Obviously the NY Jets have 31 rivals in the NFL. The other 15 AFC teams would be a bit more significant than their counterparts in the NFC especially because the one and only Superbowl opponent we have ever had was absorbed in the AFC (The Colts). And of course the other 3 AFC East teams top the list of our top 10 worst enemies. I'll start at #1 and work my way back.
#1. The Miami Dolphins. I hate everything about this team. They are the one AFC east team that plays in year round 70 degree weather. Whats that all about? When I think about Shula and Marino and that goddamn fake ball spike in the Meadowlands. Marino was so smug, those "Isotoner" commercials made me nauseous. No question this team is the Jets all time arch nemesis.
#2. The New England Patriots. We have a long history of bad blood and animosity. The all time lowlight???? How about Belichick accepting the headcoach position for the Jets and walking away only to take the same job in chowderville 24 hrs later? I'll never forget that feeling and I will never see enough bad fortune go his way.
#3. The Buffalo Bills. 30 plus years of battles, so why are they not higher on this list? The way I look at it, we rarely are contenders at the same time in history. Every NFL team has it ups and down; dominate periods and rebuilding periods. The Jets and Bills have never been "up" at the same time, so I think it takes away from the rivalry... but just a little. They hold the record for beating us more than any other team, we are 44-52 against them.
#4. The Oakland Raiders. Every Jet fan should hate them and their crackpot owner Al Davis. Let me break down the history between these two organizations. Al Davis was the commissioner of the old AFL once upon a time. The NY Jets made one of the biggest moves in pro sports history by offering the #1 college prospect a massive 500k contract and steeling Joe Namath away from the NFL. This single move forced a merger between the two leagues and as part of the deal Al Davis lost his job as commissioner. Davis resented this loss of power so much that, as rumor has it, he had his team throw a game in late December of 2005 in order to prevent the Jets from having the worst record in the league, and in turn denying them the #1 overall pick in the 2006 draft. Yes, a grudge over 30 years old!
#5. The Indianapolis Colts. Our former AFC East rivals, and the only team we beat in a Superbowl. Our all-time record against them is horrible... 25-40 all-time. We represent the lowest point in their long history... Namath makes the "Guarantee"... and the rest is history, ancient history actually.
#6. The Denver Broncos. They took Elway and we took O'Brien. 14 seasons later Elway defeats our best ever roster in the AFC championship game and squashes our closest chance at a Superbowl birth in my lifetime.
#7. The Pittsburgh Steelers. The most dominate team in AFC history. I hate them just because of their six titles. But that game in January of 2005 when Doug Brien missed 3 potential game winning field goals including one in overtime will forever scar my soul. We were the better team that day, and if we would have finished the job we would have had a shot at the Pats in the championship game the following week. I would have given anything to see that game. I think Chad, Curtis, Abraham, Chrebet, Moss, Mawae, Ellis, and Vilma could have given them a run for their money.
#8. The New York Giants. These teams play one meaningful game every for years, yet they are always and forever linked. There have been some big moments like when the Giants broke Penningtons wrist in a meaningless pre-season game and effectively ended our 2003 season before it even started. But in the end, playing at "Giants Stadium" for over 20 years has created a loathing and hatred of the Giants, their fans and everything they stand for. I love the Jets because I hate the Giants... it's a lifestyle, an innate desire to believe in the underdog.
#9. The Dallas Cowboys. They are everything the Jets are not. They are Americas team, the darlings of the NFL. They have double digit hall of famers compared to the 3 that are primarily associated with the Jets. I would love to see the Jets win the big game, and how satisfying it would be to see them do it against the Goliath of the NFL. We are 2-7 all-time against them.
#10. The Philadelphia Eagles. They are local and they wear the same colors... thats all I need. We don't have our own stadium, we haven't had a Championship in the past four decades, the one thing we should have is our own colors. They are also the only team we have never beat. Like the Giants we don't play them often, but we are 0-8 all-time.
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