So Carson Palmer hates the Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, he should. Pittsburgh beat the Bengals last year in the only game that mattered.
People are trying to figure out what could've motivated Palmer to say what he did in this week's Sports Illustrated, but where's the mystery? Emotions usually spill over when you have two teams that are good, competitive and in each other's way.
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| The hit that sparked a rivalry? Carson Palmer sure thinks so. (Getty Images) |
Now my question is this: Is Pittsburgh-Cincinnati this year's best rivalry? Not here it's not. But it's close.
When I'm talking rivalries, I want teams that loathe each other; not simply games involving star players. And I want something at stake -- like a division title or a playoff spot. Which means I want a Big Game.
That eliminates something like, say, Oakland-Kansas City. Or Miami and the New York Jets. Or Green Bay-Chicago. Hey, I love watching Brett Favre too, but not when he's throwing 29 interceptions and chasing defensive backs.
No, I want teams that are competitive and teams that play for something other than draft positions. I want teams like ... well, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Which is why Palmer got me thinking of what rivalries I anticipate most this season.
These are my top five:
1. Indianapolis-New England
When the Colts moved out of the AFC East, they thought they put the Patriots in their rearview mirror. Uh-huh, Richard Hatch thought he was clear of the IRS, too. Since the NFL realigned in 2002, the Colts and Patriots have met five times -- with Indianapolis finally breaking through last year with a victory in Foxborough. The Colts didn't just shake off that 800-pound gorilla; they pinned him with a 40-21 rout of the then-defending Super Bowl champions. That was supposed to be the breakthrough, but wouldn't you know it? They get to play the Patriots again ... and again it's in Foxborough, site of their last four games with New England. So here we go again with Peyton against Bill, Adam against the wind and Indy against the odds. Hallelujah.
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2. Dallas-Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Eagles don't talk about Terrell Owens. In fact, Donovan McNabb never mentioned his name at the team's minicamp. But you better believe he's on their minds. The two first meet Oct. 8 in Philadelphia, and no, I wouldn't want to be working security at the hotel where the Cowboys stay the night before. Owens is not liked by the Eagles, but he's positively abhorred by dyspeptic fans who insist he sabotaged their club. This is liable to get ugly, and I'm not talking about what happens on the field. This may be the first time we may have to cover the parking lot. A year ago the good people of Philadelphia burned Owens in effigy and tossed No. 81 jerseys into a bonfire ... and he wasn't even playing. I can't imagine what they do for an encore, but I'll be watching.
