Top 5 NFL team rivalries that you shouldn't miss

The NFL is a sport where divisional play dominates the already small schedule. This provides room for easy creation of rivalries. Others also exist outside of the divisions, whether that be due to past realignment or some memorable playoff showdowns.

So which NFL rivalries are the best of the best? Let's take a look at five that truly stand out above the rest as matchups that fans must never miss.

NFL team rivalries fans will regret missing

#5 - Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers

The Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers have an NFL rivalry dating all the way back to 1950. Some NFL fans may claim this is no longer a true rivalry because of the domination established by Pittsburgh since Ben Roetlisberger showed up. But that would be short-sighted given how far back the intertwined histories of these two teams go.

The Steelers lead the all-time series with a 78-61-1 record. That solitary tie came in 2018 at a time when the Browns were finally starting to turn things around.

This all-time record also includes three NFL postseason matchups. The most recent, and arguably the most notable, came last season when the Browns routed the Steelers with a 48-37 final scoreline. Baker Mayfield and the Browns did the impossible, signaling a potential change of guard in this rivalry.

Roethlisberger is 25-2-1 in his career against the Browns. It's a mind-blowing number and shows just how one-sided things have been since 2004. Before then, the rivalry was much more balanced. That may be the case once again now that Roethlisberger's career is approaching its end.

#4 - Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants

The Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants have been playing each other since 1933. In all that time, the Eagles have enjoyed a slim 88-86-2 all-time advantage. It goes without saying that this game is a toss-up whenever the two NFL teams square off.

This NFC East rivalry features two of the most prominent cities in the United States. The East Coast rivalry is tough to match and it makes sense why fans of each of these two teams have so much hatred for the other side.

The Giants have four Super Bowls to their name, and the Eagles have one, which is one more thing that Giants fans can hang over the heads of Eagles fans when the banter gets going.

This is a geographic rivalry that should last as long as the NFL does because there is no way these two teams will ever not be in the same division. Unlike the Dallas Cowboys, there is no way the Eagles or the Giants would ever move out of the NFC East. Even with potential expansion, they are historical rivals and too close to ever move out of the same division.

Both teams are spending 2021 trying to see if they have their respective franchise quarterbacks. Only time will tell, as it has with all the other signal-callers and stars who have passed through both franchises since 1933.

Kansas City Chiefs v Las Vegas Raiders

#3 - Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders

Whether the Raiders play in Las Vegas, Oakland or Los Angeles, they will always be NFL rivals with the Kansas City Chiefs. This is a rivalry that has been dominated by Kansas City since Patrick Mahomes showed up, but one that goes as far back as1960 when the Chiefs were still known as the Dallas Texans.

The rivalry is 69-54-2 in favor of the Chiefs, and there is a ton of historical success between the two division rivals. Younger fans may be surprised to learn that the Raiders have more Super Bowls (three) than the Chiefs do (two).

This NFL rivalry is rather fascinating because it does not include two teams playing in states right next to each other. Kansas City is a midwestern region while the Raiders are established in Las Vegas, which is way out in the west.

The Raiders becoming more competitive again and finding new fans in Las Vegas will only make this rivalry more notable in the coming years.

#2 - Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles make their second appearance on this NFL list because of their rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys. It dates all the way back to 1960 when the Cowboys entered the NFL as an expansion team.

The Cowboys are ahead in the current series at 71-54. They also own a 3-1 lead in postseason meetings. Dallas became one of the best teams in the NFL within a decade of their existence. The Eagles have been around since 1933 and have had more sporadic success throughout their existence.

Even without the geographic proximity, there is something intense about a showdown between these two teams. The players seem to genuinely dislike each other, while the fans of either team may gag and grimace when talking about fans of the other side.

#1 - Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears

The NFL rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears is essentially a history lesson on the league. They have been squaring off since 1921 when the Bears were known as the Chicago Staleys. The Staleys took home the first ever game of this rivalry with a 20-0 final scoreline.

Green Bay hold the all-time advantage with a 102-95-6 record. Aaron Rodgers alone is 21-5 against the Packers' top NFL rivals. Before his arrival, the teams saw massive swings to find out who's the best between them.

History and proximity make these two teams easily the biggest rivals in all of football. 100 years of matchups means that while there is a lot of turnover in terms of the players, the fans have deep-rooted feelings about one another. That is hard to replicate without the adequate time factor in place.

Bears fans are hoping another flip in the standings can happen if the Packers decide to move on from Rodgers. But as this rivalry shows us, great players have come before and more will continue to come to both teams in the future.