The other day, either ESPN or NFL Network, I forgot which, had a short discussion about the rivalries in the NFC East. One of the panelists, again I forgot who it was, pointed out that the level of smack talking going on between the Cowboys and Giants players over the last couple of years would indicate that the Giants/Cowboys rivalry may be the strongest in the NFC East, at least from a player point of view.
Historically, one could argue that the Cowboys vs. Redskins rivalry has been one of the most storied rivalries in all of pro football. Yet a look at the record books shows that the last time the Cowboys and Redskins each had records of 10 wins or more in the same season was in 1991. Since then, the Redskins have had two seasons with 10 wins ('99, '05) with all other seasons coming in below that win total. It's hard to maintain a meaningful rivalry when the opponent just isn't all that.
More recently, the Eagles may have emerged as the opponents who generate more intense feelings among the Cowboys fanbase, especially the younger fans. Since the 2000 season, the Eagles have compiled the best winning record in the division (121-70-1), ahead of the Giants (107-85) and the Cowboys (96-96), and have made the playoffs in nine out of twelve seasons, again best in the division (NYG: 7; DAL: 4, WAS: 2). Yet the Eagles remain the odd man out in a four-team division that has collected 12 Lombardi trophies between three of its members.
At some point most of us have probably wondered who our fellow fans would consider the Cowboys' biggest rival in the division. Do we still think that the Redskins are our most bitter rivals in the division? Or have the Eagles supplanted the Redskins over the last decade? And what about the Giants, winners of two Super Bowls in the last five years?
Giants, Eagles or Redskins, which Beast in the East do you love the least?