The Ravens have been among the most dominant teams in the AFC, and they have the opportunity to take sole possession of the AFC North with a win over the Steelers in this Sunday night’s pivotal showdown at M&T Bank Stadium. It's a matchup that Terrell Suggs is calling "the biggest rivalry in football."
"There’s nothing to hype about this game," Suggs said, according to Yahoo Sports. "This is definitely the biggest rivalry in football. This is the biggest and most physical game in football. It’s a championship week."
It certainly is championship week, but not because of the Ravens-Steelers matchup. The Jets and Patriots have been in an effective tie atop the AFC East all season and have generated the most national headlines. Those two teams can lay claim to having the best rivalry in football.
A few years ago, one could make the argument that the Patriots-Colts rivalry was the most captivating in football. It featured the two premiere quarterbacks in the NFL and two of the smartest coaches to ever roam the sideline.
But New York’s resurgence last year and dominant play this season has the Jets back as priority No. 1 in New England.
The Jets entered the season as the loudest favorite for the AFC East. After participating in HBO’s Hard Knocks, they have created a fearsome running attack and another staunch defense. Mark Sanchez, the focus of most criticism, has stepped up for Gang Green in recent weeks. He won the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Week for his incredible comeback drive against the Texans two weeks ago, when he completed 22 of 38 passes for 315 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Two victories on Thanksgiving — one by the Patriots, another by the Jets — have set this game up as the tiebreaker for the division, and possibly the top spot in the AFC.
Pittsburgh is still trying to shed the shame of Ben Roethlisberger's suspension, and both they and Baltimore still trail the AFC East leaders by a game.
Yes, the Patriots were embarrassed by Eric Mangini’s Browns, but Cleveland almost brought the same hurt on the Jets.
Let’s be serious: This New England-New York matchup is the game of the season, forget about the week.
It features the hottest new coach in Rex Ryan and the most beloved and hated coach for years in Bill Belichick. It features two of the most popular quarterbacks and defenses that punish their opponent each week.
Enjoy the Steelers-Ravens game on Sunday; it is the perfect warm-up for the game of the year.
