CFZ How important are division rivalries?

[Reverend Conehead]

I feel like we don't even really have a rivalry with Washington anymore. If you're around my age, you'll remember how intense the Dallas/Washington rivalry was in the 70s. Both Tom Landry and Washington Coach George Allen built some great teams. When their two teams met, it was almost always a dog fight. The Rivalry resumed some in the 90s with Coach Johnson versus Coach Gibbs, though maybe not quite as insanely intense, but definitely with some outstanding teams. I remember when it was Washington week, the whole family looked forward to the game all week, and we sometimes had friends over for parties to watch.

Today, if we're playing Washington, it just feels like another NFC East game. It seems like we're just two other competent NFL teams playing one of 17 games. I have way more contempt for the Eagles than for the Commanders. And the Eagles have been way tougher competition in recent history than Washington. So there is a rivalry against the Eagles, but I still don't think it's anything like the Dallas/Washington rivalry of the 70s.

Does that really matter though? Do you need a quality rival to be able to build a championship team? Or could every other NFC East team stink, but we would still build a championship-level team?

 

[brucekr]

I personally think they're important. Some of my favorite wins of all time are divisional games and likewise some of my most hated losses are divisional games.

If we were 8-5 and beat Atlanta who was 8-5 and it meant a higher seeding heading toward the playoffs, I'd still prefer beating the 3-10 Commanders with the same record...every time. The only divisional team I don't absolutely hate with a passion is the Giants. But I don't shed a tear if they lose either.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I personally think they're important. Some of my favorite wins of all time are divisional games and likewise some of my most hated losses are divisional games.

If we were 8-5 and beat Atlanta who was 8-5 and it meant a higher seeding heading toward the playoffs, I'd still prefer beating the 3-10 Football Team with the same record...every time. The only divisional team I don't absolutely hate with a passion is the Giants. But I don't shed a tear if they lose either.

I always did feel that Washington teams being so tough helped Landry to be ready for dogfights in the playoffs. The Don Coryell-coached St. Louis Cardinals was also a major NFC East rival for a while. Would Landry have done as well if the NFC East had been a cake division, then they faced tough teams in the playoffs like the Rams and the 49ers? I have my doubts. In a cake division, you might think you're better than you actually are.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Love em.

The NFC East has the best rivalries in the NFL.

 

[Whirlwin]

They are extremely important. They know each other so well. You don’t win the division you’re not going anywhere. As far as the rivalry. I don’t think that plays into it as much, unless it’s Philly. Lol

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Extremely important ...........I always focus on one Cowboy goal, winning every divisional game. It locks you in the postseason and guarantees a home game. I could care less how weak the division is coz it's not something we can control.

 

[Hardline]

Free agency ruined the heated rivalry where the two teams despised one another.
Too many players switch teams too much.

The Cowboys- Red skins rivalry of the past will never be the same. I wasn't raised to hate the Commanders.

 

[Cowpolk]

It is as important as having a bellybutton inny or outie does not matter which

 

[Jake]

They're not as important as they used to be when teams played fewer games, but they're great for fans who have developed hatred for those rivals over years.

Let's go 6-0, again.

 

[links18]

Growing up in DC in the 70s and 80s, they are extremely important to your entire identity as a fan.

 

[75boyz]

When NYG, Wash and Dallas all represented the NFC in the SB from 90-93, the NFCE rivalries were a true measuring stick of a team's playoff potential because of the overall strength of the division. The Eagles were just as tough too.

Now.
It's practically the opposite. Now its more like whoever wins the division is looked at as more the tallest midget in the room rather than a true championship contender.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I'm a younger fan but for me I'll never get tired of beating up on the Giants, Eagles and Commanders...Its taken a hit since 2 out of the 4 teams have sucked for some time now but Eagles and Cowboys is still a great rivalry among fans.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Compared to what they once were Division rivalries are dead.

The best rivalries these days seem to be short lived and organically made. For a while it seemed the packers were our biggest rival. Brady vs manning and those types of rivalries.

cowboys/skins used to mean everything. Even in a down year you wanted to beat them twice.

if you get two good teams in the division for an extended period it helps recreate what once was, but the nfc east hasn’t been competitive enough recently.

 

[john van brocklin]

I feel like we don't even really have a rivalry with Washington anymore. If you're around my age, you'll remember how intense the Dallas/Washington rivalry was in the 70s. Both Tom Landry and Washington Coach George Allen built some great teams. When their two teams met, it was almost always a dog fight. The Rivalry resumed some in the 90s with Coach Johnson versus Coach Gibbs, though maybe not quite as insanely intense, but definitely with some outstanding teams. I remember when it was Washington week, the whole family looked forward to the game all week, and we sometimes had friends over for parties to watch.

Today, if we're playing Washington, it just feels like another NFC East game. It seems like we're just two other competent NFL teams playing one of 17 games. I have way more contempt for the Eagles than for the Commanders. And the Eagles have been way tougher competition in recent history than Washington. So there is a rivalry against the Eagles, but I still don't think it's anything like the Dallas/Washington rivalry of the 70s.

Does that really matter though? Do you need a quality rival to be able to build a championship team? Or could every other NFC East team stink, but we would still build a championship-level team?

I must be your age because the old saying was
We could go 2 and 14 as long as the 2 wins were against the skins.

 

[cowboyec]

they are part of our dna.

 

[Flamma]

Free agency ruined the heated rivalry where the two teams despised one another.
Too many players switch teams too much.

The Cowboys- Red skins rivalry of the past will never be the same. I wasn't raised to hate the Commanders.

This is exactly right. For the most part, the only team now that I despise are the Eagles. I feel no great hatred for any other team. There simply isn't enough time to build a rivalry before teams become something else.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

I don't think he's talking about our feelings toward those other teams. I think he's asking how important is to a contender in our division pushing us. An iron sharpening iron situation.

But the problem with having a contender in our division pushing us is...we may not need to toughen up to past them. The salary cap will more than likely rip them apart before we can over take them. So you really don't get those intense rivalries in today's game, like we had in the past. But yeah, having a iron sharpening iron situation is good for all of those involved.

 

[BourbonBalz]

The games are extremely important simply because winning the division is so important, whether they’re considered rivalries or not.

 

[Pompey-Cowboy]

Ask New England how important having quality opposition in your division leading to heated rivalry is when it comes to winning Super Bowls?

 

[MWH1967]

Free agency ruined the heated rivalry where the two teams despised one another.
Too many players switch teams too much.

The Cowboys- Red skins rivalry of the past will never be the same. I wasn't raised to hate the Commanders.

I was.