers written on it (#34, Walter Payton, #9 Jim McMahon). It was considered a hit list by many. Following a McMahon interception Martin came up from behind and body slammed him to the turf, separating McMahon's shoulder, ending the quarterback's season. Martin would be suspended for two games, at the time the longest suspension in NFL history.
Signature moment: Packers quarterback Don Majkowski led the Packers to a comeback and a game-winning touchdown pass to WR Sterling Sharpe with only seconds left to play. Initially the play was called a touchdown, but line judge Jim Quirk had called a penalty on Majkowski for being beyond the line of scrimmage when he threw the pass. With a nervous and tense crowd at Lambeau Field, the call went up to the instant replay official, Bill Parkinson. Several minutes later the call came down and the touchdown was correctly awarded as recorded by instant replay. The Lambeau faithful and Packer players erupted with joy because it marked the first time since 1984 that the Packers had beaten their long-time rivals. The game has been called "The Instant Replay Game" by many fans and was given its own notation in the Bears programs for many years.
Signature moment: In the opening week of the 2006 season, September 10, the Chicago Bears handed legendary Packer quarterback Brett Favre his first shutout in his 16-year career, winning 26-0 in Green Bay. The Packers beat the Bears in the last game of the season 26-7, which was widely speculated (incorrectly, as it later turned out) to have been Favre's last game.^[5]

Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings

First met in 1961
Signature moment: In a Monday Night Football game in 2000, the Packers and Vikings were tied at 20-20 in overtime when Brett Favre threw a long pass that Vikings cornerback Cris Dishman deflected towards Antonio Freeman, who was on the ground. The ball went straight from Dishman to Freeman's shoulder, who then rolled over to make the catch at the 15-yard line, and took it into the endzone for the touchdown and the 26-20 win. This prompted Al Michaels, who was broadcasting the game on ABC, to famously utter, "He did what?" This catch has gone down as the "Improbable Bobble."
Signature moment: January 9, 2005 represented the first time that the two clubs have faced each other in the playoffs. The Vikings jumped to an early lead and carried by arm of Daunte Culpepper ultimately won 31-17. After his second touchdown, Viking's wide receiver Randy Moss faux mooned Packer fans, mocking the move that Packer fans perform to rivals as they leave Green Bay.^[6]

Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings

First met in 1961
Signature moment: The first meeting between the 2 teams in 1961. The upstart Minnesota Vikings upset the dominant Chicago Bears in the Vikings first game as a franchise. Also memorable was the meeting between the 2 teams in 1998 when former Vikings linebacker Dwayne Rudd taunted a Chicago player en route to scoring a defensive touchdown.

NFC East

This entire division can be considered one giant rivalry in itself, since every team shares a rivalry with every other team, and also because this division holds 10 of the 41 Super Bowls played as of 2007. The rivalries are so entrenched that when the NFL realigned the divisions into the four-team format, the teams remained in the same division (despite the fact that Dallas is west of the Mississippi River).

Also notable, the Giants, Redskins, and Cowboys respectively handed the Buffalo Bills their four consecutive Super Bowl losses between the 1990-93 seasons. The Cowboys pulled off the last two victories. The closest win came during Super Bowl XXV, when Scott Norwood's game-winning field goal attempt sailed wide right. The Giants won by only one point, 20-19.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins

First met in 1960
Perhaps no NFL rivalry has had more national spotlight than the Cowboys/Redskins rivalry. Whether it was Landry vs. Allen or Landry vs. Gibbs, or Staubach vs. Theismann, or Dorsett vs. Riggins, the two annual Cowboys vs. Redskins games are a big deal no matter what the records are. The teams have won a combined total of 8 Super Bowls and have played each other twice in the NFC Championship Game. Many consider the rivalry to be one of the biggest in all sports. Dallas leads the all-time series 55-35-2, though Washington has the advantage in NFC Championship Game battles two games to none.
Signature Moment: The rivalry began even before the Dallas Cowboys existed when then Redskins owner George Preston Marshall opposed the proposal for and expansion team in Texas. A behind-the-scenes battle would then ensue, and finally culminate when the would-be Dallas owners bought the rights to Washington's fight song, "Hail to the Redskins" and threatened to not allow Marshall to play it at his team's games. Marshall then backed down, the Cowboys were born, and the rivalry began in 1960.
Signature moment: November 10, 1962 was the date of the infamous Cowboy Chicken Club game, as four banners reading "CHICKENS" were unfurled over the 50 yard line and end zone facades of D.C. Stadium, during "Hail To The Redskins." Two acrobats then ran onto the field releasing a chicken and throwing colored eggs into the crowd, during the National Anthem. The chicken prank dated back to the season before as the Chicken Club planned to release 75 white chickens and one black chicken during the halftime show of a game on December 17, 1961. The black chicken and colored eggs symbolized then Redskins owner George Preston Marshall's stance against signing African-American players to play for the Redskins. After apprehending one of the acrobats (the other escaped), the game began and the Cowboys marched to a 38-10 victory.
Signature moment: In their first ever playoff meeting, the Redskins would crush the Cowboys 26-3 in the 1972 NFC Championship Game, halting the Cowboys bid to reach three consecutive Super Bowls.
Signature moment: On Thanksgiving 1974, backup Dallas QB Clint Longley, subbing for an injured Roger Staubach, threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson to cap an amazing comeback and defeat the Redskins 24-23. Longley never saw significant playing time after that.
Signature moment: Washington led by 13 points late in the final game of the 1979 season, but Dallas QB Roger Staubach led two scoring drives as time was running out to win the game 35-34. Staubach threw an 8-yard pass to Tony Hill for the last touchdown. The win knocked the Redskins out of the playoffs for the 1979 season.
Signature moment: Perhaps the most remembered contest of this rivalry was the NFC Championship game at RFK Stadium in 1982, where the rivalry was personified with the entire stadium chanting "We Want Dallas!" throughout the game. The game was highlighted by Redskins guard Darryl Grant high-stepping into the end zone to add insult to the Redskins 31-17 victory.
Signature moment: In the first game of the 1983 season, Washington led 23-3 at halftime. The Cowboys came roaring back and dominated the second half, taking a 31-23 lead before winning 31-30 to defeat the defending Super Bowl champions.
Signature moment: On Sep. 19, 2005, down 13-0 in the waning 4 minutes of the Monday Night Game, Redskins QB Mark Brunell threw two long touchdown passes to Santana Moss, ending the game with the Redskins on top with a 14-13 win. The triumph over Dallas was capitalized later in the season when Washington, with its home crowd chanting "We Want Dallas" in a way reminiscent of their 1982 NFC Championship meeting, defeated the Cowboys 35-7 and giving the Redskins their first sweep over the Cowboys since 1995.
Signature moment: The "Hand of God" game occurred on November 5, 2006 at FedEx Field when the Redskins won through a most unusual series of events. With the game tied 19-19, Redskins kicker Nick Novak missed a 49 yard field goal attempt, turning the ball back to Dallas on downs. The ensuing plays, in turn, set up for Dallas' Mike Vanderjagt, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, to try for a 35-yard field goal with 6 seconds remaining. The kick was blocked by Redskins’ safety Troy Vincent and picked up by the Redskins' Sean Taylor. Taylor returned the kick to the Cowboys' 44-yard line with no time left on the clock. However, the Cowboys' Kyle Kosier committed a 15-yard facemask penalty on Taylor during the return, which caused the game to be extended by one untimed down. From 47 yards out, Nick Novak made the game winning field goal to send the Cowboys back to Dallas with an unexpected loss.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

First met in 1960
This rivalry is still considered one of the greatest in the NFL as both teams, along with their die hard fans, pose a great challenge to each other whenever they meet.
Signature moment: One of the first signs of the end of the Cowboys' dominance of the NFC in the late 1970s came in the 1980 NFC Championship, when the Eagles, led by quarterback Ron Jaworski toppled Dallas in a frigid Veterans Stadium, 20-7.
Signature moment: The Cowboys' traditional home Thanksgiving game in 1989 saw several skirmishes between players of both teams, with Cowboys kicker Luis Zendejas eventually being knocked out of the game with a concussion. In the wake of the Cowboys' 27-0 defeat, the only shutout Dallas has ever suffered on Thanksgiving, Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson accused Eagles coach Buddy Ryan of placing bounties on Zendejas and Cowboys QB Troy Aikman. The game became known as the Bounty Bowl. Two weeks later, chaos again broke out in Veterans Stadium as snowballs were pelted at the Dallas bench, with Coach Jimmy Johnson needing a police escort on the way out. This is known as Bounty Bowl II. One of the participants in the snowball throwing was future Philadelphia mayor and Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, an avowed Eagles fanatic.
Signature moment: The first sign of the end of the Dallas dynasty of the mid-1990s was when Dallas wide receiver Michael Irvin was injured in a game at Veterans Stadium and lay prone on the Vet's hard Astroturf field. All the while Philly fans cheered at the fall of the hated Irvin, who would be forced to retire due to the injury.
Signature moment: On December 19, 2004, Terrell Owens, still an Eagle, was brought down by a horse-collar tackle by Cowboys safety Roy Williams which resulted in a severely sprained ankle and a fractured fibula. This almost ended his season but Owens came back for Super Bowl XXXIX in which he had 9 catches for 122 yards. The following season, horse collar tackles were outlawed by the NFL.
Signature moment: After being released by the Eagles, Terrell Owens was signed by the Cowboys for a 3 year, $25 million deal on March 18, 2006. The Eagles and Cowboys squared off at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 5 of the regular season. The minute Owens stepped on the field, he was hailed with boos and jeers from the crowd. He only had 3 catches for 45 yards and the Eagles claimed the victory 38-24. The game was won on a Lito Sheppard Interception touchdown return for 102 yards. The two teams rematched on Christmas Day in Week 16 at Texas Stadium with both backup quarterbacks, Jeff Garcia and Tony Romo, starting for each team. The Eagles once again defeated the Cowboys 23-7 and clinched a playoff spot. Owens had 2 catches for 23 yards and the only Dallas touchdown.

New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins

First met in 1937
In the league's early years, this northeast corridor battle had the biggest stars on the league going up against each other — Sammy Baugh of the Redskins, Y.A. Tittle and Frank Gifford for the Giants, and Sam Huff who played for both teams. The modern version of the rivalry saw Bill Parcells' Giants and Joe Gibbs' Redskins battle to see who would go to the Super Bowl from the NFC, in the 1980s and early 1990s. The Giants and Redskins each won two Super Bowls between the 1986 and 1991 seasons.
Signature moment: On a Monday Night Football game in 1985, Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor sacked Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, breaking Theismann's leg on the play. The gruesome injury was caught on live television and replayed multiple times, and Theismann was forced into early retirement. Taylor, who frantically motioned to both sidelines for medical help for Theismann following the play, is still shaken by the incident to this day, and refuses to watch replays of the catastrophe.
Signature moment: In 1986, the teams met for the NFC championship game after the Giants swept the Redskins during the regular season. When New York won the coin toss, the Giants opted to take advantage of a swirling wind at Giants Stadium that was gusting in excess of 50 miles per hour rather than have its offense battle the wind in the opening period. Washington was forced to punt into the gale, and the Giants scored a touchdown on their first drive. New York scored all of its points in the first half of a 17-0 victory, catapulting Big Blue to Super Bowl XXI and an eventual world championship.

New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys

First met in 1960
Signature moment: North vs. South. The bright lights of New York and the wide open spaces of Texas. The games between these two teams have served as a metaphor for both America and pro football.
Signature moment: The Cowboys defeated the Giants 20-13 on October 11, 1971, the first Monday Night Football meeting between the teams and the last NFL game at the Cotton Bowl.
Signature moment: On December 19, 1981, the Giants defeated the Cowboys 13-10 in overtime on a frigid Saturday afternoon in Giants Stadium to help Big Blue reach the playoffs for the first time since 1963. Joe Danelo kicked the winning field goal in overtime after missing a game-winning attempt earlier in sudden death.
Signature moment:In the final game of the 1993 season, with both teams at 11-4 and competing for playoff position, Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith suffered a separated right shoulder in the first half, but continued to play in obvious pain, amassing 168 rushing yards, including 41 on the game-winning drive, as Dallas won 16-13 in overtime. Smith also locked up the NFL rushing title with his tough, gritty performance. After the game, sportscaster John Madden paid a visit to Smith in the locker room to congratulate him, the only time Madden (as an announcer) would pay such a visit to a player, later writing "[It] was one of the toughest efforts I've ever seen by any football player in any game."[1] The win earned the Cowboys a bye in the playoffs, giving Smith time to heal, and he would go on to lead the Cowboys to victory over the Bills as the MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII.
Signature moment: In 2003, the teams met at Giants Stadium on Monday Night Football. The game marked former Giants coach Bill Parcells' first visit to Giants Stadium as head coach of the Cowboys. The Cowboys led 29-14 after three quarters, but they squandered the lead over the last 15 minutes, and found themselves down 32-29 with just 11 seconds to play. The Giants simply needed to kickoff and play a "prevent" defense for 1 or 2 plays, but the kickoff went out of bounds, putting the Cowboys at their own 40 with no time elapsed, and Quincy Carter completed a deep pass to Antonio Bryant, who went out of bounds at the New York 34 to stop the clock with 4 seconds left. Billy Cundiff then converted a 52 yard field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime, and kicked a 25 yarder with 5:56 left in OT to win it for the Cowboys. Cundiff tied an NFL record with 7 field goals in the game, out of 8 total attempts.

New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles

First met in 1933
The Giants/Eagles rivalry is the oldest of the NFC East rivalries, dating all the way back to 1933. It is also considered along with the Redskins/Cowboys rivalry to be the chief rivalry within the division.
Signature moment: In a 1960 game, the Eagles' Chuck Bednarik cleanly blindsided Giants running back Frank Gifford, sending Gifford into an 18-month retirement due to a severe concussion.
Signature moment: These two teams have had one of the longest rivalries in the NFL, due to their geographical proximity, although it has only lately picked up due to both teams struggles in the past. On November 19, 1978 at Giants Stadium, the Giants were leading the Eagles 17-12 with 20 seconds remaining. Offenseive coordinator Bob Gibson called for a running play when all that was needed was for the Giants to take a knee. The handoff between quarterback Joe Pisarcik and Larry Csonka was fumbled and Eagles cornerback Herman Edwards grabbed the loose ball and returned it for the winning score. This play is commonly referred to as "The Miracle at the Meadowlands" by Eagles fans and just "The Fumble" by Giants fans.
Signature moment: On January 7, 2001 in a divisional playoff game, the Giants defeated the Eagles 20-10 thanks to Ron Dixon's 97 yard kickoff return and Jason Sehorn's acrobatic 32 yard interception return. This win would help propel the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV which they ultimately lost to the Baltimore Ravens 34-7.
In the two teams' first meeting of the 2006 season, Philadelphia held a 17-point lead going into the fourth quarter. However, the Giants rallied to tie the game, and go into overtime. In overtime, Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw a game winning touchdown pass to WR Plaxico Burress, and the Giants won 30-24. In the second meeting, the Eagles would get some payback in a 36-22 victory, which was capped with DE Trent Cole intercepting a pass from Manning (who was getting hit and he ended up throwing the ball up in the air) and returning it for a touchdown. They would meet for a third time in the 2006-2007 playoffs, where the Eagles won on a late field goal, 23-20.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons^[7]

First met in 1967
Born one year apart, the Saints and Falcons were the first two NFL franchises in the Deep South (Washington and Dallas being arguably southern but not in the traditional Deep South). Each team considers the other its biggest rival, and they have traditionally shared many of the same players, such as Morten Andersen (the leading scorer in both franchises' histories), Bobby Hebert (who quarterbacked for both teams in the 1990s), and Joe Horn (the Pro Bowl Saints receiver who left for the Falcons in 2007). They have also shared coaches; recent Falcons coach Jim L. Mora is the son of longtime Saints coach Jim E. Mora. Former Falcons and Saints coach Wade Phillips is the son of former Saints coach Bum Phillips.
ESPN.com writer Len Pasquarelli has cited the rivalry as one of the best in all of sports: "Every year, bus caravans loaded with rowdy (and usually very inebriated) fans make the seven-hour trip between the two cities. Unless you've attended a Falcons-Saints debauchery-filled afternoon, you'll just have to take my word for how much fun it really can be."^[8]
Signature moment: Most recently, the Falcons were the opponent in the Saints' first game in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, held on September 25, 2006. The Saints won the nationally televised match 23-3; the game was the highest-rated program in the history of ESPN and the second-highest-rated cable program of all time.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers^[9]

First met in 1995
Signature moment: The Panthers and Falcons have played each other in both the NFC West and now the NFC South. Their games have been marked by intensity, close scores, and remarkable performances. Carolina's first ever regular season game was against the Falcons, a loss. But Carolina went on to defeat Atlanta later that season, their seventh win---the most ever for an expansion franchise. More recently, Atlanta's Michael Vick and Carolina's Julius Peppers, often considered two of the best athletes in the League, have faced each other with spectacular results. The Falcons have manhandled the Panthers since the arrival of Michael Vick until the Panthers showed a glimpse of hope in the 2005 season. In 2005, the Panthers beat the defending NFC South champion Falcons by winning at home 24-6 and then, they overtook the Falcons on New Year's Day 44-11 in Atlanta. This ended the Panther's eight-game losing streak in the Georgia Dome and clinched a playoff berth in the process, along with making their largest margin of victory in franchise history. However, in the opening game of the 2006 season, the Falcons would win in Carolina, 20-6. The Panthers got their revenge later that season, beating the Falcons 10-3 in Atlanta on December 24. The game featured Carolina running the ball 52 times, while completing only 4 passes. On some plays, Carolina ditched the passing game entirely by taking quarterback Chris Weinke out of the game and direct-snapping the ball to running back DeAngelo Williams. The game has become known to a point as the "I-85 Rivalry", named so because both cities are along the route of Interstate 85.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers^[10]

First met in 1995
Signature moment: This rivalry did not begin until the Panthers and Buccaneers were both placed in the NFC South after the 2002 division re-alignment. Tampa Bay defeated the Panthers twice in 2002 on their way to winning the Super Bowl. In their first meeting of 2003, Carolina was leading Tampa Bay by a score of 9-3 at the end of the game. Tampa Bay scored a touchdown in the final play of the game, but Carolina tackle Kris Jenkins blocked the extra point. The Panthers went on to win in overtime off of a John Kasay field goal. This would become a familiar sight for Tampa fans, as Carolina went on to beat the Buccaneers off of a touchdown catch by Steve Smith with 1:06 left in the game on November 9, 2003, a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme to Keary Colbert with 20 seconds left in a game in which Buccaneers kicker Martin Gramatica missed 3 field goals (November 28, 2004), and a 46-yard field goal by Panthers kicker John Kasay with 7 seconds remaining in a game where Tampa Bay quarterback Chris Simms took so many hard hits that he ruptured his spleen (September 24, 2006). This rivalry has been known for often harsh exchanges of words between players on the two teams, most notably a long feud between Carolina punter Todd Sauerbrun and Tampa Bay kicker Martin Gramatica (both are no longer with the teams). Carolina has won 7 out of the last 8 meetings between the two teams.

NFC West

St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers

First met in 1950
Signature moment: The rivalry was much more intense before 1995, when the Rams were in Southern California and not the Midwest. The Rams ran roughshod over the NFC West in the 1970s, but Joe Montana, Steve Young and the Niners dominated the 1981-98 period, winning five Super Bowl titles. Between 1990 and 1999, the 49ers won 17 straight games against the Rams. In recent years, the balance of power has shifted back to the Rams, who won Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 and narrowly lost in 2002.

St. Louis Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks

First met in 1976
Signature moment: Although these two teams were never really rivals until the 2002 realignment when the Seahawks moved back to the NFC West from the AFC West, the two teams developed a healthy, albeit short so far, rivalry as the Seahawks began to contend for the division. In 2003, the Seahawks notched an exciting 24-23 victory in Seattle by scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. However, the Rams won the rematch in St. Louis (27-22) on their way to winning the division. In 2004, the Seahawks looked set to a convincing victory over the Rams and a 4-0 start. However, this time the Rams would be the ones to come back, overcoming a 27-10 fourth quarter deficit to win 33-27 in overtime in Seattle. Despite the Rams winning the rematch in St. Louis as well, the Seahawks wound up winning a very mediocre NFC West that year. In the playoffs, however, they would once again be foiled by the Rams, losing 27-20 at home. The Seahawks nearly tied the game in the final seconds, but Bobby Engram dropped quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's pass in the end zone to effectively end the game.
Signature moment: In 2006, a week 6 matchup would determine control of the division as the Rams started the season a surprising 4-1. The Rams led 21-7 at halftime, yet Seattle came back and late in the game, the Seahawks trailed 28-27. When they were supposedly whistled for an illegal formation with four seconds left, St. Louis thought that automatically ended the game with a ten-second runoff. However, there was no penalty and kicker Josh Brown kicked they game-winning 54-yard field goal. Brown kicked another last-second field goal in their rematch that year, a 24-22 win at Seattle.

Intraconference rivalries: AFC

Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans

First met in 1996
Signature moment: Baltimore and Tennessee were AFC Central division mates before the 2002 realignment -the Titans finished 13-3 and the Ravens finished 12-4 in the 2000 season when the Ravens became the first road team to win in what was then known as Adelphia Coliseum. The Titans hosted Baltimore in the AFC playoff and were beat again by Ray Lewis and company en route to the Ravens' only Super Bowl season.
Signature moment: Former Titans QB Steve McNair signed with the Ravens before the start of the 2006 season. After an unsuccessful and injury-riddled 2005 season in Tennessee, McNair was locked out of Titans training camp before the 2006 season, before being released by the Titans. It was generally agreed that the situation was poorly handled by the Titans for a player of McNair's stature. The Ravens finished the 2006 season 13-3 with Steve at the helm. In his first game in Tennessee with the Ravens, McNair led Baltimore back from a 26-7 second-quarter deficit to win 27-26.

Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans (Houston Oilers)

First met in 1960
Signature moment: In their second playoff meeting, on January 3, 1993, the then-Houston Oilers took a commanding 35-3 lead over Buffalo early in the third quarter. However, backup quarterback Frank Reich led the Bills to an improbable comeback, scoring 35 unanswered points to take a 38-35 lead. The Oilers scored a last-minute field goal to force overtime. However, an interception in overtime led to the Bills' game-winning field goal to beat the Oilers 41-38.
Signature moment: Seven years later, the Oilers had moved to Tennessee and renamed themselves the "Titans." In their first playoff game as the Titans, on January 8, 2000 they once again faced the Bills, this time in Nashville. The Bills scored a field goal with just 16 seconds left in the 4th quarter to take a 16-15 lead and what seemed like a sure victory. All that was needed was for the Bills to prevent the Titans from doing anything significant on the kickoff, and there would likely be little time left for the Titans to try and score. However, a controversial lateral from Frank Wycheck to Kevin Dyson on the kickoff return enabled Dyson to run 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown and a 22-16 victory. The play would come to be known as the "Music City Miracle" and some fans saw this as revenge for "The Comeback".

Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos

First met in 1971
Signature moment: Over three seasons in four years, Cleveland lost to Denver in the AFC Championship game. In January 1987, after the 1986 season, John Elway led "The Drive" to secure a tie in the waning moments at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium; the Broncos would go on to win in overtime. In January 1988, at Mile High Stadium, after the 1987 season, Cleveland nearly had its own comeback drive, but Earnest Byner's costly fumble at the goal line saved the day for Denver. The game after the 1989 season was not as close, easily won by the Broncos.

Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots

First met in 1970
Signature moment: Despite spending 31 seasons in the AFC East, the Colts' most memorable games with the Patriots came after realignment shifted them to the AFC South. From 2000-2004, the Patriots always managed to dismantle Indianapolis with precise victories. Also, Peyton Manning led a league-leading offense into Foxborough, only to be crushed in two consecutive AFC playoff games by New England's defense. This rivalry has been focused around Brady vs. Manning.
Signature moment: The Colts finally won a regular season game in Foxborough on Monday, November 7, 2005, with their dominant offense and their improved defense to make their overall record 8-0. The final score was 40-21 and it marked the end of Peyton Manning being winless against the Patriots since 2000.
Signature moment: In the biggest comeback in a conference championship game, the Colts rallied from a 21-3 deficit against the Patriots in the 2006 AFC Championship game and won a shootout, 38-34. The win kept the Patriots from reaching the Super Bowl for the fourth time in six years, and instead earned the Colts their first trip since before moving to Indianapolis. The Colts later beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 in the Super Bowl and Peyton Manning was named MVP, dispelling Manning's reputation of a playoff loser.
Signature moment: Prior to the Manning vs. Brady showdowns, the most memorable meeting between the two teams came in a Monday Night Football game on September 18, 1978. Colts running back Joe Washington had the best game of his NFL career in a driving rainstorm, running for a touchdown, catching a touchdown pass from Bert Jones, and throwing for a third score to help the Colts take a 27-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter. New England drove to a tying touchdown on a quarterback sneak by Steve Grogan, but on the ensuing kickoff, Washington picked up a squib kick and ran it back on the slushy field to the game-winning touchdown in a 34-27 triumph. An incredulous Howard Cosell exclaimed, "What a football game this turned out to be!" as Washington scored the winning touchdown.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Kansas City Chiefs

First met in 1970
Signature moment: The underdog Colts defeated the heavily-favored Chiefs in the 1995-96 playoffs 10-7 after three missed field goals from Kansas City kicker Lin Elliot.
Signature moment: In 2003, both the Colts and Chiefs possessed the NFL's two best offenses, but the Colts again defeated the Chiefs 38-31 in the 2003-04 playoffs in the only puntless playoff game in NFL history.
Signature moment: In 2006, the Colts had the NFL's worst run-defense, and Kansas City running back Larry Johnson carried the ball a record 416 times for almost 1,800 yards. The Chiefs were widely expected to run all over Indianapolis when the two teams met in the playoffs for the third time in 11 years, but the Colts' defense stepped up. The Colts would later go on to win Super Bowl XLI with the NFL's worst run defense in the regular season.

Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets

First met in 1969
Signature moment: "Broadway" Joe Namath of the Jets guaranteed a win over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Namath delivered a 16-7 victory and was named MVP.
Signature moment: The Colts swept the season series from the Jets in 1970 and 1971 following the AFL-NFL merger, but when the teams met in week 2 of the 1972 season, Namath was healthy for the first time in nearly two seasons. In his first appearance at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, Namath riddled the Colts for 496 yards and six touchdowns as New York beat Baltimore for the first time since Super Bowl III, 44-34. The Jets needed all of Namath's heroics, as the Colts' Johnny Unitas threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns. This game is widely regarded as one of the greatest passing duels, if not the greatest, in NFL history.
Signature moment: In the 2002 playoffs, the Jets and Colts met in the Wild Card round. In Jets QB Chad Pennington's first playoff appearance, he led the Jets to a 41-0 rout of the Colts. The game was the second most lopsided shutout playoff game in the history of the NFL. Pennington tied the Jets franchise record for most TDs in a playoff game (Joe Namath, Vinny Testaverde). This game was the only time the Jets and Colts met in the postseason with the exception of the 1969 Super Bowl.

New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Signature Moment: In the 2001 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers dominated the regular season and earned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Steelers were expected to dominate a Patriots team that many believed didn't really belong in the title game. However, the Patriots storybook season continued as Drew Bledsoe replaced an injured Tom Brady to lead the Patriots to a hard-fought 24-17 victory, stunning the crowd at Heinz Field.
Signature Moment: These two teams met in the 2004 season with the Steelers coming out on top with a dominating 34-20 victory over the Patriots at Heinz Field. The victory ended the Patriots' record 21-game winning streak, and paved the way for the Steelers' 15-1 record and quarterback Ben Rothlisberger's own winning streak of 13 regular season games in 2004. The victory was also crucial to the Steelers eventually clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. However, the Patriots, led by Brady, once again went into Pittsburgh and came away with a 41-27 playoff victory in the AFC Championship game. For the second time in four seasons the Super Bowl ambitions of the Steelers fell short by one game. Not only did New England give Roethlisberger (who had struggled the previous week against the New York Jets) his first loss as a starter, but in a week 3 rematch in 2005 the Patriots also gave Roethlisberger his first regular season loss, as the Patriots won 23-20.

New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders

First met in 1961
Signature moment: Arguably, the teams' most memorable game was a regular-season game whose ending was missed by the majority of American television viewers. Taking place in Oakland on November 17, 1968, the teams traded many scores until the Jets kicked a field goal to take a 32-29 lead with just over a minute remaining in the game. At this point, due to a communication mishap at NBC, the network cut its telecast at 7:00 PM EST to begin the heavily-promoted movie Heidi. The Raiders scored two touchdowns in the final minute to win the game 43-32. In addition to the effect the game had in the standings, the game had a lasting effect on the way sporting events would be televised in the future.
Signature moment: The teams would meet again that season, at Shea Stadium to decide the 1968 AFL Championship, as well as the league's representative in Super Bowl III. With Oakland leading 23-20 late in the fourth quarter, Joe Namath staged a drive to score the winning touchdown to give the Jets the championship. They would go on to defeat the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl.

Oakland Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

First met in 1970
Signature moment: The "Immaculate Reception" - a catch of a deflected pass by Pittsburgh RB Franco Harris helped build the Steelers' legacy as the team of the 1970s, in their first playoff victory against an Oakland team that quickly became their regular black-shirt rivals.
Signature moment: In Week 8 of the 2006 season, the Raiders defense shined as they forced four turnovers from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite their offense getting outgunned in total yards (360-98), Oakland would return two interceptions for touchdowns on the way to a 20-13 victory.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots

First met in 1996
Signature moment: After defeating the Super Bowl-favorite Denver Broncos, leading them to the AFC Championship Game, many people in Jacksonville believed that the Super Bowl was a true possibility. Unfortunately, it was a heart-wrenching loss suffered by the Jaguars 20-6.
Signature moment: After the loss by the Jaguars in the Patriots-Jaguars game in 2006, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady complained that the hit by Jaguars player Clint Ingram was illegal, and urged the League to take action against the him. This outraged the Jaguars fans, and outraged Patriots fans for the Jaguars spearinging the quarterback, although Brady leapt forward in the act.[2]

Intraconference rivalries: NFC

Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers

First met in 1960
Signature moment: The Ice Bowl was the 1967 NFL Championship game, played in arctic conditions in late December at Green Bay. The temperature was -13°F at kickoff and dropped throughout the day, with windchills of -40°F and below, and is considered one of the coldest NFL games ever played. Green Bay won 21-17 on a late quarterback sneak by Hall of Famer Bart Starr, and the game will undoubtedly live forever as the one that started the legend of "the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field."
Signature moment: Three decades after the Cowboys lost to the Packers in the "Ice Bowl", the teams would again meet in post-season play with a championship title on the line. This time the Cowboys claimed the NFC Conference Championship (an NFL record 8th NFC title for Dallas and its 3rd in four years) by defeating the Green Bay Packers 38-27 at Texas Stadium on Jan. 14, 1996.
Signature moment: After seven losses in Dallas over the past five seasons (including playoffs), Green Bay fans chanted "WE WANT DALLAS!" in the waining moments of the Packers 1996 divisional playoff victory over San Francisco. The fans were hoping to see the Packers eliminate the Cowboys from the playoffs at Lambeau Field as the Cowboys had done to the Packers each of the past four seasons at Texas Stadium. Unfortunatley for the Packers faithful, this "dream game" did not materialize as the Cowboys would fall to the Carolina Panthers a few hours later. However, by virtue of the NFL scheduling formula, a game between the two teams at Lambeau Field was scheduled for November 23, 1997. Packers fans looked forward to the game all year, calling it the Showdown In Titletown. The Packers did not disappoint their fans as running back Dorsey Levens scampered for a then-team-record of 190 yards as Green Bay routed the Cowboys 45-17.

Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers

First met in 1960
Signature moment: While the Cowboys dominated the rivalry in the 1970s and the Niners dominated in the 1980s, both clubs battled for NFC supremacy throughout the 1990s. The Niners won 4 Super Bowls in the 1980s, with quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young, as well as receiver Jerry Rice. The Cowboys would later rise to the top, winning 3 Super Bowls in the 1990s, with quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and receiver Michael Irvin.

The games between these teams, including six NFC Championship games, and three consecutive contests in the early 1990s (won by Dallas in 1992, 1993 and San Francisco in 1994) , always showcased the cream of NFL talent and coaching genius. These were two of the last great teams of the days before the NFL imposed a salary cap, eventually leading to major rebuilding as these franchises to cope with the new rules.

In the 1970 NFC championship game, Dallas used two touchdowns in the third quarter to take control of a tie game. The Cowboys held on for a 17-10 victory and their first berth in the Super Bowl. It was the last NFL game played at Kezar Stadium, with the 49ers moving to Candlestick Park in 1971.

The two teams met again in the NFC title game in 1971, this time at Texas Stadium. The game turned on a critical error by 49ers quarterback John Brodie, whose ill-advised screen pass deep in his own territory was intercepted by Cowboys defensive end George Andrie to set up a second quarter touchdown. San Francisco never recovered, and Dallas suffocated the 49er offense the rest of the way in a 14-3 victory en route to the world championship in Super Bowl VI.

The rivalry essentially began during the 1972 divisional playoffs, when the 49ers were close to sealing a win against the defending Super Bowl VI Champion Dallas Cowboys. In his earliest come-from-behind moment, Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach came off the bench to relieve rival quarterback Craig Morton to throw two touchdown passes in the last 90 seconds to defeat the 49ers in San Francisco 30-28..
Perhaps the best known game, however, was the 1981 NFC championship game played in Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Joe Montana completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Dwight Clark with 51 seconds left, to take a 28-27 lead and eventually win the game. Montana's pass was a high and desperate heave as he was about to be forced out of bounds, and Clark made a spectacular leaping grab at the back of the end zone. Clark's catch was captured perfectly by a photographer and placed on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and the play has since been known in NFL lore as simply The Catch and set San Francisco on the path to become the "Team of the 1980s".

A decade later for the 1992 NFC Championship and the right to go to Super Bowl XXVII, in a hard fought battle on the very same field, it was the Cowboys emerging victorious with a 30-20 win against the 49ers cementing themselves as the "Team of the 90s".
In the 2000 season, Terrell Owens, then a member of the San Francisco 49ers, tried to re-ignite an old rivalry between two rebuilding franchises in what was best known as the Star Incident. In a game at Texas Stadium, Owens, after scoring a 2nd touchdown, ran out to midfield as he did the previous TD and posed on the Cowboys' star logo, before being blasted off of the Cowboys logo by former Safety George Teague. In an instant, he became public enemy number one in Dallas, but ironically, 6 years later, he is currently a Dallas Cowboy and was quoted that he will now embrace the star.

New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers

First met in 1952
Signature moment: The Giants and Niners have had seven playoff meetings over the last 25 years. In 1981 and 1984, San Francisco beat the Giants, both times at Candlestick Park (38-24 and 21-10 respectively), as they were in the midst of their 1980s dominance while the Giants were still rising to glory. However, New York exacted revenge in 1985 and 1986 at Giants Stadium, 17-3 in 1985 and a resounding 49-3 rout in 1986 as the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl that year. However, the 49ers would have their own rout in the 1993 playoffs, crushing the Giants 44-3.
Signature Moment: In January 1991, the two teams met once again in the playoffs. Unlike their previous meetings, this game would determine the NFC Championship, and thus the right to advance to the Super Bowl. During the season, both teams started out 10-0 and met on Monday Night Football, with the 49ers winning a defensive struggle 7-3. The 49ers were coming off of back-to-back Super Bowl victories, had home-field advantage, and were the favorites to win. However, Matt Bahr would kick five field goals for the Giants, including the game-winner as time expired, and the Giants won 15-13. It would be the only time during the rivalry that the road team won a playoff game.
Signature Moment: The teams had another classic match in San Francisco in the first round of the 2002-03 playoffs. Despite an inconsistent season, the 49ers had made it to the playoffs by winning the NFC West, but the wild-card Giants were favored to win, and after taking a 38-14 lead deep into the third quarter, it looked like the oddsmakers were right. But the Giants defense, which had been highly ranked all year, began to collapse, and with two quick touchdowns and two successful two-point conversions, followed by a field goal, the Giants lead was suddenly down to 38-33. With 1 minute left to play, Jeff Garcia hit Tai Streets for a 13-yard touchdown pass to take a 39-38 lead. Giants QB Kerry Collins led a furious drive to put the Giants at the Niners 23 yard line with 6 seconds left for a shot at a game-winning field goal. After a botched snap, holder Matt Allen attempted a desperate pass down the field, which fell incomplete but should have resulted in an obvious pass interference call on the Niners Chike Okeafor, who tackled Rich Seubert while the pass was in the air. Instead, the Giants were flagged for having an ineligible receiver downfield, a call which was later acknowledged by the NFL to be incorrect.[3] The flag resulted in the end of the game, a bitter defeat for the Giants, and for the Niners, the second biggest comeback victory (24 points) in NFL playoff history.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

First met in 1977

This is a relatively new rivalry in the NFL. The Eagles won several straight games in the early 2000s, including two playoff wins in Veterans Stadium which ultimately cost Tony Dungy his job as Buccaneers head coach at the conclusion at the end of the 2001-02 season. Philadelphia won the next meeting in the regular season of the following year, only to be defeated by Tampa Bay in the NFC Championship game in the final game at The Vet. Since that game the series has been reversed, with Tampa winning both subsequent meetings between the two teams.
Signature moment: In 1979, Tampa Bay had its first winning season and earned a trip to the playoffs, where they upset the Eagles in the divisonal round for their first playoff win.
Signature moment: On January 12, 2002 the Eagles crushed the Buccaneers at Veterans Stadium in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs, 31-9, one year after having defeated them 21-3. It would prove to be the last game Tony Dungy coached as head of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Signature moment: In the last game ever to be played at The Vet, the Eagles once again faced the Bucs, this time in the NFC Championship game on January 19, 2003, trying to advance to their first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XV. Instead, Tampa Bay won its first playoff road game in franchise history. The Eagles scored less than a minute into the game thanks to a long kickoff return followed by a Duce Staley touchdown run. Tampa, behind the strength of its league-best defense, rebounded and won the game 27-10, with Ronde Barber's 92 yard interception return for a touchdown late in the 4th quarter being the clincher. The Bucs went on to defeat Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII. Interestingly, the teams opened the following season against each other in the first game for the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Once again, the Bucs walked away victorious, winning 17-0.
Significant moment: During a Week 7 meeting in Tampa Bay during the 2006 season, the Buccaneers led 17-7 going into the final period, yet the Eagles managed to take the lead late in the game with a 21-20 lead. However, the Bucs would not be denied as kicker Matt Bryant nailed a game-winning 62-yard field goal in a thilling finish. The winning kick would be the third longest field goal in NFL history.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Redskins