Who are the Eagles' biggest rivals? Exploring Philly's NFL nemeses

The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the NFL's oldest teams and have a proud history of regular playoff contention. They have made the playoffs 29 times, have five conference championships under their belt and have won the Super Bowl once in their history. Hence, it's no surprise that a team as old and successful as the Eagles has a couple of high-profile rivals.

In this piece, we will be looking at three of Philadelphia's biggest rivals and what makes such rivalries so intense. We will touch upon the histories and essential facts of the rivalries. So, without further ado, let's get to it.

The Eagles' Biggest Rivals

Here are three of the Philadelphia Eagles' biggest rivalries on the Gridiron. We will be going from the third to the most intense of such rivalries.

3. New Orleans Saints

New Orleans and Philadelphia might not play in the same division but their rivalry is beyond intense.

While the Saints were arguably the worst NFL team in the 1970s and 80s, they never missed the chance to be a pain in Philly's domain. It became even worse for the Eagles in the late 1980s.

If you thought that the 80s were peak New Orleans and Philadelphia rivalry days, then you must have missed the 2000s. Since the turn of the century, the rivalry has become even more intense.

Take, for instance, the 2006 NFC Divisional Round, which saw the Saints beat Philadelphia to get to their first NFC Championship game ever. How about in 2013, when Drew Brees won Nick Foles in Philadelphia in the wildcard to send New Orleans to Seattle as well?

However, it's not only been Philly at the receiving end, as in 2017-18, Saints fans lamented that they, rather than Philly, should have been Super Bowl champs at the end of the season. Well, it wasn't Philly's fault that New Orleans succumbed to the Minneapolis Miracle.

2. New York Giants

The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles have one of the most storied rivalries in NFL history. From the iconic games to the diverse traditions and highlight reel plays, there's hardly ever a dull moment when these franchises play. In regular season and playoff moments, there isn't a team that's been connected to Philly more than the Giants.

There have been countless memorable moments between both teams, but let's refresh your memory with a recent iconic event. We were talking about a 2008 matchup when Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid, and Philly's defense stunned the number one-ranked Giants in New York to get to their fifth NFC Title game.

These days, Philly is the dominant party in the rivalry mainly because the Giants are one of the most inconsistent teams in modern NFL history; but that doesn't mean that the G-men don't put in an extra shift whenever they face off against Philly.

1. Dallas Cowboys

There's nothing Philly fans love more than getting one over "America's Team." If you ask a staunch supporter of the Eagles their favorite past-time, it's probably deflating Cowboys hopes time after time. That's just how fierce the Eagles versus Cowboys rivalry is in the NFL.

There is no more prominent example of their rivalry than Terrell Owens's return to Philadelphia as a member of the Cowboys in 2006. The atmosphere was electric, and T.O. did not disappoint as usual. We've seen beef, we've witnessed hate, but nothing comes close to the jeers from Philly fans as T.O. repeatedly blitzed his former employers.

Philly and Dallas don't get along, and this season's NFC Championship Game could feature both sides in battle. It would be a game for the ages if that happens.