Many franchises in the NFL can point to a division opponent and claim them as a rival. Green Bay has Chicago, Dallas has Washington, and New Orleans has Atlanta. Fans in Pittsburgh, waving their terrible towels, can enjoy mocking their counterparts in Baltimore this season. Playoffs? Nevermore. The insults wouldn’t carry much weight, however, as the Steelers also failed to qualify for the playoffs. We can even pretend that New England and Indianapolis have some hard feelings for each other, but deep down we all know that the rivalry is between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, not the franchises that they represented in past playoff battles.
There are many franchises that maintain rivalries, but in today’s NFL only one rivalry lives and breathes. Only one rivalry features teams that possess every element of what makes a champion, while also placing them in the same division. Two teams, with youth on their side, and only getting better. Two quarterbacks, both calm under pressure, able to create first downs out of seemingly lost plays. Two coaches, who each possess a collegiate spirit and energy that is equal parts irritating and endearing. Two defenses which are, by any measure, the league’s two best defenses. Two cities, rippling with anticipation of a Super Bowl berth.
Today, the greatest rivalry in football is that between Seattle and San Francisco.
Rivalry games carry an added weight of importance, regardless of the situation. Think about how Oregon State almost validated a disappointing season with their near upset of Oregon in the 2013 Civil War. How, upon seeing the Yankees and Red Sox on television, you might linger on that channel a bit longer than if the game was between the Padres and the Pirates. Has Duke ever taken the court for a basketball game against North Carolina without the building feeling electric?
The rivalry that the Seahawks and 49ers have developed is unique, in that each team believes that their time is now. This is not one team playing spoiler to a juggernaut. This is nowhere near the “little brother” stigma that has plagued teams like the Oregon State Beavers and Washington State Cougars. Both the Seahawks and the 49ers can stare each other down, and claim to be the best team in football today.
Since last weekend, when the Seahawks cast aside the Saints and the 49ers squashed the Panthers, all eyes have been on the upcoming contest between these two NFC West rivals. Seattle holds a 16-1 record at home over the past two seasons, while San Francisco has won two road playoff games to reach this point. The Seahawks were the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl all season. The 49ers have now made (at minimum) the NFC Championship game in each of the three seasons with Jim Harbaugh as their head coach.
The Seahawks, during the regular season, were ranked #4 in rushing offense while the 49ers were ranked #3. Seattle’s pass defense was #1, best in the league, while San Francisco finished at #7. Both teams excel at stopping the run, as Seattle ranked #7 in run defense and San Francisco ranked #4.
Playing a physical style, both teams wear down their opponents with violent running backs that usually require multiple defenders to bring them down. On the occasions that these teams do find themselves needing larger chunks of yardage, their quarterbacks are capable of extending the defense with their legs as well as their arm.
Seattle has played in only one Super Bowl, after the 2005 season, which resulted in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Can the 12th man propel the team to another appearance in the title game? San Francisco, on the other hand, is one of the more storied franchises in the entire league, as they have appeared in six Super Bowls, winning five titles (the only loss came last season, against the Baltimore Ravens). With a resume like that, their mantra of “Who’s got it better than us?” starts to make sense.
The NFC Championship is only days away, and the talk—at least for the team that loses—will have to stop. For what it’s worth, I see the Seattle defense rattling Colin Kaepernick just enough to force a couple of turnovers, leading to a 23-17 victory. Really though, I just want to witness the two teams that fuel the best rivalry in the game today play for a trip to New Jersey, where the Super Bowl will be held.
Football fans, you had better clear your weekend schedules. This Sunday, the Seahawks and 49ers will compete for the right to play in the Super Bowl.
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