The most underappreciated rivalry in each NFL division
By John Buhler
NFC East: New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
While it’s hard to top the hostility between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, the rivalry between the Eagles and the New York Giants is one of the oldest and most highly contested the league has ever seen. They have played 176 times since 1933. The Eagles hold a razor-thin lead all time at 88-86-2. These rivals have split their four postseason meetings to date.
The captivating moments in this rivalry are endless. Unfortunately, the three most iconic are in in Philadelphia’s favor. Of course, we’re talking about Chuck Bednarik‘s hit on Frank Gifford in 1960, as well as both renditions of the Miracle at the Meadowlands. You take away those two last-second victories by the Eagles in 1978 and 2010 and this series is tied goes in New York’s favor.
To date, the Eagles and Giants have 12 league championships between them. New York has won four Super Bowls, while Philadelphia won the most recent in the division back in 2017. Though a down period for both franchises in the 1970s, mostly because the Cowboys and the Washington Redskins were humming, neither the Eagles or the Giants stay down for very long in the NFL.
What really gives this rivalry series it edges is the underdog nature these two teams have when they make a run to the Super Bowl. Outside of the 1980 Eagles who lost to the then-Oakland Raiders and the 1986 Giants who beat the Denver Broncos, these rivals have been underdogs in their other six combined Super Bowl appearances. They’ve gone a combined 5-3 in those games.