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Greatest Rivalry?

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Chinchilla, May 16, 2021.

  1. Chinchilla

    Chinchilla Well-Known Member

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    Hey Its the off season. lol

    #1) Steelers/Ravens in the 2000 - 2020 years?

    #2) Steelers Cowboys in the 70's?

    i was too young to appreciate the late 70s but that was a nasty rivalry. There is that clip of Preston Peterson I think his name was ...getting wheel barrowed in mid field by the Steelers and of course Lambert and the guy who mocked the kicker

    About Physicality I have to say that in modern rules football the low scoring games of the Ravens and Steelers were classics where every inch of the field was fought for...Lewis and Reed and Suggs and Scott vs Ward, the list goes on. Great defenses

    It was like I hated them but I respected them.

    The Pats I hated and disrespected and still feel they cheated but whatever. It was buried by Roger.

    The 49ers and Seahawks had that feel to it where it was more than money or whatever that drove those pro athletes. Its like telling Kobe that King James is the greatest active player back in the day.

    Thoughts?
     
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  2. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    Raiders/Steelers was a bigger rivalry than Cowboys/Steelers. Raiders and Steelers were mirror images of each other. Cowboys were a finesse team in the 70's... albeit a very good finesse team that won 2 Super Bowls.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2021
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  3. santeesteel

    santeesteel

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    Agree, Steelers/Raiders!
     
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  4. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Darrell Revis was asked if the biggest rivalry was Jets and Patriots. He said oh no, it’s Aliquipa HS and Monaca HS.
     
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  5. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    70’s:

    Raiders
    Oilers
    Cleveland

    Later:

    Ravens

    Coming soon:

    Browns
     
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  6. LambertsDentist

    LambertsDentist Well-Known Member

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    The Steelers were the only team the Raiders couldn't intimidate. The Steelers were also the only team that could intimidate the Raiders. The Raiders loved knocking Swann out of games and done so often. Finally Mean Joe got fed up with it and said in the papers that he personally was going to come after any Raider that intentionally injured Swann. Needless to say, Swann finished the game without so much as an ingrown toenail.
     
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  7. Steel Hog

    Steel Hog Well-Known Member

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    I think throughout the SB era, our division rivals have always been the best (except the Stains for the past 2 decades). Since the Stains are the Stains, I don't see that changing, I don't care who is on their team. For them, we're their SB every time we play. Baltimore #1, Oilers #2 were the most significant of those.

    For other than Division teams, I'll go with Raiders #1 and the girls #2.
     
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  8. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    It is always a changing situation. In the 60's it was the Browns. In the 70's for me it was the Raiders and the NFL loved promoting that rivalry. In the 80's and 90's our biggest rival was finding a franchise QB. Then it was fantastic rivalry with the Ravens.
     
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  9. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    Steelers /Raiders Steelers/ Ravens
     
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  10. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    I would go Steelers Ravens. Steelers Raiders would be a close second. Steelers Cowboys a close third.
     
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  11. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    I always looked forward to the Oilers with Bum Philips against the Steelers with Chuck Noll.
     
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  12. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Like @HeinzMustard stated, I do not think there was a more perfect rivalry for the Steelers than the Raiders of the 1970s. If anything, just about every major Steelers Rival since then are near carbon copies of the Raiders style of play; the Ravens being the closest comparison. That said, I seriously doubt any of us will ever see a rivalry of that level of violence and magnitude ever again.



    The Steelers/Ravens ones of the 2000s were as close to the Raiders/Steelers Rivalry as one will ever get. That said, not the same. :lolol:
     
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  13. AFan

    AFan Well-Known Member

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    Certainly today its Steelers/Ravens. Tens yrs from now it might be Steelers/Browns. During the 70s Steelers /Raiders was probably the best for a least 5 yrs, but doesn’t mean much today.
     
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  14. MeanJoeBlue

    MeanJoeBlue Well-Known Member

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    The greatest rivalry?

    Jeff Reed and the empty paper towel dispenser
     
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  15. MojaveDesertPghFan

    MojaveDesertPghFan

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    Steelers vs Fair-Weathered Fan Base. :hmm:
     
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  16. The Sodfather

    The Sodfather Well-Known Member

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    Steelers/Raiders in the 70's. Violent brutality, borderline criminality. Ravens a close second.

    Division wide, no division compares to the AFC West. No matter their individual records, the Raiders, Chargers, Chiefs and Broncos hate one another. They've all been playing each other for decades. NFC Central would be next but, I don't think the same vitriol is there.
     
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  17. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Only closest division with that level of tenacity and violence since the AFC North of the 2000s is the NFC West... well... the NFC West from 2019 to current anyway. During the early 2010s, that division was supposed to supersede the AFC North as the most competitive. However, from 2013-2018, that division is essentially Seattle's. It still kind of is but not in totality. Agree with you on the NFC North. That said, should Aaron Rodgers really be moved this Off Season, that is going to be quite the ripple effect in the entire conference and never mind that division.
     
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  18. Hanratty#5

    Hanratty#5 Well-Known Member

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    Who can ever forget Donnie Shell's ferocious hit on Earl Campbell. If there was a hit like that in today's NFL, the lame league executives would not only ban him for life but push for him to serve 20 years in prison.
     
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  19. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    Earl Campbell was never the same way again. That hit ended a career.
     
  20. Vox Ferrum

    Vox Ferrum Well-Known Member

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    I read once where Bum said on his tombstone would be, "I had to face the Steelers 6x in 2 years".that sums up the late 70's rivalry.


    The Cowboys were always game to look forward to, but hard to call a team you only face every 4 years, or in the SB 2x (in the 70's)a rivalry...just not sustainable.

    The intensity of those raiders years was indeed special.
     
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  21. BigBensBigBong

    BigBensBigBong Well-Known Member

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    If I had to pick one, yeah still Ravens, but that one cooled a bit when Ray ray and a couple others retired. All division games are heated now.

    We don`t have a good one outside the division anymore. It could have been the Patsies for a long while if we won more against them. Too bad that did not happen. We just took the beatings without giving it back much.
     
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  22. Vox Ferrum

    Vox Ferrum Well-Known Member

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    I would say at one time the NFC east was right there as well. The NFL pushed the Cowboys, and even in years when the others were not as good they played the 'boys hard, and each other. The luster definitely has diminished.
     
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  23. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    The Jaguars are a non-division rival imo. They have put the hurt on us a few times.
     
  24. Chinchilla

    Chinchilla Well-Known Member

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    Thanks all for taking the time.

    I do recall reading (Im 50) about Raymond Chester and Cliff Branch being tough to defend and I read about the fan that got killed for wearing Steeler gear but I had no idea that there was a rivalry.

    There is some great film clips I have seen of Earl playing the Steelers and brutal collisions that took place.

    Nobody has thay crystal ball but I wonder if Cinci will finally live up to the hype and be a rival but that owner seems to be so cheap.
     
  25. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    I believe that's because they were a Divisional Rival once in the AFC central time.
     
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